[BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT

[Gordon Carter]

WGNB was a different station, put on the air by WGN in 1941.  Even though it had the same frequency, I am aware of no connection to WFMT.  Perhaps someone from WGN could answer this.  I suspect that WGN may have given it up in 1950 or 1951 in favor of their new TV operation, and then WFMT took over the frequency.

Here is the very brief early history of WFMT:

In the late '40's, Bernie Jacobs become part owner of WOAK, an FM in Oak Park (a Chicago suburb).  The station played two hours a night of classical music.  Bernie wanted to make it all classical in 1950, but was overruled by the other owners.

So, he and his wife pawn their car and luggage and buy them out, making it WFMT and all classical.  They went on the air on December 13, 1951.

Several years ago we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the station (2001), still playing classical music and still with the WFMT call letters.

Gordon S. Carter, CPBE, CBNT
Chief Engineer
WFMT and The Radio Network
5400 North St. Louis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
773 279-2071
-----Original Message-----
From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Dan Kelley
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:12 PM
To: 'Broadcasters' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT

Gordon-

Did I not see somewhere that the original calls on 98.7 were WGNB?  And
if that were the case, how did the Jacobs/WFMT era come about?

-dan in lansing
 http://classicrockfm.blogspot.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:broadcast-
> bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Gordon Carter
> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:11 PM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT
> 
> It would have been interesting if WGN had kept WFMT.  They had repeatedly
> promised that they had no intention of changing the format, even though
> the listeners group didn't believe it.
> 
> I may be na?ve, but I think they really did not intend to change the
> format.  Besides being a major black eye, doing so would have cut off the
> hand that fed them.  OTOH, ratings and money are the key to broadcasting,
> and classical doesn't do ratings well, even though it can be self-
> sustaining given the right circumstances (no heavy debt load).
> 
> Gordon S. Carter, CPBE, CBNT
> Chief Engineer
> WFMT and The Radio Network
> 5400 North St. Louis Ave.
> Chicago, IL 60625
> 773 279-2071
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:broadcast-
> bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Rich Wood
> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:26 PM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT
> 
> ------ At 12:42 PM 2/20/2007, Gordon Carter wrote: -------
> 
> >Yes, WGN did give WFMT away, but not for the reasons most did.
> >
> >WFMT was founded by Bernie and Rita Jacobs, who sold the station to WGN
> >when Bernie was in ill health.  A listeners' group challenged WGN's
> >ability to operate WFMT, fearing that it would be changed from its
> >classical format to something else.
> 
> That's how I remember it and it's the same story I got when I worked
> for Tribune. It's a shame because WGN could have had a stranglehold
> on Chicago's upscale audience. As I recall, WFMT had advertisers with
> virtually automatic renewals and Chicago Magazine (originally WFMT's
> Program Guide) was very profitable.
> 
> I remember talking about it with Wayne Vriesman when he was head of
> radio. We were both wishing things had turned out differently.
> 
> Rich
> 
> 
> Rich Wood
> Rich Wood Multimedia
> Phone: 413-454-3258
> 
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