Note: This webpage is not affiliated with the radio station itself. For more information on how to contact the radio station, read below. If you have questions, e-mail us.

This Page Last Updated: Tuesday 28 May 2019

The Essentials

Call Letters: WJOB
Frequency: 1230am
City of License: Hammond
Metro(s): Northwest Indiana
Power: 1000 watts - Day, 1000 watts - Night (ND) Class C.
Format: News/Talk/Sports
Address: 6405 Olcott Ave., Hammond, IN 46320-2877
Phone: 219.844.1230
Ownership: Vazquez Development, LLC
Web Presence: http://www.wjob1230.com/
Notes: Simulcast on W284CY

Station Personnel

Current

GM: Debbie Wargo
SM: Pat Renwick
OM: Michael D. Stewart
Sports Director: Ryan Walsh
Mornings: Jim Dedelow (5:30am - 8:00am)
Mid-Mornings: Lake County Solid Waste (Monday 8:00am - 8:30am)
Mid-Mornings: City of East Chicago (Monday 8:30am - 9:00am)
Mid-Mornings: Roy Dominguez (Monday 9:00am - 10:00am)
Mid-Mornings: Geno's Buffet (10:00am - 12:00pm)
Mid-Mornings: Veterans Views (Friday 9am - 10am)
Early Afternoons: Michael D. Stewart ("Stew for Lunch") (12:00pm - 2:00pm)
Afternoons: Region Flashback (2:00pm - 4:00pm)
Afternoons: Leaders Alive (5:00pm on the First and Third Thursday of each month)
Afternoons: Sportsworx Recruiting Show (Monday 5:30pm - 6:30pm)
Nights: Hey Harlow (6:30pm - 9:00pm)
Nights: Music Underdogs

Former

GM: O.E. Richardson
GM: Marty Wielgos
GM: Ric Federighi (Now Partner/GM at WIMS)
Chief Engineer: Stanley Strasberg
SM: Dave Elliott
OM: Scott Rosenberg (Now afternoons at WXRD)
OM: Chris Locken (Now PD at WRIN)
PD: L.B. Weller
PD: Sam Weller
PD: Dave Flood
News Director: Paulla Weinberg (Now News Director at WIMS)
News Director: Jessica Morgan
News Anchor: Jim Gudas (Now a reporter at WBBM(AM) and WCFS-FM in Chicago, Illinois.)
Production Director: Chris Locken (Now PD at WRIN)
Sports Director: Chris Locken (Now PD at WRIN)
Mornings: Libby Collins Freiberg (6am - 9am) (January 2002 - ?)
Mornings: Greg Doffin (5am - 9am)
Mornings: Warren Freiberg (Deceased 2 June 2000)
Mornings: Ric Federighi (6am - 9am) (Now Co-Owner/GM/Mornings at WIMS)
Mornings: Dave Kusiak (6am - 9am)
Late Mornings: Dr. Joy Browne (9am - 12pm)
Late Mornings: Dave Innes (9am - 11am)
Late Mornings: Roman Sawczak (9am - 11am)
Middays: Ken & Daria Dolan (12pm - 2pm) (November 2001 - ?)
Middays: Mike Huckabee ("The Mike Huckabee Show") (11:00am - 2:00pm) (June 25, 2012 - ?)
Afternoons: Papa Joe Chevalier (5pm - 9pm)
Afternoons: Mike Bonaventura (2pm - 5pm) (November 2001 - February 2004) (Now on 7am - 10am at WCFJ in Chicago Heights, Illinois)
Afternoons: Dave Flood (2pm - 5pm) (November 2001 - February 2004) (Now on 7am - 10am at WCFJ in Chicago Heights, Illinois)
Afternoons: Steve Fowler (3pm - 6pm)
Afternoons: Steve Glover (Deceased)
Afternoons: Region Underground with The Preacher (4:00pm - 5:30pm)
Nights: Tommy Williams (9pm -12am) (April 2004 - ?)
Nights: Jeff Rense (9pm - 3am)
Nights: Tommy Williams (9pm - 12am) (November 24, 2003 - ?)
Overnights: Bob Kemp (3am - 5am)
Weekends: Michael Puente ("Latin Lingo")
Airstaff: Steve King (Now Overnights at WGN(AM) in Chicago, Illinois)
Airstaff: Jerome Ingwersen (Deceased 1 May 2005)

Station History

WJOB(AM)

1230am signed on in 1928.

WWAE(AM)

By 1928, WWAE had moved from Plainfield, Illinois to Hammond. WWAE was on the air in 1930, sharing time with WRAF. Moved from 1200am to 1230am. WWAE became WJOB on June 25, 1940.

WJOB(AM)

In 1946, Messrs. O.E. Richardson, Fred L. Adair, and Robert C. Adair reorganized their coperation as South Shore Broadcasting Company for $150,000. Studios located at 449 State St., Hammond, IN 46320 (Telephone: Sheffield 8400). WJOB's sister FM station was WJIZ. In late April 1955, WJOB broke ground for new studios at 165th Street and Indianapolis Boulevard, in Hammond. The new studios included a 500 foot tower, which, at the time, was the tallest structure in northern Indiana. In July 1999, M&M Broadcasting, Inc. purchased both WJOB along with WIMS for $4 million, total. St. George Broadcasting, LLC. went bankrupt in 2002. In March 2003, a bankruptcy judge approved the $3.25 million sale of WJOB to Starboard Network. By late 2003, Starboard backed out of the deal and forfeited $243,000. WJOB was later sold in Bankruptcy court when a Lake County judge approved the sale (along with sister WIMS) to Vazquez Development, LLC. The sale price for both stations was $1.5 million.

For Further Reading...

"WJOB Breaks Ground for Hammond Studios." Chicago Daily Tribune, 154, no. 18 (1 May 1955). Page 3.
Hartnett, Laurence. "Local broadcast duo delivers talk radio - Region style" The Gary Post-Tribune,. 1 June 1997. Page D1, D7.
Kirk, Jim. "Interlude Ends; WFMT Exec to Stay" Chicago Tribune, 30 November 1999.
Feder, Robert. "Lite FM Brings in Star From Suburbs" The Chicago Sun-Times, 20 March 2001. Page 45.
Feder, Robert. "Mexican jokes draw WCKG public apology." The Chicago Sun-Times, 16 May 2001. Page 69.
Feder, Robert. "New call letters reflect changes at Channel 60." The Chicago Sun-Times, 13 November 2001. Page 51.
Feder, Robert. "Fran Allison leads list of Silver Circle winners." The Chicago Sun-Times, 16 January 2002. Page 57.
Feder, Robert. "New ESPN Programmer Faces Off Against Ex-Boss" The Chicago Sun-Times, 5 February 2003. Page 69.
Feder, Robert. "Anchorman's Odyssey Leads Him to Channel 5" The Chicago Sun-Times, 23 October 2003. Page 67.
Feder, Robert. "Marin comes to terms with Channel 5 bosses." The Chicago Sun-Times, 6 February 2004. Page 65.
Feder, Robert. "Radio veteran buys station identification." The Chicago Sun-Times, 20 February 2004. Page 69.
Feder, Robert. "May Sweeps Could Be Another Fight to the Finish" The Chicago Sun-Times, 28 April 2004. Page 75.
Feder, Robert. "Infinity goes inside to fix troubled WCKG." The Chicago Sun-Times. 14 October 2005. Page 75.

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