WXES
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WXES
| logo =
| city = Chicago, Illinois
| network = ESNE Radio
| frequency = 1110 kHz
| translator =
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1926|7|28}}
| language = Spanish
| format = Catholic radio
| power = 4,200 watts days only
| class = D
| facility_id = 65972
| coordinates = {{coord|41|55|41|N|88|0|25|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = "El Sembrador" (The Sower)
| former_callsigns = WMBI (1926–2021)
| former_frequencies = 1080 kHz (1928–1941)
| affiliations =
| owner = El Sembrador Ministries
| licensing_authority = FCC
| sister_stations =
| webcast =
| website = {{URL|https://esneradio.com/chicago-1110am/}}
}}
WXES (1110 kHz) is a daytimer Class D AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned and operated by El Sembrador Ministries, as part of its ESNE Radio Spanish-language Catholic Radio network. It airs a mix of talk and teaching programs as well as Christian music.
By day, WXES transmits 4,200 watts using a non-directional antenna. As 1110 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for KFAB in Omaha and WBT in Charlotte, WXES must go off the air at sunset to protect those stations from interference. The transmitter is off North Palazzo Drive near West Moorland Avenue in Addison, Illinois.[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=wxes&x=15&y=7&sr=Y&s=C Radio-Locator.com/WXES]
History
The station signed on the air on {{Start date and age|1926|7|28}}. Its original call sign was WMBI, which stood for the Moody Bible Institute.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=65045 |title= History Cards for WXES (WMBI)|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) The station originally broadcast at 1080 kHz, sharing time with WCBD. WMBI's frequency was changed to 1110 kHz in March 1941, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA). For 95 years, the station was operated by Moody Bible, originally broadcasting English-language Christian radio programming.
In 1960, Moody Bible added an FM station at 90.1 MHz, WMBI-FM. At first, the two stations simulcast their programming, but over time the FM station developed its own programming. WMBI 1110 switched to a Spanish-language Christian format on February 6, 2012, making it the first full-time format of its kind on analog radio in Chicago.{{cite news|title=WMBI-AM launches Spanish-speaking Christian station|work=Radio & Television Business Report|url=https://www.rbr.com/wmbi-am-launches-spanish-speaking-christian-station/|date=February 6, 2012|accessdate=August 9, 2021}} In 2019, Moody announced it intended to sell the station.{{cite news|author-link=Robert Feder|last=Feder|first=Robert|url=https://www.robertfeder.com/2019/07/16/robservations-moody-bible-institute-selling-radio-stations/|title=Robservations: Moody Bible Institute selling AM radio stations|work=Robert Feder|date=July 16, 2019|accessdate=February 13, 2020}}
In 2021, El Sembrador Ministries acquired 1110 WMBI and a permit for an FM translator, W292GB at 106.3 FM. The price tag was $1.6 million. ESNE Radio already aired part-time on WNDZ in Portage, Indiana.{{Cite news |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=March 31, 2021 |title=El Sembrador Ministries Enters Chicago |language=en-US |work=RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/206655/el-sembrador-ministries-enters-chicago/ |access-date=August 9, 2021}} The transaction was consummated on July 13, 2021. On July 19, the station's call sign was changed to WXES.[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=65972&Callsign=WXES65972 Call Sign History], fcc.gov. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{AM station data|65972|WXES}}
{{Chicago Radio}}
{{Daytime-only radio stations in Illinois}}
{{Religious Radio Stations in Illinois}}
Category:Radio stations established in 1926