Illinois Radio and TV Station Photos from the John in Arizona Collection
The photos in the Illinois section are listed in alphabetical order by call letters. All photos are the property of John C Johnson - John In Arizona and may not be used in any form elsewhere.
WBBM: WBBM Radio 780 Chicago came on the air in 1924. Their tower site on East Army Trail Road is also used by WSCR 670 and WLEY FM 107.9 (licensed to Aurora). The photo is from 2024.
WBBM 780 Radio Chicago tower site on East Army Trail Road - 2024.
WCPT: 820 Willow Springs started in 1923 as WCBD. The station has changed call letters 9 times and is currently WCPT. The station uses 6 towers at night to protect WBAP Fort Worth, Texas. The 2019 photo of that nighttime tower site was taken while flying over Joliet heading to Midway Airport.
WCPT Radio 820 Willow Springs nighttime 6 towers - 2019.
WFXN: 1230 Radio Moline started out in 1946 as WQUA. In 1983 the calls were changed to WMRZ and in 1990 to WLLR. The calls were changed to WFXN in 2002. Their transmitter and tower site is located on 7th Street as seen in the photos from 2019. Studios are located in Davenport, Iowa at 3535 East Kimberly Road along with WOC 1420 and a bunch of FMs. Photos of that location may be found in the Iowa page of this site.
WFXN Radio 1230 Moline tower site on 7th Street - 2019.
WFXN Radio 1230 Moline tower site on 7th Street - 2019.
WHBF TV: WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island signed on the air in 1950 and is the oldest Illinois station outside of Chicago. The call letters stand for "Where Historic Blackhawk Fought." Studios are in downtown Rock Island at 231 18th Street. Note the original 482 foot tower next to the bulding. This is also the location for KLJB TV Fox 18 and KGCW TV CW Quad Cities. The 'Harbor Command' program ad is from June of 1958. All other photos are from 2019.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island 'Harbor Command' program ad - 1958.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island 6 and 10 PM newscasts ad.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island 231 18th Street studios - 2019.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island 231 18th Street studios - 2019.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island 231 18th Street studios - 2019.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island downtown tower - 2019.
WHBF TV Channel 4 Rock Island downtown tower - 2019.
WHBF TV 4.1
WKBF: This Rock Island station started out in 1925 as WHBF on 1350. In 1928 they changed to 1210, then in 1939 to1240, and finally in 1941 to 1270. The call letters were changed to WKBF in 1982. Their towers and transmitter are located on 22nd Avenue in Moline as seen in the photos from 2019.
WKBF Radio 1270 Rock Island towers - 2019.
WKBF Radio 1270 Rock Island towers - 2019.
WKRO: WKRO Radio 1490 Cairo came on the air in 1942. The studios and transmitter site are located along Old US Highway 51. However, the station was on the air with a carrier only in September 2015. Perhaps this station has ceased broadcasting. The photos are from 2015.
WKRO Radio 1490 Cairo studios and tower on Old US 51 - 2015.
WKRO Radio 1490 Cairo studios and tower on Old US 51 - 2015.
WMOK: WMOK Radio 920 Metropolis serves the Paducah, Kentucky market. The photos from 2015 are of the four tower nighttime array on Deer Run Road in Brookport.
WMOK Radio 920 Metropolis four tower night array on Deer Run Road - 2015.
WMOK Radio 920 Metropolis four tower ASRN sign on Deer Run Road - 2015.
WQAD TV: John in Arizona has a large amount of photos for WQAD TV Channel 8 Moline. There is a special web page just for WQAD TV. Click on the photo to take you to the WQAD TV page.
WQPT TV: WQPT TV Channel 24 Moline came on the air in 1983. The call letters stand for "We're Quad cities Public Television." The screen grab is from 2019..
WQPT TV 24.1
WRIK: WRIK Radio 750 Brookport has seen numerous call letter changes from WZOM to WRIK and then WSBX, WNTX, and WTNQ before returning to WRIK in 2013. The station serves the Paducah, Kentucky market. The tower for WRIK and WRIK FM is located on County Road 1550 East as seen in the photo from 2015.
WRIK and WRIK-FM Brookport tower on County Road 1550 East - 2015.
WTVO TV: WTVO Channel 39 Rockford came on the air in 1953. WTVO on Channel 17 started in 1967. The print ad is from the 1950s.
WTVO Channel 39 Rockford print ad from the 1950s.
WVIK: WVIK FM Rock Island is owned by Augustana College. They started in 1980 on 90.1, and in 1991 they moved to 90.3. Studios are located at 815 38th Street as seen in the photos from 2019.
WVIK FM Rock Island studios at 815 38th Street - 2019.
WVIK FM Rock Island studios at 815 38th Street - 2019.
WLS Radio 890 Chicago license plate.
Please remember all images are the property of John C Johnson / John In Arizona / johninarizona.com and may not be used in any form elsewhere including social media sites.