| WTAX | |
| City: | Springfield, Illinois |
| Area: | Springfield metropolitan area |
| Branding: | NewsRadio WTAX |
| Frequency: | 1240 kHz |
| Airdate: | (in Streator, moved to Springfield in 1930) |
| Format: | News/talk |
| Power: | 1,000 watts unlimited |
| Class: | C |
| Facility Id: | 9961 |
| Affiliations: | CBS News Radio NBC News Radio Compass Media Networks Premiere Networks Salem Radio Network Westwood One |
| Owner: | Saga Communications |
| Licensee: | Saga Communications of Illinois, LLC |
| Sister Stations: | WDBR, WTAX-FM, WLFZ, WYMG |
| Webcast: | Listen Live |
| Website: | wtax.com |
| Licensing Authority: | FCC |
WTAX (1240 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Springfield, Illinois.[1] It is owned by Saga Communications, and operates as part of its Capitol Radio Group. WTAX simulcasts a news/talk radio format with 93.9 WTAX-FM.[2] The radio studios and offices are on East Sangamon Avenue in Springfield.[3]
WTAX broadcasts at 1,000 watts, using a non-directional antenna. The transmitter is on South Dirksen Highway in Springfield.[4]
Weekdays on WTAX-AM-FM begin with a local drive time show, "The Morning Newswatch," hosted by Joey McLaughlin. The rest of the weekday schedule is made up of nationally syndicated talk shows: Hugh Hewitt, "Markley, Van Camp and Robbins," Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, John Batchelor, "Red Eye Radio" and "This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal."
Weekends feature shows on money, health, home repair, technology, the law and cars. Weekend hosts include Joe Pags, Sebastian Gorka, Chris Plante, Leo Laporte and Bill Handel. Most hours begin with world and national news from CBS News Radio.
WTAX's first license was granted on October 11, 1923, to the Williams Hardware Company in Streator, Illinois. The call letters were randomly assigned by the government from a sequential list of available call signs. It was initially on 1300 kHz, with a power of 20 watts.[5] In mid-1927 the station was reassigned to 930 kHz.
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 WTAX, 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, with the implementation of the Federal Radio Commission's General Order 40, WTAX was moved to 1210 kHz.[9] The station relocated to Springfield in late 1930.[10] On March 29, 1941 most stations on 1210 kHz, including WTAX, moved to 1240 kHz, under the provisions of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.[11]
In 1948, WTAX added an FM station, broadcasting at 103.7 MHz, WTAX-FM. That station is now WDBR. Recently, co-owned 93.9 FM has taken the WTAX-FM call letters to simulcast the news/talk programming on 1240 AM.
Programming was previously also broadcast on 107.5 FM, over translator station W298AP, which once served as a second signal for sister adult hits station WABZ. The W298AP simulcast lasted until January 31, 2017, when W298AP switched to oldies, now simulcasting WDBR's HD3 subchannel.
(WTAX's logo under previous simulcast with 107.5 FM translator)
(WTAX's logo under previous simulcast with 93.5 FM translator)