WBAX

Infobox Radio Station


name = WBAX
frequency = 1240 kHz
city = Wilkes-Barre, PA
area = Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
airdate = April 29, 1922
format = Sports
power = 1,000 Watts
owner = Times-Shamrock Communications
licensee=The Scranton Times, L.P.
branding = ESPN Radio 630-1240
website = [http://www.wejl-wbax.com/ ESPN Radio 630-1240]

WBAX is a radio station located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; located on the AM dial at 1240 kHz. It simulcasts the sports radio format of WEJL in Scranton, filling in the gaps in WEJL's signal outside Lackawanna County. It is owned by Times-Shamrock Communications of Scranton.

History

WBAX is the oldest station broadcasting in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, originally starting on April 29, 1922 [ [http://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/100oldest.html The Oldest One Hundred Stations ] ] by John H. Stenger Jr. It is one of the 100 oldest radio stations in the U.S. [ [http://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/100oldest.html The Oldest One Hundred Stations ] ] It originally broadcast on a frequency of 833 kHz, the common local broadcast frequency used in 1922 [ [http://members.aol.com/jeff560/1923am.html U. S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1923 ] ] . By 1925, the station changed frequency to 1170 kHz. In 1928, WBAX changed frequencies to 1200 kHz which it time shared with the other AM broadcasting station located in Wilkes-Barre at the time WBRE [ [http://members.aol.com/jeff560/1928am.html U. S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1928 ] ] . The time sharing arrangement between WBAX and WBRE ceased by 1930 when WBAX moved to 1210 kHz and WBRE moved to 1310 kHz. WBAX stayed at 1210 kHz until the great nationwide frequency reassignment mandated by the Federal government took place in 1941 moving the station to its current dial position of 1240 kHz [ [http://members.aol.com/jeff560/1942am.html U. S. AM Stations as of 1942 ] ] . WBAX was an affiliate of the Mutual radio network during its early history [ [http://members.aol.com/jeff99500/1949am.html U. S. Network-Affiliated AM Radio Stations, 1949 ] ] .

In 1994, the Lynett family of Scranton, publishers of "The Scranton Times" (now The Times-Tribune), bought WBAX and turned it into a full simulcast of WEJL. Although WEJL's daytime signal decently covers Wilkes-Barre, much of the southern part of the market (for instance, Hazleton) gets only a grade B signal due to the area's rugged terrain. At night, WEJL must power down to 32 watts, effectively limiting its nighttime coverage to Lackawanna County.

References

External links

* [http://www.wejl-wbax.com/ WBAX official website]
*AMQ|WBAX
*AML|WBAX
*AMARB|WBAX
*Geolinks-US-buildingscale|41.253611|-75.906944