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| branding = NewsRadio WHAM 1180
| branding = NewsRadio WHAM 1180
| slogan = Rochester's News, Weather, and Traffic Station
| slogan = Rochester's News, Weather, and Traffic Station
| airdate = [[1922 in radio|1922]]
| airdate = {{start date and age|1922|7|11}}
| frequency = 1180 [[Hertz|kHz]]
| frequency = 1180 [[Hertz|kHz]]
| format = [[Talk radio|News/Talk]]
| format = [[Talk radio|News/Talk]]
| power = 50,000 [[watt]]s unlimited
| power = 50,000 [[watt]]s unlimited
| facility_id = 37545
| facility_id = 37545
| affiliations = [[Premiere Networks]], [[Fox News Radio]], [[Westwood One (current)|Westwood One]]
| affiliations = [[Premiere Networks]]<BR>[[Westwood One]]<BR>[[Fox News Radio]]
| class = A
| class = A
| coordinates = {{coord|43|4|55|N|77|43|30|W|type:landmark}}<br>{{nowrap|{{coord|43|5|51|N|77|35|1|W}}}} (backup)
| coordinates = {{coord|43|4|55|N|77|43|30|W|type:landmark}}<br>{{nowrap|{{coord|43|5|51|N|77|35|1|W}}}} (backup)
Line 22: Line 22:
}}
}}


'''WHAM''' (1180 [[AM broadcasting|AM]]) is a [[Clear-channel station|clear channel]] station in [[Rochester, New York]]. It is owned by [[iHeartMedia]] and airs a [[Talk radio|News/Talk]] format. Its studios are located at [[Five Star Bank Plaza]] in downtown Rochester. WHAM is an [[Network affiliate|affiliate]] of the [[Fox News Radio]] Network.
'''WHAM''' (1180 [[Hertz|kHz]]) is a [[commercial radio|commercial]] [[Clear-channel station|clear channel]] [[AM radio|AM]] [[radio station]] in [[Rochester, New York]]. It is owned by [[iHeartMedia]] and airs a [[Talk radio|News/Talk]] [[radio format]]. The [[radio studio]]s and offices are at [[Five Star Bank Plaza]] in downtown Rochester.


Its 50,000-[[watt]] non-directional [[transmitter]], located in [[Chili, New York]], operates the maximum power for commercial AM stations in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]. During the day, it provides at least secondary coverage to all of [[Western New York]], including [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]]. It can also be heard in much of [[Southern Ontario]], Canada, including [[Toronto]], [[Peterborough, Ontario|Peterborough]], and [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]]. At night, it can be heard across much of the eastern half of [[North America]] with a good radio. It is the [[Emergency Alert System]]'s primary entry point station for Western New York.
Its 50,000-[[watt]] [[omnidirectional antenna|non-directional]] [[transmitter]], located in [[Chili, New York]], operates the maximum power for commercial AM stations in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]. During the day, it provides at least secondary coverage to all of [[Western New York]], including [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]]. It can also be heard in much of [[Southern Ontario]], including [[Toronto]], [[Peterborough, Ontario|Peterborough]], and [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]]. At night, WHAM can be received across much of the [[Eastern United States]] and [[Eastern Canada]] with a good radio. It is the [[Emergency Alert System]]'s primary entry point station for Western New York.


==Programming==
==Programming==
As with most iHeartMedia News/Talk stations, WHAM carries a mix of local shows and nationally [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] programs from [[Premiere Networks]], a [[subsidiary]] of iHeartMedia. Local weekday programs include The WHAM Morning News (5 to 8 am) and The WHAM 5 O'Clock Hour News (5 to 6 pm), Bob Lonsberry (8 am to noon), Talking Back with Shannon Joy (9 to 10 pm) and Sports Talk with Bob Matthews (6 to 8 pm). Matthews is a former ''[[Democrat and Chronicle]]'' columnist. Matthews is usually joined every Wednesday by former [[National Football League|NFL]] player [[Fred Smerlas]]. A partial re-airing of the ''Kimberly and Beck'' afternoon show from [[sister station]] [[WAIO]] airs during the 8 to 9 pm hour.
WHAM carries two local newsblocks on weekdays: "The WHAM Morning News" and "The WHAM 5 O'Clock Hour News." Local talk shows are [[Bob Lonsberry]] (8 am to noon) and Talking Back with Shannon Joy (9 to 10 pm). The rest of the schedule is [[radio syndication|nationally syndicated]] talk shows, mostly from co-owned [[Premiere Networks]]: [[Clay Travis]] and [[Buck Sexton]], [[Sean Hannity]] and "[[Coast to Coast AM]] with [[George Noory]]." In addition, WHAM carries [[Mark Levin]] from [[Westwood One]] and [[Joe Pags]], who is based at co-owned [[WOAI (AM)|WOAI]] [[San Antonio]].


