List of radio stations formerly owned by NBC explained

The following is a list of radio stations formerly owned by NBC via parent company RCA from 1926 until 1989. NBC formerly operated two radio networks in the United States: the NBC Radio Network from 1926 until 1987 (known as the NBC Red Network from 1926 to 1942) and the NBC Blue Network from 1926 until 1943 (known as the Blue Network from 1942 to 1945 and the American Broadcasting Company from 1945 onward).

Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.

NBC Radio Network stations

AM Station FM Station
City of license / MarketStationOwned sinceCurrent ownership
San Francisco, CAKPO/KNBC/KNBR 6801932–1989owned by Cumulus Media
1949–1988KMVQ-FM, owned by Bonneville International
Denver–Boulder, COKOA 8501930–1952owned by iHeartMedia
KOA-FM 95.7 **1949–1952defunct; frequency occupied by KDHT
Hartford–New Britain, CTWKNB 8401956–1960WRYM, owned by Eight Forty Broadcasting Company
Washington, D.C.WRC 980 **1923–1984[1] WTEM, owned by Audacy, Inc.
WRC-FM/WKYS 93.9 **1947–1988owned by Radio One[2]
Chicago, ILWMAQ 6701931–1987WSCR, owned by Audacy, Inc.
1948–1988owned by Cumulus Media
Boston, MAWJIB 96.91983–1988WBQT, owned by Beasley Broadcast Group
New York, NYWEAF/WRCA/WNBC 6601926–1988WFAN, owned by Audacy, Inc.
1940–1988WQHT, owned by Mediaco Holding, Inc.
Cleveland, OHWTAM/WKYC 1100WTAM, owned by iHeartMedia
WMJI, owned by iHeartMedia
Philadelphia, PAKYW/WRCV 10601956–1965KYW, owned by Audacy, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PAWJAS 13201957–1972owned by Pittsburgh Radio Partners LLC
WJAS-FM 99.71957–1972WSHH, owned by Renda Broadcasting

NBC Blue Network stations

AM Station
City of license / MarketStationOwned sinceCurrent ownership
San Francisco, CAKGO 8101930–1943[3] owned by Cumulus Media
New York, NYWJZ 770 **1923–1943WABC, owned by Red Apple Media (John Catsimatidis)
Chicago, ILWENR 8901931–1943defunct; merged into WLS in 1954
Washington, D.C.WMAL 6301934–1941WSBN, owned by Cumulus Media

Divestitures

General Electric purchased NBC's parent company, RCA, in early 1986.[4] With the purchase, GE announced intentions to sell off the entirety of NBC's radio group and RCA's non-broadcast holdings, the latter spun off to Bertelsmann and Thomson SA.[5] After a planned sale of the entire radio unit to Westinghouse Broadcasting in early 1987 fell through, Westwood One acquired the programming assets of the NBC Radio Network—including NBC's radio news service, The Source and Talknet—in a $50 million deal on July 20, 1987.[6] [7] [8]

The NBC-owned radio stations were sold to various buyers.[9] WMAQ was acquired by Westinghouse in November 1987.[10] WNBC and WYNY in New York City, WKQX in Chicago, WJIB in Boston and KYUU in San Francisco were sold to Emmis Communications for a combined $121.5 million (equivalent to $ in) on February 18, 1988.[11] (As part of the deal, Emmis sold the licenses of their existing New York AM/FM combination, WFAN and WQHT,[12] and transferred the intellectual properties of both stations onto WNBC[13] and WYNY,[14] respectively.[15]) WKYS was sold to minority-controlled Albimar Communications on April 7, 1988, for $46.75 million (equivalent to $ in).[16] KNBR was the final radio property sold, with Susquehanna Radio Corporation purchasing it for $20 million (equivalent to $ in) in March 1989.[17]

Notes and References

  1. February 27, 1984 . Riding gain: Sale switch . live . Broadcasting . 106 . 9 . 58 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210308032106/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-02-27.pdf#page=58 . March 8, 2021 . February 20, 2023 . World Radio History.
  2. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1994/BC-1994-11-07.pdf#page=60 "Minority station deal one of biggest."
  3. January 31, 1942 . FCC Okays Transfer of WJZ, KGO, WENR . Billboard . 6 . 54 . 5 . October 10, 2022 . World Radio History.
  4. December 16, 1985 . RCA + GE: Marriage made in takeover heaven . live . Broadcasting . 109 . 25 . 43–45 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220825203327/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1985/BC-1985-12-16.pdf#page=43 . August 25, 2022 . February 20, 2023 . World Radio History.
  5. February 17, 1986 . GE/RCA go for it at FCC . live . Broadcasting . 110 . 7 . 29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211108151341/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-02-17.pdf#page=29 . November 8, 2021 . February 20, 2023 . World Radio History.
  6. July 27, 1987 . Westwood One acquires NBC Radio for $50 million . live . Broadcasting . 113 . 4 . 35–36 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230131024552/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-07-27.pdf . January 31, 2023 . February 11, 2023 . World Radio History.
  7. News: July 21, 1987 . NBC SELLS ITS RADIO NETWORK . Los Angeles Times . live . November 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221107125836/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-07-21-ca-5298-story.html . November 7, 2022.
  8. News: July 21, 1987 . NBC to Sell Its Radio Networks . The New York Times . live . November 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221107212843/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/21/business/nbc-to-sell-its-radio-networks.html . November 7, 2022.
  9. January 25, 1988 . NBC's radio stations are on the block . Broadcasting . 114 . 4 . 43 . February 20, 2023 . World Radio History.
  10. November 30, 1987 . In brief . live . Broadcasting . 113 . 22 . 136 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230217031109/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-11-30.pdf#page=103 . February 17, 2023 . February 20, 2023 . World Radio History.
  11. February 22, 1988 . Emmis buys five NBC radio stations . Broadcasting . 114 . 8 . 76–77 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230217031109/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-02-22.pdf#page=72 . February 17, 2023 . February 18, 2023 . World Radio History.
  12. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-05-16.pdf#page=91 "In brief: FAN for sale."
  13. October 10, 1988 . In brief . live . Broadcasting . 115 . 15 . 88–89 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030636/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-10-10.pdf#page=83 . January 31, 2023 . February 21, 2023 . World Radio History.
  14. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-10-03.pdf#page=49 "Under new management."
  15. Book: Halberstam, David J. . 1999 . Sports On New York Radio: A Play-By-Play History . McGraw-Hill . 324 . 978-1570281976.
  16. April 11, 1988 . $300 million sale would set radio-only record; NBC sale of WKYS is new stand-alone FM record. . Broadcasting . 114 . 15 . 36 . February 26, 2023 . World Radio History.
  17. March 27, 1989 . In brief . live . Broadcasting . 116 . 13 . 89 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230217031109/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1989/BC-1989-03-27.pdf#page=87 . February 17, 2023 . February 20, 2023 . World Radio History.

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