WIBK (1360 AM) was a classic country-formatted

broadcast Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

radio station licensed to

Watseka, Illinois Watseka is a city in and the county seat of Iroquois County, Illinois, Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. It is located approximately west of the Illinois-Indiana state line on U.S. Route 24. The population of Watseka was 4,679 as of th ...

, serving Watseka and Eastern

Iroquois County, Illinois Iroquois County is a county located in the northeast part of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States Census, it has a population of 27,077. It is the only county in the United States named Iroquois. The county seat is W ...

, and Western Benton and Southern Newton counties in Indiana. WIBK was a daytime only station and was owned and operated by Iroquois County Broadcasting Company, which is owned by Richard and Margaret Martin. WIBK was an AM radio station broadcasting on the regional frequency of 1360

kHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base uni ...

. The WIBK antenna was a three-tower

array An array is a systematic arrangement of similar objects, usually in rows and columns. Things called an array include: {{TOC right Music * In twelve-tone and serial composition, the presentation of simultaneous twelve-tone sets such that the ...

. The station was a member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters.

History

The original call letters were WGFA. WIBK changed format from

talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, Interview (jo ...

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

on August 25, 2017. On May 1, 2024, the owners filed for

special temporary authority Special Temporary Authority (STA) in U.S. broadcast law is a type of broadcast license which temporarily allows a broadcast station to operate outside of its normal technical or legal parameters. In the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) st ...

with the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

(FCC) to take the station silent. The WIBK license was surrendered in April 2025; it was cancelled on May 1, 2025.

Signal

WIBK's signal was beamed towards the southeast to protect the signal of

WLBK WLBK (1360 AM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of DeKalb, Illinois. The station, established in 1947, is owned and operated by DeKalb County Broadcasters, Inc. The station was assigned the call sign "WLBK" by the ...

Dekalb, Illinois DeKalb ( ) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,290 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian-French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died during the Ameri ...

. WIBK used a three-tower

antenna array An antenna array (or array antenna) is a set of multiple connected antenna (radio), antennas which work together as a single antenna, to transmit or receive radio waves. The individual antennas (called ''elements'') are usually connected to a s ...

Translator

In addition to the main station, WIBK was relayed by an FM translator to widen its broadcast area and to provide nighttime coverage. W245CV, also owned by Iroguois County Broadcasting Company, now relays the second

HD Radio HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. HD radio generally simulcast, simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD R ...

channel of WGFA-FM.

References

External links

WIBK 1360 AM Online
IBK Radio stations established in 1961 1961 establishments in Illinois Radio stations disestablished in 2025 2025 disestablishments in Illinois Defunct radio stations in the United States IBK IBK Iroquois County, Illinois {{Illinois-radio-station-stub