WIBA (AM)


WIBA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Madison, Wisconsin. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station airs a News/Talk format, under the slogan "Madison's News/Talk Station." National news is supplied at the beginning of each hour by Fox News Radio.
WIBA operates at 5,000 watts around the clock. By day, the station is non-directional but at night it uses a directional signal to protect other stations on 1310 kHz. The studios, offices and transmitter are located off South Fish Hatchery Road in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.

Programming

WIBA broadcasts both local and nationally syndicated talk shows. Most of the syndicated programming comes from Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia. Weekdays begin at 5 a.m. with Madison in The Morning with Robin Colbert and Shawn Prebil. That's followed by The Dan O'Donnell Show at 9 a.m. At 11 a.m. it's Rush Limbaugh. Vicki McKenna is heard from 2 to 5 p.m. Sean Hannity airs 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sports shows are heard in the early evening and Mark Levin is carried at 9 p.m. Overnight it's Coast to Coast AM with George Noory and at 4 a.m. This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal is heard.
Weekends feature shows on money, health, home improvement and computers, including syndicated shows from Kim Komando and Bill Cunningham, as well as Builder's Showcase and repeats of weekday shows. Some paid brokered programming also airs.

Sports

WIBA serves as the flagship station for the Wisconsin Badgers radio network. It is also the Madison outlet for Green Bay Packers football and Milwaukee Brewers baseball broadcasts.

History

WIBA is the oldest commercial radio station in Wisconsin, licensed on April 2, 1925 to the Capital Times. It is the second-oldest station in the state overall, with the University of Wisconsin's WHA getting its license three years earlier but never as a commercial broadcaster. On October 8, 1935, the Federal Communications Commission authorized WIBA to increase its power to 5000 watts and 1000 watts.
Willard Waterman, who later gained fame playing the title role on The Great Gildersleeve, was a member of a quartet at WIBA in his early years in radio. In 1963, he recalled, "e sang musical interludes between programs." Johnny Olson, known for his announcing work with Goodson-Todman game shows, had his first radio job at WIBA.