Branding Willie Network Format Classic Country | Frequency 1340 kHz Audience share 1.1 (Sp'07, R&R) | |
City Bowling Green, Kentucky Repeater(s) W300DA (107.9 MHz) Bowling Green | ||
WBGN (1340 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. Licensed to Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States, the station serves the Bowling Green area. The station is currently owned by Forever Communications, Inc.
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History
The station's construction permit was granted by the Federal Communications Commission on May 18, 1959, and the station first signed on the air on November 24 of that same year. The FCC granted the official license on May 31, 1960. It was originally owned by J. Paul Brown and Robert L. Proctor, doing business as Bowling Green Broadcasting Company. The station broadcast a country format, but switched to a Top 40/CHR format. From 1965 until 1982, WBGN was the original flagship station of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football basketball games of the Hilltopper Sports Radio Network, with Bud Tyler (originally from WLBJ) making the play-by-play commentary on those broadcasts.
WBGN's format changed from Top 40/CHR to Top 40 Oldies, in 1985. In April 1988, WBGN was purchased by Hilltopper Broadcasting, another locally based radio broadcasting firm, and switched back to a country music format. However, the station switched back to Top 40 Oldies in 1990, this time broadcasting the music from a satellite service called "The Oldies Channel". This format lasted until Forever Communications purchased the station, and converted it into a Sports radio station by affiliating WBGN with ESPN Radio.
The station is now affiliated with Fox Sports Radio after WWKU and WCDS became the ESPN Radio affiliates.
In December 2016, WBGN launched low-powered FM repeater W300DA, broadcasting at 107.9 MHz. IN February 2017, WBGN's Fox Sports Radio affiliation ended when both WBGN-AM and W300DA became a simulcast of Glasgow-based WLYE-FM, a Classic Country music station in the area. However, the area is still partially served by WGFX/Gallatin, Tennessee and WQXQ/Central City in terms of Fox Sports Radio programming.
Programming
WBGN's simulcast with WLYE is not full-time. WBGN still retains the rights to certain sporting events. WBGN is the local broadcaster for Bowling Green Hot Rods baseball. It is also the local affiliate for the U of L Sports Network broadcasting Louisville Cardinals football and basketball, as well as the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators games from the Nashville Predators Radio Network.