WSDZ

WSDZ (1260 AM) is a radio station licensed to Belleville, Illinois, and serving the Greater St. Louis radio market. It is owned and operated by Relevant Radio, Inc.[1] WSDZ carries a Catholic talk and teaching radio format supplied by the Relevant Radio network. WSDZ, along with 1120 KMOX, are responsible for activation of the St. Louis area Emergency Alert System.[2]

WSDZ
CityBelleville, Illinois
Broadcast areaGreater St. Louis
Frequency1260 kHz
BrandingRelevant Radio
Programming
FormatCatholic talk and teaching
AffiliationsRelevant Radio
Ownership
OwnerRelevant Radio, Inc.
KXFN
History
First air date
1947 (as WIBV)
Former call signs
WIBV (1947–1998)
Call sign meaning
W St. Louis
DiZney (former owner)
Technical information
Facility ID4622
ClassB
Power20,000 watts day
5,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
38°27′31.00″N 89°57′41.00″W
Translator(s)95.1 MHz - K236CS (St. Louis)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiterelevantradio.com

By day, WSDZ is powered at 20,000 watts. But at night, to avoid interfering with other stations on AM 1260, it reduces power to 5,000 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times. The studios are located on Weber Hill Road in St. Louis. The transmitter is off Schuleter Germaine Road in Belleville.[3] Programming is also heard on 99-watt FM translator 95.1 MHz K236CS in St. Louis.[4]

History
Logo used as a Radio Disney affiliate from 2010 to 2013
Logo as "The Answer"
Logo as "Praise 95.1 & 1260"

The station signed on in July 1947 as WIBV "Belleville's Voice." It was a daytimer, broadcasting on 1060 kHz with 250 watts of power. WIBV was owned by Belleville Broadcasting Co.[5]

WIBV aired various types of music, and would broadcast high school sports into the Metro-East area for many years, until the mid-1990s, when it became a talk radio station. The call sign switched to WSDZ when it began broadcasting Children's Radio programming as a network affiliate of Radio Disney. At that point, the talk programming moved over to 550 KSD, which became KTRS in early 1997.

On August 13, 2014, Radio Disney announced it would sell nearly all of its owned-and-operated stations including WSDZ. Radio Disney said it wanted to focus more on the network's programming, co-branded events, and digital outlets.[6][7]

Disney originally planned to take the stations dark on September 26, 2014.[8] However, Disney changed plans at the last minute, and all stations would remain on the air, continuing to broadcast Radio Disney programming until each were sold.[9] Radio Disney planned to keep only one of its stations, its outlet at 1150 AM in Los Angeles, now KRDC.

On September 15, the Salem Media Group said it would acquire the last five Radio Disney owned-and-operated stations for sale (including WSDZ) for $2.225 million.[10] WSDZ was acquired through Caron Broadcasting, Inc., for $275,000.[11][12][13] The sale of WSDZ was completed on December 18, 2015.[14]

On December 11, 2015, Radio Disney programming went off the air and WSDZ went silent, pending its new format. On December 22, 2015, WSDZ signed back on the air with a new conservative talk format as "1260 AM The Answer". Most of the programming came from the co-owned Salem Radio Network.

On October 30, 2017, WSDZ changed from conservative talk (which moved to sister station 1380 KXFN). It began playing urban gospel music, branded as "Praise 95.1 & 1260".[15]

In November 2019, the station was sold to Immaculate Heart Media, Inc., and became an affiliate of the co-owned Relevant Radio network.[16][17][18] The programming included Catholic talk and teaching shows.

References
  1. "WSDZ Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. Emergency Alert System Plan - June 2006
  3. Radio-Locator.com/WSDZ
  4. Radio-Locator.com/K236CS
  5. "WIBV at Belleville, Ill., Takes Air as Daytimer" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 4, 1947. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  6. Lafayette, Jon (August 13, 2014). "Exclusive: Radio Disney Moving Off Air to Digital". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  7. Gallo, Phil (August 13, 2014). "Radio Disney to Sell the Majority of Its Stations". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  8. Venta, Lance (August 13, 2014). "Radio Disney To Sell All But One Station". Radio Insight. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  9. Fybush, Scott (September 26, 2014). "NERW Extra: No Signoffs for Disney AMs". Northeast Radio Watch. Retrieved September 27, 2014. (subscription required)
  10. Salem Acquires Radio Disney’s Final Five - Radio Insight
  11. "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission.
  12. WSDZ of Belleville changes hands - St. Louis Business Journal
  13. Belleville radio station being sold - Belleville News-Democrat
  14. Consummation Notice - Federal Communications Commission
  15. Salem Brings Praise While Moving The Answer Radioinsight - October 17, 2017
  16. Jacobson, Adam. "Update: Salem Reveals Stations In Latest Sale As Stock Slides", Radio & Television Business Report. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  17. Venta, Lance. "More On Immaculate Heart Media’s Purchase Of Nine Stations From Salem", Radio Insight. August 16, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  18. Application Search Details – BAL-20190814AAU, fcc.gov. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
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