Newsradio 780 To Simulcast On 105.9 FM, Starting Aug. 1
CHICAGO (CBS) -- CBS Radio today announced plans to simulcast its all news station, WBBM Newsradio 780 on 105.9 FM, beginning on Aug. 1
Here is the news release issued by CBS Radio on Thursday:
WBBM NEWSRADIO TO BE SIMULCAST ON POWERFUL FM DIAL POSITION BEGINNING ON MONDAY, AUGUST 1
Chicago's Heritage All-News Radio Station Expands Distribution With Broadcasts on 105.9 FM
WBBM Newsradio 780-AM, Chicago's only All-News radio station and one of the most trusted brands in the market, today announced that beginning on Monday, August 1 it will launch a simulcast of its Edward R. Murrow award-winning programming on 105.9 FM. For 24-hours a day, seven days a week, Chicagoans can easily find their familiar traffic and weather together on the eights, along with the latest breaking news, business, sports, and Chicago Bears games using the prominent AM or FM broadcast technology.
The 2011 NAB Marconi Award "Legendary Station of the Year" nominee can also be accessed online at www.cbschicago.com and through the Radio.com application for the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android devices.
Said Rod Zimmerman, CBS RADIO Chicago's Senior Vice President and Market Manager, "WBBM Newsradio has built a flawless reputation, and is a name well-known by millions of listeners in the Chicago area. Since 1968, we have served the community with sound journalism and information through broadcasts on 780AM. As we take this next step in advancing the availability of WBBM we do so with the same integrity and judgment that has guided us for the past 40+ years.
"Offering listeners an AM and FM option to interact with our stations has been a winning strategy for CBS RADIO in major markets such as San Francisco and Detroit. The upside for the consumer, and the advertisers who want to reach them, is enormous, and we strongly believe this move will prove successful in the future."
WBBM consistently dominates as Chicago's No. 1 station with listeners 12+ (Arbitron 2011, Monday thru Sunday, 6am to Midnight). Anchored by Felicia Middlebrooks and Pat Cassidy in morning drive, along with a roster of seasoned journalists including Kris Kridel, Sherman Kaplan, Keith Johnson and Steve Grzanich, among others, WBBM is the radio station more Chicagoans turn to for breaking news than anywhere else. The station has won numerous awards for its coverage including National Sigma Delta Chi honors, and Edward R. Murrow regional and national awards for Overall Excellence, Newscast, and Breaking News Coverage. Additionally, WBBM has received similar awards for Station of the Year, Best Newscast, Best Reporter and Best Sports from the Associated Press.
WBBM began broadcasting in 1923 and became "Newsradio" in 1968. The station has served as the flagship for Chicago Bears broadcasts since 2000 offering a full slate of pre-season, regular and post-season match-ups. WBBM also has provided exclusive play-by-play of the Chicago Air and Water Show dating back to the 1980's, and supports Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, Chicago House, Gateway Green and the Chicago Innovation Awards.
