WCHB AM 1200 Taylor/Detroit

Also heard on FM translator W260CB 99.9 Hamtramck

Slogan/Positioner: NewsTalk 1200

Format: Talk / Religious; Gospel

Class: B
Daytime Power / # of Towers: 50,000 watts / 4, directional
Nighttime Power / # of Towers: 15,000 watts / 10, directional

Broadcasts in digital/HD

FCC technical information:

More about station:

Call Sign History:

Call Sign Origin: Wendell Cox & Haley Bell (original owners)

On Air Date:

Telephone: (313) 259-2000

FM Translator:

W260CB 99.9 Hamtramck: 250 watts / 814 feet / D, directional
Tech info: engineering data, station details, FCCInfo.com, Recnet
Location map
Coverage areas: FCC, Radio Locator

Notes/History:

10/2011: FM translator W260CB 99.9 begins rebroadcasting WCHB via WDMK-FM 105.9 HD2.

4/2005: Daytime Gospel programming dropped in favor of lineup of talk shows aimed at urban audience. Gospel shows still air from 9pm - 6am weekday and weekends.

3/1999: Returns to the air with regular programming, primarily a Gospel Music format with talk mornings

8/1998: Goes off the air to upgrade equipment. Will return with 50,000 watts daytime, 15,000 watts

7/1998: Sale of WCHB-AM 1200 and WCHB-FM 105.9 (later WDTJ) is completed from Bell Broadcasting to Radio One

early 2/1990: When 1200 AM in Taylor began testing with open carrier they were unable to use the WCHB call letters for hourly IDs because the WCHB calls were still in use on 1440. During the testing period they were assigned WMKM. These call letters were never used during regular programming; only as an hourly ID during the test period. When testing was completed and WCHB's programming was moved to 1200, the WMKM calls were changed to WCHB with the WMKM call letters being simultaneously assigned to 1440.

Bell Broadcasting, was the second oldest black-owned broadcasting company in the nation when WCHB first signed on in 1956. Dr. Wendell Cox and Dr. Haley Bell were actually the first blacks to receive a Permit to Construct from the FCC when they built WCHB from the ground up in Inkster MI during the early 1950's. The Carter family of Kansas City were the first blacks to actually own a station about a year earlier; however they purchased an already existing facility and frequency from whites (KPRS). Clarence Ringo was the man behind WCHB AM; he designed a 12-tower array to minimize interference with a Canadian station, which ultimately led to an FCC approval which otherwise would have been denied. Bell also owned WJZZ-FM 105.9 which at one time was the highest Arbitron rated jazz station in the country during the early 1990's.

FM translator Notes/History:

12/2010: Observed on-air testing with smooth jazz music at 99.9 FM. Tests were relatively short-lived and sporadic over the next several months. License to cover for changes granted in October, 2011.

6/2010: Construction permit granted to change frequency to 99.9 as W260CB, increase power from 10 to 250 watts, and move broadcast location from Detroit to Royal Oak Township.

3/2010: Best Media is selling FM translator W206BI 89.1 to Radio One for $120,000 pending FCC approval and closing. An application is on file withe FCC to move the translator to FM 99.9 and rebroadcast Radio One's WDMK-FM 105.9 - however, it's also possible further applications will be filed to change the originating station and/or location. Radio One owns WCHB AM 1200 and WHTD-FM 102.7 along with WDMK in Detroit. Although both WDMK and WHTD use digital FM IBOC, neither is currently utilizing an HD2 stream. FCC approves sale in June, 2010.