WBAP (AM)

WBAP began broadcasting May 2, 1922 (May 2, 1922). It transmitted at a wavelength of 360 meters (about 833 kHz).[5] It changed to 400 meters (750 kHz) in August 1922.[6] The station shared time with Dallas stations WFAA and WRR. It was the first station in the United States to have an audible logo signal similar to the NBC chimes, the WBAP cowbell.[2] According to President Herbert Hoover, the station's call letters stood for "We Bring A Program," although in reality, the call letters were assigned sequentially, without any special meaning.[7]

On May 15, 1923, the Federal Radio Commission expanded the broadcast band, and WBAP and WFAA moved to 476 meters (about 630 kHz).[8] Another expansion moved WBAP to 600 kHz effective June 15, 1927,[9] and this frequency was shared with WOAI in San Antonio. On November 11, 1928, WBAP moved to 800 kHz, and on June 1, 1929, WFAA also moved to 800 kHz, sharing time (and NBC Red network affiliation) with WBAP.[8] Station owner Amon G. Carter was unhappy with having to share time on 800 kHz with WFAA. Carter Publishing purchased KGKO in Wichita Falls (570 kHz) and moved it to Fort Worth as an affiliate of the NBC Blue network (which became ABC), and more importantly as a second frequency to be used when 800 kHz was not available.[10] The sale was approved by the Federal Communications Commission September 24, 1935.[11] On March 29, 1941, as a consequence of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), WBAP and WFAA moved one last time, to 820 kHz.[12]

Carter eventually sold half of KGKO to A. H. Belo, owners of WFAA and the Dallas Morning News. On April 27, 1947, KGKO was replaced by a second shared frequency between WBAP and WFAA.[13][14]

On September 29, 1948, WBAP pioneered television service in Texas with the opening of the state's first video outlet, NBC-TV Network affiliate WBAP-TV on channel 5 (now KXAS-TV). A year later, WBAP added an FM station at 100.5, WBAP-FM. It moved to 96.3 MHz in 1955 and today is co-owned KSCS.

The dual frequency sharing arrangement between WBAP and WFAA continued through the 1950s and 1960s, with the stations switching frequencies several times a day. When WBAP changed frequencies, it signaled the change with a cowbell, which became widely associated with the station. Even though the stations swapped frequencies several times each day, the network affiliations remained constant: NBC network programming stayed on 820 kHz and ABC network programming stayed on 570 kHz. This frequently proved confusing for announcers and listeners alike.

On May 1, 1970, the unique dual split-frequency lives of WBAP and WFAA ended when WBAP paid $3.5 million to WFAA in exchange for sole occupancy of 820 kHz (and the NBC affiliation). WFAA took on 570 kHz (and the ABC affiliation), but with only 5,000 watts full-time.[14] Once the frequency-sharing with WFAA ended in 1970, both stations were free to program musical formats, and WBAP began programming a full service country music format. It also gained the added benefit of 820's clear-channel signal; previously WFAA controlled it during these prime nighttime hours.

Also around this time, the FCC began to scrutinize ownership of broadcast stations and print media in the same market with the tightening of its rules, which disallowed new radio and/or television combinations with newspapers while grandfathering existing instances. Carter Publications’ ownership of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and WBAP-AM-FM-TV was one of three which existed in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. However, Carter voluntarily ended the cross-ownership issue in January 1973, when it announced the sale of all its Fort Worth media interests. WBAP and its FM sister (now known as KSCS), and the Star-Telegram were packaged to Capital Cities Communications for $64.5 million. LIN Broadcasting paid $35 million to acquire WBAP-TV, whose call letters were changed to KXAS-TV.[15] The sales became final in the summer of 1974.

After a series of network affiliation changes in the late 1970s among WBAP, KRLD and WFAA, WBAP switched affiliations to ABC.

Logo prior to adding a simulcast on 96.7 FM in 2010

WBAP changed to an all-talk format in October 1993, calling itself "News/Talk 820."[16] It was also the radio flagship radio station of the Texas Rangers baseball team, airing the play-by-play, pre-game and post-game broadcasts.

Morning show host Hal Jay celebrated his 25-year anniversary with WBAP by organizing a charity fund-raising event for Cook Children's Hospital ("Hal Jay's Celebrity Roast"). Among those who attended were Baseball Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan and syndicated radio talk show host Sean Hannity.

On June 12, 2007, WBAP was one of many Disney/ABC Radio stations sold to Citadel Broadcasting. That same year, WBAP transmitted iBiquity HD Radio (digital) during the daytime and when not airing sports programming, until abruptly ending the "HD" digital transmission in early December 2008. Because the license to broadcast digital "HD Radio" is perpetual, the station could resume digital broadcasts at any time.

For many years, WBAP was the flagship station for Dallas Stars hockey team, but relinquished the rights beginning in the 2009–2010 season, as on January 16, 2009, the Dallas Stars named KTCK Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket as its new flagship station for the next 5 years.[17] Ironically, with Cumulus Media's recent acquisition of Citadel, WBAP and KTCK are now sister stations. Among the moments of when WBAP Had the stars, both Stanley Cup Finals runs were aired. And WBAP had the honor of broadcasting Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals, when the Stars clinched the Stanley Cup over Buffalo.

WBAP News/Talk 820 AM & 96.7 FM ident used during simulcast with WBAP-FM.

Sister station KPMZ (later WBAP-FM, now KTCK-FM) started simulcasting WBAP on 96.7 FM, March 15, 2010.[18] Although broadcasting on a rimshot signal, management said that WBAP-FM provides "crystal-clear FM fidelity" for their listeners within 96.7's pre-determined coverage area.

On October 7, 2013, Cumulus announced the discontinuation of the WBAP simulcast on 96.7 FM. It switched call letters to KTCK-FM as a simulcast of the sports radio programming on co-owned KTCK 1310 AM. Dan Bennet, the vice president/market manager of Cumulus, said he had "seen no ratings increase since adding the FM." Bennett added, "WBAP at 820 AM still covers 114 counties in the day and has been heard in up to 38 states at night and early morning before the sun comes up. WBAP at 820 is one of the biggest radio signals in America." The WBAP simulcast has moved to KPLX-HD2 at 99.5 FM (HD Radio needed).[19]

In 2015, WBAP ended decades of ABC affiliation and changed its national news feed to Westwood One News.[20] On August 31, 2020, after the shutdown of Westwood One News, WBAP switched its national news affiliation to Fox News Radio.[21]