WPNA

WPNA (1490 AM) is a time-brokered radio station licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by Alliance Communications.[4]

For the Highland Park, Illinois radio station at 103.1 FM, see WPNA-FM.
WPNA
CityOak Park, Illinois
Broadcast areaChicago metropolitan area
Frequency1490 kHz
Slogan"Stacja Chicago"
Programming
FormatPolish Language Talk and other ethnic programming
Ownership
OwnerPolish National Alliance
(Alliance Communications, Inc.)
WPNA-FM
History
First air date
October 7, 1950[1]
Former call signs
WEBS (cp)[2]
WOPA (1950[2]-1984)[3]
WBMX (1984-1987)[3]
Call sign meaning
Polish National Alliance
Technical information
Facility ID1093
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
41°52′52″N 87°47′38″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteWPNA Website

Programming

The majority of the station's programming is Polish language news, talk, and sports.[5] They also feature polka music on the weekends, such as the long running Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show hosted by Tish Blazonczyk,[6] and the IPA Polka Show sponsored by the International Polka Association.[7]

WPNA is the home of the Hagerty Family Irish Program, the longest running Irish program in the United States.[5] This program has been on the station every Saturday morning since 1951.[8]

History
WPNA's tower atop the Oak Park Arms

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 1987, the station was sold to the Polish National Alliance for $2 million, and its call sign was changed to WPNA.[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]

References
  1. 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-66. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  2. History Cards for WPNA, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  3. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  4. "WPNA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  5. "About Us", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  6. "Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  7. "International Polka Association", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  8. Curry, Cathy. "Chicago's First Family of Irish Radio", Irish American News, Chicago, May 2011. Retrieved on 23 October 2014.
  9. "Pervis Spann", The Blues Foundation. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  10. Whiteis, David. "Not So Smooth Operator", Chicago Reader. January 18, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  11. "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. February 9, 1987. p. 118. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  12. "Chet Gulinski, Host of Radio Polka Show", Chicago Tribune. August 14, 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  13. "WPNA AM 1490", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 25. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
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