| Broadcast area | Chicago metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1490 kHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Polish Language Talk and other ethnic programming |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | October 7, 1950 [1] |
Former call signs | WEBS (cp)
[2] WOPA (1950 [2]–1984) [3] WBMX (1984–1987) WPNA (1987–2022) [3] |
| Technical information [4] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 1093 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts unlimited |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°52′52″N 87°47′38″W / 41.88111°N 87.79389°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | 1490.am |
WEUR (1490 AM) is a time-brokered radio station licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Daniela Wojcik, through licensee CSWWII, LLC. [5]
Programming
The majority of the station's programming is Polish language news, talk, and sports. [6] They feature polka music on the weekends with the long running Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show hosted by Tish Blazonczyk, [7]
WEUR is the home of the Hagerty Family Irish Program, the longest running Irish program in the United States. [6] This program has been on the station every Saturday morning since 1951. [8]
History
The station began broadcasting October 7, 1950. [1] The station's call sign was originally WEBS, but before going on the air the call sign was changed to WOPA to reflect the location of its studios. [2] The studios and antenna were in the former Oak Park Arms Hotel, now a retirement community. [2]
Pervis Spann began his radio career on WOPA in 1959. [9] [10]
In 1984, the station's call sign was changed to WBMX. [3]
In January 1987, the station was sold to the Polish National Alliance for $2 million, and its call sign was changed to WPNA on May 1, 1987. [11] [3] WPNA was the home of the long-running Chet Gulinski Show, which featured polka music and was quite popular in Chicago's Eastern European communities. [12] [13]
On May 25, 2022, the Polish National Alliance announced the sale of WPNA 1490AM to Daniela Wojcik's CSWWII, LLC for $725,000. [14] The sale was consummated on August 1, 2022. Alliance Communications, which operates Polish CHR WPNA-FM 103.1FM in Highland Park, Illinois retained the rights to the callsign WPNA & intellectual property. [15] The station changed its call sign to WEUR on August 31, 2022.
References
- ^ a b 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-66. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d History Cards for WPNA, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WEUR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WEUR Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ^ a b " About Us", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ " Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ Curry, Cathy. "Chicago's First Family of Irish Radio", Irish American News, Chicago, May 2011. Retrieved on 23 October 2014.
- ^ " Pervis Spann", The Blues Foundation. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ Whiteis, David. " Not So Smooth Operator", Chicago Reader. January 18, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ " Changing Hands", Broadcasting. February 9, 1987. p. 118. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ " Chet Gulinski, Host of Radio Polka Show", Chicago Tribune. August 14, 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ " WPNA AM 1490", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 25. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ Jacobson, Adam "Alliance Agrees To Sale of Chicago AM Serving Polish Community", "www.rbr.com", May 25, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ "Station Sales Week Of 5/27", "www.radioinsight.com", July 27, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
External links
- WEUR Official Website
- Hagerty Family Irish Program Website
- International Polka Association Website
- WEUR in the FCC AM station database
- WEUR in Nielsen Audio's AM station database