Well, Chicago, Air America is coming to town, but

[in_cog_ni_to]

They will be on a VERY WEAK station! :cry::cry::cry: I won't be able to hear it. It sends out a 2,500 watt signal compared to WLS' 50,000!!!!!! watts. :grr: Lake, Dupage and Cook counties will get a weak signal, so that means I'm OUT...I'm south of Cook county. :cry: damn. <sigh>



The formal announcement will come "within the next 24 to 48 hours," said Fred Eychaner on Monday morning. He's the owner of Newsweb Corp., which operates nine area radio stations, including the future WCPT (for "Chicago's Progressive Talk").
<snip>
It's good news for lefties because local talk radio is now dominated by conservative voices. WLS-AM 890 has gradually sloughed off or muted its liberal hosts, while WIND-AM 560 is now a full-time outlet for syndicated right-wing programming.

It will be refreshing to hear steady chatter from Bush administration critics for a change, instead of the defenders and apologists who now dominate the dial. Even though my listening tastes run toward balanced debate and an illuminating clash of ideas and philosophies, I'll take our side's agitprop over theirs any day.

But it's bad news for lefties because AM 850--now oldies rock station WAIT--is a weak, daytime-only station based in Crystal Lake. It sends out a 2,500-watt signal (compared with WIND's 5,000 watts and WLS' 50,000 watts) that reaches the west and northwest Cook County suburbs and into downtown, but is weak in much of Lake and DuPage Counties and southwest Cook County.<snip>

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0505030001may03,1,5216356.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed

[AngryAmish]

1. Didn't the Score start from there?

Now they are full blast.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. I have no clue.

:shrug:

[imax2268]

3. They don't have an internet stream

available...?

call them and ask them what you can do to help support them...

[Robbien]

4. There is a station in Quad Cities which broadcasts AAR

are you anywhere near there?

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Nope. I'm 80 miles due South of Chicago. n/t

[chicagiana]

9. They have a big head start ...

Let's face it, the right wingers have a 14 year head start on us.

WLS is a blowtorch. You can get it all the way down in Indianapolis.

One can only hope that we could get progressive programming on WLUP AM-1000 in a couple of years.

[high density]

5. 2500 watts? That sounds like it's useless

I hope to goodness they aren't paying much for that. I guess it's better than nothing. A 50,000 watt Air America station really would be nice, though!

[DARE to HOPE]

7. Aaaagghhh!!!!

[Tux]

8. I can't get

Air America at all and NPR here is so sterile, Bush could masterbate a horse without gloves. You're lucky you can receive what you can. Most popular radio station here is some Christian family crap.

[KharmaTrain]

10. Facts and Info...

WCPT...the new station is located out of Crystal Lake, but has a pretty decent signal:



It can easily be heard in the Northwest, West & Northern Burbs (where most the $$$ and liberal/progressives are), but can be heard on any decent car radio from Madison to South Bend.

In some areas it'll actually be louder than WLS that transmits from Tinley Park on the far south side. It's also better than the other choice of 1690...that, even with 10,000 watts, also was out on the south side and you can't hear on the north at night.

For those in the city, I'd suggest getting a good portable AM radio and you should hear this staition.

Also, the station is licensed "daytime only"...this means they're on the air from about 6am to 8pm now. For those closer to the transmitter, the station actually stays on until 10pm on reduced power. During the winter, they're lowering power by 4:30pm, but you should still be able to hear all of Randi Rhodes (presuming they're carrying her live).

When their signal fades, I'd suggest flipping over to 1530AM...WCKY from Cincinatti that blows in 50,000 watts worth of AAR programming at night right in this direction.

It's been a long struggle for AAR to get back in Chicago, and Newsweb, while owned by a Democrat (heavy Clinton contributor), is a difficult company to work with and we'll have to see how well this arrangement works.

Cheers...