WABQ

Infobox Radio Station
name = WABQ
city = Painesville, Ohio
area = Greater Cleveland
branding = 1460 WABQ
slogan = The Gospel Giant
airdate = March 3, 1986
April 25, 1956 as WBKC
frequency = 1460 (kHz)
format = Gospel
power = 1,000 watts daytime
500 watts nighttime
class = B
owner = Radio Advantage One, LLC
website =
former_callsigns = WBKC (1986-2006)
WQLS (1984-1986)
WPVL (1956-1984)
callsign_meaning = We Are Better Qualified
coordinates = coord|41|44|20|N|81|14|9|W (E Erie St, Painesville, OH)

WABQ is an AM radio station based in Painesville, Ohio broadcasting at 1460 kHz. Part of the Cleveland radio market, 1460s main area of focus had been Lake County, but now 1460 is focusing on the east side of Cleveland.

Outside of a local morning show, WABQ's schedule now consists of gospel music and religious broadcasts. This format change was an adoption of the gospel programming that had been on the AM 1540 facility in Cleveland (now known as WWGK), which was sold and has switched to ESPN Radio. Evenings and overnights are now filled with the syndicated gospel music "Rejoice - Musical Soul Food" service. WABQ owner Radio Advantage One, LLC is a sister company to former AM 1540 owner D&E Communications.

History

The station went on the air April 25, 1956 as a daytime only station under the call sign WPVL (Where People Value Listening). WPVL, Inc. was the original owner under President/General Manager & Chief Engineer, Carl R. Lee. The station was originally located on S. Park Place in downtown Painesville, just a few steps to the NE from Carlisle-Allen Department store and the Parmly Hotel to the NW. The original staff featured Sales Manager Don Atkin, Program Director and on-air talent, Jim Stephenson, Promotion Manager and on-air talent, Dick Gascoigne, News Director, James Ahlstron, and Bill Starkey, Sports Director.

In 1959, WPVL, Inc. built new state-of-the-art (for the time) studios in a new building at 713 Fobes Street which later was rechristened 1 Radio Place. The station is still located at this address. Carl R. Lee also was involved in the ownership and building of another AM daytime station, WDLR-AM, 1550 kHz, Delaware, Ohio.

It became WQLS on January 15, 1984 and WBKC on March 3, 1986. The call sign WBKC was previously licensed to Chardon, Ohio at 1560 kHz, and acquired WQLS in order to provide 24/7 service. Prior to being WBKC, 1560 had a short life as WGLD in the early 1960's. The 1560 frequency later became WATJ, and fell silent in 2004.

WBKC later had an adult contemporary format until 2001, when it became a simulcast of classical station WCLV 104.9 FM in Cleveland. WBKC's simulcast was meant to help overcome some of WCLV's signal problems in the eastern portion of the Cleveland radio market, after that station's move to a weaker signal licensed to Lorain, west of Cleveland. WBKC was the Lake County affiliate for the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Ohio State Buckeyes. With the switch over to the gospel format, WABQ dropped coverage of the sports teams, choosing to focus all of its schedule (save mornings) on gospel.

WBKC swapped call signs with WABQ on October 24, 2006, and were retired for WWGK that November 7.

External links