The Premiere Networks syndicated weekday lineup features [[Rush Limbaugh]] (noon to 3 pm), [[Sean Hannity]] (3 to 5 pm), Clyde Lewis (midnight to 1 am) and ''[[Coast to Coast AM]]'' with [[George Noory]] (1 to 5 am). [[Michael Savage]] from the [[Westwood One]] Network is heard weeknights from 9 am to midnight. Weekend programming includes shows on money, health, home repair, law, [[Bill Cunningham (talk show host)|Bill Cunningham]], computer expert [[Leo Laporte]] "The Tech Guy", and some [[brokered programming]].
Weekend programming includes shows on money, health, home repair, cars, technology and law. Weekend hosts include [[Bill Cunningham (talk show host)|Bill Cunningham]], computer expert [[Leo Laporte]] "The Tech Guy", and some [[brokered programming]].

Some listeners in [[Southern Ontario]], who do not get popular American syndicated conservative talk shows such as Limbaugh and Hannity on their local Canadian radio stations, can often pick up WHAM's 50,000 watt [[effective radiated power|ERP]] signal.


==History==
==History==
===University of Rochester===
The station first went on the air on July 11, 1922.<ref>{{cite news|title=Widespread Circle Help To Mark WHAM Birthday|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-07-14-BC.pdf|access-date=3 October 2014|agency=Broadcasting4|date=July 14, 1947}}</ref> While not the first station to be licensed to the Rochester market (that distinction belongs to the defunct WHQ), it is the oldest surviving station in the area. The selection of the "WHAM" call letters came from a suggestion from industrialist [[George Eastman]] (founder of the [[Kodak|Eastman Kodak Co]]., based in Rochester). He helped the University of Rochester launch the station and thought the "WHAM" name would prove to be a clever marketing tool.
The station first [[sign-on|signed on]] the air on {{start date and age|1922|7|11}}.<ref>{{cite news|title=Widespread Circle Help To Mark WHAM Birthday|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-07-14-BC.pdf|access-date=3 October 2014|agency=Broadcasting4|date=July 14, 1947}}</ref> While not the first station to be licensed to the Rochester market (that distinction belongs to the defunct WHQ), it is the oldest surviving station in the area.


The selection of the "WHAM" call letters came from a suggestion from industrialist [[George Eastman]], the founder of the [[Kodak|Eastman Kodak Company]], based in Rochester). He helped the [[University of Rochester]] launch the station and thought the "WHAM" name would prove to be a clever marketing tool. Jim Barney helped the university get the station on the air.
⚫
In 1927, WHAM was acquired by [[Stromberg-Carlson]].<ref name=facility>{{cite news|title=(photo caption)|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1948/1948-02-16-BC.pdf|access-date=7 November 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=February 16, 1948}}</ref>


===Stromberg-Carlson===
⚫
WHAM increased its power to 25,000 [[Watt|watts]] March 4, 1933. A ceremony marking the event included a three-hour broadcast from the Eastman Theatre with "a galaxy of stars" participating.<ref>{{cite news|title=WHAM ad|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1933/1933-04-01-BC.pdf|access-date=9 October 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=April 1, 1933}}</ref>
⚫
In 1927, WHAM was acquired by [[Stromberg-Carlson]].<ref name=facility>{{cite news|title=(photo caption)|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1948/1948-02-16-BC.pdf|access-date=7 November 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=February 16, 1948}}</ref> Stromberg-Carlson was a maker of radio and telecommunications equipment then based in Rochester. The company expanded the station's operations and boosted its signal to 5,000 watts shortly after the acquisition.


⚫
It was relocated from 1080 to 1150&nbsp;[[Hertz|kHz]] in the overall national reorganization of the AM radio band by the Federal Radio Commission in 1928. Later, in 1933, WHAM was allowed to increase power to 25,000 watts. A ceremony marking the event included a three-hour broadcast from the Eastman Theatre with "a galaxy of stars" participating.<ref>{{cite news|title=WHAM ad|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1933/1933-04-01-BC.pdf|access-date=9 October 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=April 1, 1933}}</ref> It later got a boost to its current 50,000 watt level.
⚫
In February 1948, WHAM and its [[sister station]], WHFM, moved into a new facility, Rochester Radio City. The building included 24 offices and six studios, the largest of which could accommodate 400 people in the audience.<ref name=facility/>


In the [[North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement]] (NARBA), the AM band was shuffled in March 1941. WHAM changed frequency once more to its current 1180 kHz.
⚫
WHAM has ties to two of the city's television stations. It spawned the city's first station, WHAM-TV, in 1949; that station is now [[WROC-TV]], the area's [[CBS]] [[Network affiliate|affiliate]]. In 2005, the area's [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate, WOKR, changed its calls to [[WHAM-TV]]; Clear Channel Communications (now known as [[iHeartMedia]]) bought the station in 2002 and sold its entire television group to [[Newport Television]] (controlled by Providence Equity Partners) in 2007; the two stations still have a news partnership.


