WGFB
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = WGFB b103FM logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| name = WGFB
| city = Rockton, Illinois
| country = US
| area = Rockford, Illinois
| branding = B103
| frequency = 103.1 MHz
| airdate = March 1963
| format = Hot adult contemporary
| erp = 2,400 watts
| haat = {{convert|160|meters}}
| class = A
| facility_id = 73975
| licensing_authority = FCC
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WBEL-FM (1963–1967)|WRWC (1967-2000)[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=73975&Callsign=WGFB73975 Call Sign History], fcc.gov. Retrieved August 11, 2018.}}
| owner = Mid-West Family Broadcasting
| licensee = Long Nine, Inc.
| sister_stations = WNTA, WRTB, WXRX
| webcast = {{listenlive|http://player.listenlive.co/43591}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.b103fm.com/}}
}}
WGFB (103.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Rockton, Illinois, the station serves the Rockford area. WGFB is owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting.
History
The station began broadcasting in March 1963, and held the call sign WBEL-FM.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1964/Section%20B1%20A%20M%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201964.pdf 1964 Broadcasting Yearbook], Broadcasting, 1964. p. B-52. Retrieved August 11, 2018.[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=83117 History Cards for WGFB], fcc.gov. Retrieved August 11, 2018. It was a sister station to WBEL 1380, and simulcast its programming. The station was originally licensed to South Beloit, Illinois. In 1967, the station's call sign was changed to WRWC. In 1971, the station's city of license was changed to Rockton, Illinois. In the 1970s, the station aired a format consisting of beautiful music and big band music.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1973/B%201%20YB%201973.pdf 1973 Broadcasting Yearbook], Broadcasting, 1973. p. B-65. Retrieved August 11, 2018.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1978/C-1-Broadcasting-Yearbook-1978-Full.pdf 1978 Broadcasting Yearbook], Broadcasting, 1978. p. C-69. Retrieved August 11, 2018. The station continued airing a beautiful music format into the 1980s.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1983/B-Radio-Ala-Mt-1983-YB.pdf Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983], Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1983. p. B-78. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
By 1984, the station's format had been changed to adult contemporary.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1984/B-Radio-AL-MT-BC-YB-1984.pdf Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984], Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1984. p. B-83. Retrieved August 11, 2018. In the 1990s, the station aired a soft AC format, and was branded "Lite 103".[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/1996/AL-MT-M-Street-7-1996.pdf The M Street Radio Directory]. 1996. p. 216. Retrieved August 11, 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.wkkd.com:80/wrwc.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970414123159/http://www.wkkd.com:80/wrwc.htm |title=WRWC Salter Broadcasting |publisher=Salter Broadcasting |archive-date=April 14, 1997 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web |url=http://www.lite103.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990208014520/http://www.lite103.com:80/ |title=Welcome to Lite 103 - WRWC |publisher=WRWC |archive-date=February 8, 1999 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} The station aired Delilah evenings.{{cite web |url=http://www.lite103.com:80/1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980211144035/http://www.lite103.com:80/1.html |title=On-Air Personalities |publisher=WRWC |archive-date=February 11, 1998 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} In April 2000, the station's call sign was changed to WGFB, and the station's format was shifted to mainstream AC."[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-2000-04.pdf Format Changes & Updates]", The M Street Journal. Vol. 17 No. 17. April 26, 2000. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2018. The station was branded "B 103", with the slogan "Today's Lite Rock".{{cite web |url=http://b103fm.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000520043955/http://b103fm.com:80/ |title=The New B103 - Today's Lite Rock |publisher=WGFB |archive-date=May 20, 2000 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |df=mdy-all }} The station continued to air Delilah evenings.{{cite news |url=http://www.b103fm.com:80/staff/index.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000901000545/http://www.b103fm.com:80/staff/index.shtml |title=Air Staff |newspaper=B103 |publisher=WGFB |archive-date=September 1, 2000 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |df=mdy-all }} By 2006, Delilah was replaced in the evenings with John Tesh.{{cite web |url=http://b103fm.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060205044054/http://b103fm.com:80/ |title= Personalities / On Air Schedule |publisher=WGFB |archive-date=February 5, 2006 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |df=mdy-all }}
On December 26, 2022, after the conclusion of their annual wall to wall Christmas music, WGFB shifted their format to hot AC, dropping their AC format after 22 years.{{cite web | url=https://np.mdmserver.us/wgfb/nowplaying/list | title=Now Playing }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.b103rockford.com/ WGFB's website]
- {{FM station data|73975|WGFB}}
{{Rockford Radio}}
{{Adult Contemporary Radio Stations in Illinois}}
{{coord|42.367|N|89.087|W|type:landmark_region:US-IL_source:FCC|display=title}}
Category:Hot adult contemporary radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 1963