WDZ (AM)
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| City | Decatur, Illinois |
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| Broadcast area | Macon County, Illinois |
| Branding | 1050 ESPN Decatur |
| Frequency | 1050 kHz |
| First air date | March 17, 1921 (in Tuscola, Illinois) |
| Format | Sports radio |
| Power | 1,000 watts day 250 watts night |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 53348 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 39°48′54″N 89°00′09″W / 39.81500°N 89.00250°WCoordinates: 39°48′54″N 89°00′09″W / 39.81500°N 89.00250°W |
| Former callsigns | 9JR |
| Former frequencies | 1070 kHz (1927-1936) 1020 kHz (1936-1941) |
| Affiliations | ESPN Radio |
| Owner | Neuhoff Corp. (Neuhoff Media Decatur, LLC) |
| Sister stations | WCZQ, WDZQ, WSOY, WSOY-FM |
| Website | www |
WDZ (1050 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Decatur, Illinois. It broadcasts a sports radio format. WDZ is owned by the Neuhoff Corporation, which also owns four other local radio stations, WCZQ, WDZQ, WSOY and WSOY-FM. Studios and offices are located on North Water Street and the transmitter is near St. Louis Bridge Road.
WDZ calls itself the oldest radio station in Illinois, starting as an experimental agricultural station in 1917 (although WBBM in Chicago traces its history to 1911). It operates with 1000 watts by day but must reduce power to 250 watts at night so it doesn't interfere with other radio stations on 1050 kHz, which is a clear channel frequency assigned to Mexico.
WDZ is an affiliate of ESPN Radio but also airs some local sports shows including area high school games. WDZ carries Chicago Cubs Baseball, Chicago Bears Football and Chicago Bulls Basketball.
WDZ started in 1917 in the office of the James Bush Grain Elevator Company in Tuscola, Illinois. The original call sign was 9JR and the original intent of the station was to broadcast grain prices, making it the first radio station to do so. The station later started mixing some music in with the agricultural reports. In January, 1922, the call letters WDZ were assigned to the station.
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