===Rochester Radio City===
Founded by Jordan Barney while he was working on behalf of the [[University of Rochester]] in 1922, WHAM grew to become the dominant [[AM broadcasting|AM]] station serving Rochester and the [[Genesee Valley Park|Genesee Valley]]. The station was sold in the mid-1920s to [[Stromberg-Carlson]], a maker of radio and telecommunications equipment then based in Rochester. Stromberg-Carlson expanded the station's operations and boosted its signal to 5,000 watts in 1927. It was relocated from 1080 to 1150 [[Hertz|kHz]] in the overall national reorganization of the AM radio band by the Federal Radio Commission in 1928. Later, in 1933, WHAM was allowed to increase power first to 25,000 watts, then to its current 50,000 [[watt]] level. In the [[North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement]] shuffling of the AM band in March 1941, WHAM changed frequency once more to its current 1180 kHz.
⚫
In February 1948, WHAM and its FM [[sister station]], WHFM (now 98.9 [[WBZA]]), moved into a new facility, Rochester Radio City. The building included 24 offices and six studios, the largest of which could accommodate 400 people in the audience.<ref name=facility/>

⚫
WHAM has ties to two of the city's television stations. It put the city's first station on the air, WHAM-TV, in 1949. That station is now [[WROC-TV]], the area's [[CBS]] [[Network affiliate|affiliate]]. In 2005, the area's [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate, WOKR, changed its [[call sign]] to [[WHAM-TV]]. Clear Channel Communications (now known as [[iHeartMedia]]) bought the station in 2002 and sold its entire television group to [[Newport Television]] (controlled by Providence Equity Partners) in 2007; the two stations still have a news partnership.


=== Controversy ===
=== Controversy ===
WHAM radio host [[Bob Lonsberry]] has been a continual source of controversy for the radio station due to racist remarks,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/11/22/1453272/-It-s-way-past-time-for-Bob-Lonsberry-to-go|title=It's (way past) time for Bob Lonsberry to go|website=Daily Kos|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref> and was fired from the show in 2003. He was later brought back due to boycotts by aggrieved fans. Recently, news articles were circulated about him comparing a derogatory racial reference to the term "Boomers" - a colloquial reference for people born during the [[Baby boomers|Baby Boom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/11/radio-host-bob-lonsberry-says-boomer-is-like-n-word-gets-ridiculed-online.html|title=Radio host Bob Lonsberry says 'boomer' is like N-word, gets ridiculed online|last=Herbert|first=Geoff|date=2019-11-04|website=syracuse|language=en|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref>
WHAM radio host [[Bob Lonsberry]] has often been the source of controversy, due to his on-air remarks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/11/22/1453272/-It-s-way-past-time-for-Bob-Lonsberry-to-go|title=It's (way past) time for Bob Lonsberry to go|website=Daily Kos|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref> He was fired from his show in 2003. But later he was brought back due to boycotts by aggrieved fans.
News articles were circulated about him comparing a derogatory racial reference to the term "Boomers" - a colloquial reference for people born during the [[Baby boomers|Baby Boom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/11/radio-host-bob-lonsberry-says-boomer-is-like-n-word-gets-ridiculed-online.html|title=Radio host Bob Lonsberry says 'boomer' is like N-word, gets ridiculed online|last=Herbert|first=Geoff|date=2019-11-04|website=syracuse|language=en|access-date=2019-11-05}}</ref> Lonsberry's show is also broadcast later in the day on co-owned [[WSYR (AM)|WSYR]] [[570 AM]] and [[106.9 FM]] in [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]].


