WMBM

WMBM
City Miami Beach, Florida
Broadcast area Miami area
Slogan Where Ministry Blesses Many
Frequency 1490 kHz
First air date 1957(as WAHR)
Format Urban Gospel
Power 1,000 watts fulltime
Class C
Facility ID 40045
Transmitter coordinates 25°46′10.00″N 80°8′11.00″W / 25.7694444°N 80.1363889°W / 25.7694444; -80.1363889
Callsign meaning Where Ministry Blesses Many
Former callsigns WSBH (1993-?)
Affiliations Westwood One
Owner New Birth Broadcasting Corp. Inc.
Website wmbm.com

WMBM (1490 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel format. Licensed to Miami Beach, Florida, USA, the station serves the Miami area. The station is currently owned by New Birth Broadcasting Corp. Inc. and features programming from Westwood One.[1]

History

Note: A station with call letters WMBM, Miami Beach, began broadcasting October 27, 1947, on 800 kc. with 1 KW power. The licensee was Biscayne Broadcasting Company.[2]

The station went on the air from Miami Beach, in 1957 as WAHR, where noted talk show host Larry King began his career.[3] The station was later renamed WMET, in the early 1960s, and was South Florida's first full-time Spanish language radio station. Shortly thereafter, the WMET call letters and programming moved to another frequency, and this station became WMBM, under the programming leadership of Ernie Fields. WMBM went on to develop a large and popular history as Miami's premier AM station for Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, Jazz and programming targeted to an African-American audience. Noted jazz broadcaster China Valles had a popular show on the station.[4] Motivational speaker Les Brown was a disc jockey on WMBM. The station became WSBH on July 23, 1993, with a Talk format. On March 10, 1995, the station changed its call sign to the current WMBM and returned to a Gospel format, which the station had for much of the 80s.[5] Its current prime time DJ's include Bishop Victor T. Curry, Jerry Sawyer, Milton MJ Smith, Jose Miller, Kevin Moyd, Lydia Goodin, Joe Riley, Rev. CJ Kelley, Greg Cooper, and Tiffany Robinson. Jerry Sawyer and Milton MJ Smith were two of the first radio D.J.s to play and interview Soul & Gospel artist Freddie Lee Peterkin.

References

  1. ↑ "WMBM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ↑ "WMBM in Miami Beach On Air With 1 kw Power" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 10, 1947. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  3. ↑ King, Larry (2001). "Larry King on Getting Seduced". Blank on Blank (Interview). Interview with Cal Fussman. Los Angeles: PBS Digital Studios. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  4. ↑ RIP China Valles, Pioneering Miami Jazz DJ, Friend of Duke Ellington, Dead at 89 Jacob Katel. Miami New Times. December 19, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2016
  5. ↑ "WMBM Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.


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