- WLIB
Infobox_Radio_Station
name = WLIB
area =New York City
branding =
slogan = "Your Praise and Inspiration Station"
frequency = 1190 kHz AM
airdate =December 23 ,1941
format = Urban Contemporary Gospel
owner =Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (I.C.B.C.)
licensee = Urban Radio I, LLC
erp = 10,000watt s daytime/
30,000 watts nighttime
class = B
facility_id = 28204
callsign_meaning = W LIBerty Bank Building
website = [http://www.wlib.com www.wlib.com]
sister_stations =WBLS WLIB (1190 kHz AM) is an
urban contemporary gospel radio station located inNew York City and owned byInner City Broadcasting Corporation (I.C.B.C.). Its transmitters are located in Lyndhurst,New Jersey .Prior to picking up its current format, WLIB was the flagship station for
Air America Radio , which leased air-time from the station's owner. That arrangement ended onSeptember 1 ,2006 , when Air America's programming moved toWWRL . [ [http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/445270p-374953c.html www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/445270p-374953c.html] ]History
WLIB, a former jazz station, became Black-owned in the 1970s after activists picketed the station and demanded
African Americans be given a chance to purchase it. Many felt the station’s series of white owners didn't care about broadcasting with community concerns in mind.Percy Sutton ,Malcolm X ’s former attorney and then-Manhattan borough president, formed the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (ICBC), backed by a group of Black investors, and purchased WLIB in 1972. The station’s first talk shows featuredBetty Shabazz , wife of Malcolm X, and Dr. Carlos Russell, a noted former college professor who taught some of the Black andLatino students who later founded theYoung Lords Party .Since becoming Black-owned, the station has broadcast political,
Afrocentric , and health-centered programming aimed at New York'sAfro-Caribbean community. WLIB’s advocacy strength was credited with getting out the vote forDavid Dinkins in 1989 as he ran to become New York City’s first Black mayor. [ [http://trudbe.blog.com/1021853/ trudbe.blog.com/1021853/] ]In 2004, the station affiliated with
Air America Radio due to a lack of advertiser support and ratings during its daytime hours. The switch was controversial, with many in the community seeing the switch as replacing black activist programming with Air America's primarily white liberal on-air personalities. [ [http://newsmine.org/archive/propoganda/controls-left/air-america-displace-black-talk-ny-wlib.txt newsmine.org/archive/propoganda/controls-left/air-america-displace-black-talk-ny-wlib.txt] ] The station's nighttime power was increased to 30,000 watts in the early 2000s, in a swap with radio stationWOWO inFort Wayne, Indiana , which was also owned by Inner City Broadcasting.From 12 a.m.–5 a.m. every night, WLIB aired a slate of local black-oriented talk programming originated by owners of the station, I.C.B.C. Holdings. Principal among the late night shows was the Global Black Experience, hosted by Imhotep Gary Byrd. Also produced by I.C.B.C. were two Sunday morning programs, featuring The Rev.
Al Sharpton and Dinkins; these programs were moved to Saturday after the format change. [ [http://wlib.com/pages/143245.php wlib.com/pages/143245.php] ] Generally, from 5 a.m. onward,Air America Radio programs were carried on WLIB. However, starting in 2005, the apoliticalSatellite Sisters aired instead of theMike Malloy show on WLIB from 10 p.m. to midnight.Air America programming left WLIB after
August 31 ,2006 , effective with the expiration of the Air America-Inner City lease. The network's new flagship station becameWWRL the next day. It was rumored that theprogressive talk format would be retained using local hosts and syndicated talkerEd Schultz , under a lease agreement withRandy Michaels ' company,Radioactive, LLC . [ [http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424337 www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424337] ] However, negotiations fell through, and onAugust 21 ,2006 , WLIB announced that they would switch to agospel music format, after consideringcountry music ,oldies and even urban talk from Radio One.External links
* [http://www.wlib.com WLIB Website]
*AMQ|WLIB
*AML|WLIB
*AMARB|WLIBReferences
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