Previous logos
| Broadcast area | Washington and Ozaukee Counties |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1470 kHz |
| Branding | We Rock You |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WMBZ | |
| History | |
First air date | November 1950 |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "We Rock You" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 71541 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 2,500 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°22′14.00″N 88°9′58.00″W / 43.3705556°N 88.1661111°W |
| Translator(s) |
|
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | rockwryu |
WRYU (1470 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to West Bend, Wisconsin, and covering Milwaukee's northern suburbs. The station is owned by David Magnum, through licensee Magnum Communications, Inc., and features a classic rock format. The radio studios and offices are on South Main Street in West Bend. WRYU carries the syndicated program John Tesh - Intelligence for Your Life.
WRYU is a Class B AM station powered at 2,500 watts. To protect other stations on 1470 AM from interference, it uses a directional antenna with a four-tower array. The signal covers Washington and Ozaukee Counties. The transmitter is on Hron Road in West Bend.[2] Programming is also heard on FM translators W230DJ at 93.9 MHz and W267CL at 101.3 MHz.[3]
The station signed on the air in November 1950. Its original call sign was WBKV. It was a 1,000-watt daytimer, required to go off the air at night. WBKV aired a full service format featuring local news, talk and middle of the road (MOR) popular music. The schedule included local high school sports and Wisconsin college sports. In 1958, a sister station was added, 92.9 WBKV-FM (later WBWI and currently WMBZ).
Around 2001, WBKV flipped to a satellite-delivered classic country format to complement sister WBWI-FM, which has a contemporary country music sound. The local morning show was retained but other shows were cancelled. Most of the dayparts during the classic country period were covered by Jones Radio Network's classic country feed. There were voicetracked breaks from local staff in afternoon drive during the week for a few years. classic country lasted for 12 years.
The station flipped to a talk radio format around March, 2013.[4] WBKV was branded as "LOCAL News/Talk". In addition to covering local high school sports – football, basketball, and baseball, WBKV was also an affiliate of the Wisconsin Badgers Radio Network.
On June 25, 2014, Bliss Communications announced that it would sell WBKV and WBWI-FM, along with sister stations WRJN and WEZY in Racine. The new owner was David Magnum's Magnum Communications, Inc. Bliss had owned WBKV and WBWI since 1970.[5] The sale, at a price of $2.25 million, was consummated on October 31, 2014.
On February 7, 2015, WBKV changed its format to classic hits and oldies, branded as "Kool Variety 1470". The station's playlist consists of the hits of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. WBKV also carried updates from Westwood One News until the network ceased operations in 2020.
On October 28, 2016, WBKV changed its call sign to WIBD. It also added an FM translator at 101.3 FM. The station rebranded as "101.3 and 1470 WIBD".
On February 11, 2024, WIBD changed their format from classic hits to classic rock, branded as "We Rock You", under new WRYU call sign.[6]