WEBQ (AM)

WEBQ (1240 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Harrisburg, Illinois, the station serves Southern Illinois.^[3]

WEBQ

Harrisburg, Illinois
Broadcast area	Southern Illinois
Frequency	1240 kHz
Branding	Real Country AM 1240
Programming
Format	Country music
Ownership
Owner	Withers Broadcasting (WEBQ, LLC)
Sister stations	WEBQ-FM, WISH-FM
History
First air date	November 26, 1924 (1924-11-26)[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	70348
Class	C
Power	1,000 watts unlimited
Translator(s)	93.7 W229CR (Harrisburg)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	webqradio.com

History

WEBQ's first license was granted on September 30, 1924,^[4] to the Tate Radio Company in Harrisburg, Illinois.^[5] The call letters were randomly assigned from a sequential roster of available call signs. It made its debut broadcast on the evening of November 26, 1924.^[1]

Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.^[6] In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.^[7] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WEBQ, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."^[8] However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.

On November 11, 1928, the FRC implemented a major reallocation of stations under its General Order 40, and WEBQ was assigned to 1210 kHz, sharing time with KFVS in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.^[9]