WSDZ

WSDZ (1260 AM) is a Catholic formatted radio station licensed to Belleville, Illinois, serving the Greater St. Louis. The station, which began broadcasting in 1947, is owned and operated affiliate Immaculate Heart Media's Relevant Radio network. The WSDZ broadcast license is held by Caron Broadcasting, Inc.[1]

WSDZ
CityBelleville, Illinois
Broadcast areaGreater St. Louis
Frequency1260 kHz
BrandingRelevant Radio
Programming
FormatCatholic talk
AffiliationsRelevant Radio
Ownership
OwnerImmaculate Heart Media, Inc.
Sister stationsKXFN
History
First air date1947 (as WIBV)
Former call signsWIBV (1947-1998)
Call sign meaningW St. Louis
DiZney (former owner)
Technical information
Facility ID4622
ClassB
Power20,000 watts day
5,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates38°27′31.00″N 89°57′41.00″W
Translator(s)95.1 MHz - K236CS (St. Louis)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiterelevantradio.com

WSDZ's studios are located on Weber Hill Road in St. Louis, while its transmitter is located south of Belleville.

WSDZ, along with KMOX, are responsible for activation of the St. Louis area Emergency Alert System.[2]

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

The station began in July 1947 as WIBV ("Belleville's Voice"), daytime only, on 1060 kHz with 250 W power. It was owned by Belleville Broadcasting Co.[3]

WIBV aired various types of music, and broadcasting a variety of high school sports into the Metro-East area for many years, until the mid-1990s, when it became an all-news/talk station, a fore-runner of KTRS.

WIBV became WSDZ, when it transferred all of its programming over to KSD, which became KTRS in early 1997. It then became the Radio Disney affiliate for the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area.

On August 13, 2014, it was announced that Radio Disney planned to sell all of its remaining owned-and-operated stations (including WSDZ and with the lone exception of KDIS in Los Angeles) in order to focus more on the network's programming, co-branded events, and digital outlets.[4][5] Disney originally planned to temporarily shut down the stations in question on September 26, 2014.[6] However, Disney changed their plans at the last minute, and all stations would remain on the air, continuing to broadcast Radio Disney programming until each were sold.[7]

On September 15, it was announced that Salem Media Group acquired the last five Radio Disney owned-and-operated stations for sale (including WSDZ) for $2.225 million.[8] WSDZ was acquired through Caron Broadcasting, Inc., for $275,000.[9][10][11] The sale of WSDZ was completed on December 18, 2015.[12]

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 their new conservative talk format as "1260 AM The Answer".

On October 30, 2017, WSDZ changed their format from conservative talk (which moved to recently purchased sister station KXFN) to urban gospel, branded as "Praise 95.1 & 1260".[13]

In November 2019, the station was sold to Immaculate Heart Media, Inc. and it became an affiliate of Relevant Radio.[14][15][16]

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