WDBR
Encyclopedia
WDBR is a Top 40 radio station licensed to and serving the Springfield, Illinois
market.
103.7 FM was Springfield's second FM station and the oldest continuously operating FM station in the market. The station originally played beautiful music
as WTAX-FM. In January 1972 WTAX-FM became WDBR and switched to Drake-Chenault
's "Solid Gold" format, a mix of adult-appeal Top 40 hits and rock oldies
. WDBR dropped "Solid Gold" in late 1973 and went to a locally programmed, voicetracked Top 40 sound, which proved successful in the ratings. During the 1970s and 1980s, WDBR was known by the moniker Music 104. WDBR remained largely voicetracked until the early 1990s, when increased competition and faltering ratings forced the station, by then owned by Sentry Insurance, to go fully live, after which the station regained its position as a dominant force in Springfield radio. The new live team included: Greg Lawley and Lisa Crocker with Patrick Gordon mornings, Bobby T middays, Jim Moore Afternoons, Rick Elliott nights with the original "Hot 9 at 9" Rick also hosted the "Dance Machine on the local Fox TV affiliate.
WDBR's tower (shared with sister station WTAX
), in operation since 1949, was destroyed by a tornado
during the severe weather outbreak of March 2006
. The stations soon resumed broadcasting from a new tower at a new location.
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
market.
103.7 FM was Springfield's second FM station and the oldest continuously operating FM station in the market. The station originally played beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
as WTAX-FM. In January 1972 WTAX-FM became WDBR and switched to Drake-Chenault
Drake-Chenault
Drake-Chenault Enterprises was a radio syndication company that specialized in automation on FM radio stations. The company was founded in the late-1960s by radio programmer and deejay Bill Drake , and his business partner, Lester Eugene Chenault...
's "Solid Gold" format, a mix of adult-appeal Top 40 hits and rock oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
. WDBR dropped "Solid Gold" in late 1973 and went to a locally programmed, voicetracked Top 40 sound, which proved successful in the ratings. During the 1970s and 1980s, WDBR was known by the moniker Music 104. WDBR remained largely voicetracked until the early 1990s, when increased competition and faltering ratings forced the station, by then owned by Sentry Insurance, to go fully live, after which the station regained its position as a dominant force in Springfield radio. The new live team included: Greg Lawley and Lisa Crocker with Patrick Gordon mornings, Bobby T middays, Jim Moore Afternoons, Rick Elliott nights with the original "Hot 9 at 9" Rick also hosted the "Dance Machine on the local Fox TV affiliate.
WDBR's tower (shared with sister station WTAX
WTAX
WTAX is an AM News/Talk radio station licensed to and serving the Springfield, Illinois, USA area. It broadcasts on both the 1240 AM and 107.5 FM frequencies, with the FM frequency being covered by the W298AP translator license...
), in operation since 1949, was destroyed by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
during the severe weather outbreak of March 2006
March 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence
The March 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence was an early season and long lasting tornado outbreak sequence in the central United States that started on the morning of March 9 and continued for over four days until the evening of March 13. The outbreak produced 105 confirmed tornadoes. At least 13...
. The stations soon resumed broadcasting from a new tower at a new location.
External links
- Doug Quick's site with extensive history of Top 40 radio in central Illinois, including WDBR