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 20:55, 9 September 2021

WHAM
Broadcast areaRochester metropolitan area
Western New York
Southern Ontario
Frequency1180 kHz
BrandingNewsRadio WHAM 1180
Programmierung
FormatNews/Talk
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Westwood One
Fox News Radio
Ownership
Owner
WAIO, WDVI, WHTK, WKGS, WNBL, WVOR
History
First air date
July 11, 1922; 102 years ago (1922-07-11)
Technical information
Facility ID37545
ClassA
Power50,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
43°4′55″N 77°43′30″W / 43.08194°N 77.72500°W / 43.08194; -77.72500
43°5′51″N 77°35′1″W / 43.09750°N 77.58361°W / 43.09750; -77.58361 (backup)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewham1180.iheart.com

WHAM (1180 kHz) is a commercial clear channel AM radio station in Rochester, New York. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a News/Talk radio format. The radio studios and offices are at Five Star Bank Plaza in downtown Rochester.

Its 50,000-watt non-directional transmitter, located in Chili, New York, operates the maximum power for commercial AM stations in the United States and Canada. During the day, it provides at least secondary coverage to all of Western New York, including Buffalo. It can also be heard in much of Southern Ontario, including Toronto, Peterborough, and Kingston. At night, WHAM can be received across much of the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada with a good radio. It is the Emergency Alert System's primary entry point station for Western New York.

Programmierung

WHAM carries two local newsblocks on weekdays: "The WHAM Morning News" and "The WHAM 5 O'Clock Hour News." Local talk shows are Bob Lonsberry (8 am to noon) and Talking Back with Shannon Joy (9 to 10 pm). The rest of the schedule is nationally syndicated talk shows, mostly from co-owned Premiere Networks: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton, Sean Hannity and "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory." In addition, WHAM carries Mark Levin from Westwood One and Joe Pags, who is based at co-owned WOAI San Antonio.

Weekend programming includes shows on money, health, home repair, cars, technology and law. Weekend hosts include Bill Cunningham, computer expert Leo Laporte "The Tech Guy", and some brokered programming.

History

University of Rochester

The station first signed on the air on July 11, 1922; 102 years ago (1922-07-11).[1] While not the first station to be licensed to the Rochester market (that distinction belongs to the defunct WHQ), it is the oldest surviving station in the area.

The selection of the "WHAM" call letters came from a suggestion from industrialist George Eastman, the founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, based in Rochester). He helped the University of Rochester launch the station and thought the "WHAM" name would prove to be a clever marketing tool. Jim Barney helped the university get the station on the air.

Stromberg-Carlson

In 1927, WHAM was acquired by Stromberg-Carlson.[2] Stromberg-Carlson was a maker of radio and telecommunications equipment then based in Rochester. The company expanded the station's operations and boosted its signal to 5,000 watts shortly after the acquisition.

It was relocated from 1080 to 1150 kHz in the overall national reorganization of the AM radio band by the Federal Radio Commission in 1928. Later, in 1933, WHAM was allowed to increase power to 25,000 watts. A ceremony marking the event included a three-hour broadcast from the Eastman Theatre with "a galaxy of stars" participating.[3] It later got a boost to its current 50,000 watt level.

In the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), the AM band was shuffled in March 1941. WHAM changed frequency once more to its current 1180 kHz.

Rochester Radio City

In February 1948, WHAM and its FM sister station, WHFM (now 98.9 WBZA), moved into a new facility, Rochester Radio City. The building included 24 offices and six studios, the largest of which could accommodate 400 people in the audience.[2]

WHAM has ties to two of the city's television stations. It put the city's first station on the air, WHAM-TV, in 1949. That station is now WROC-TV, the area's CBS affiliate. In 2005, the area's ABC affiliate, WOKR, changed its call sign to WHAM-TV. Clear Channel Communications (now known as iHeartMedia) bought the station in 2002 and sold its entire television group to Newport Television (controlled by Providence Equity Partners) in 2007; the two stations still have a news partnership.

Controversy

WHAM radio host Bob Lonsberry has often been the source of controversy, due to his on-air remarks.[4] He was fired from his show in 2003. But later he was brought back due to boycotts by aggrieved fans.

News articles were circulated about him comparing a derogatory racial reference to the term "Boomers" - a colloquial reference for people born during the Baby Boom.[5] Lonsberry's show is also broadcast later in the day on co-owned WSYR 570 AM and 106.9 FM in Syracuse.

References

  1. ^ "Widespread Circle Help To Mark WHAM Birthday" (PDF). Broadcasting4. July 14, 1947. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  2. ^ a b "(photo caption)" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 16, 1948. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  3. ^ "WHAM ad" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 1, 1933. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  4. ^ "It's (way past) time for Bob Lonsberry to go". Daily Kos. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  5. ^ Herbert, Geoff (2019-11-04). "Radio host Bob Lonsberry says 'boomer' is like N-word, gets ridiculed online". syracuse. Retrieved 2019-11-05.

[1] {article regarding new facilities in Radio Mirror March 1948, page 16}

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