| WLBH | |
| City: | Mattoon, Illinois |
| Area: | Mattoon, Illinois Charleston, Illinois Effingham, Illinois |
| Airdate: | November 26, 1946[1] [2] |
| Format: | Defunct |
| Language: | English |
| Power: | 5,000 watts day |
| Class: | D |
| Facility Id: | 40702 |
| Owner: | James R. Livesay II |
| Licensee: | Mattoon Broadcasting Company |
| Sister Stations: | WLBH-FM |
WLBH (1170 AM) was a radio station licensed to Mattoon, Illinois, United States.[3] The station began broadcasting on November 26, 1946, and originally ran 250 watts, during daytime hours only.[1] [3] [2] In 1974, the station's power was increased to 5,000 watts.[3] The station was originally owned by James Ray Livesay, and was later owned by his son James R. Livesay II.[3] [4]
The station had long aired a full service format, with farm/talk programming,[5] [1] and also airing country music throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s.[6] [7] On November 6, 1995, the station switched to a news-talk format, the station's first format change.[8] Hosts included G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North.[8] Shortly thereafter, the station began airing adult standards music,[9] [10] branded "Unforgettable 1170".[11] The station continued airing an adult standards format into the 2000s.[1] [12]
WLBH's license was cancelled on April 9, 2018, after having been off the air for an indeterminate amount of time, following a break-in at the station's transmitter site which occurred on December 14, 2017, in which the station's transmitter was destroyed and broadcasting equipment was stolen.[13] [14]