On Friday, WLS-AM 890 will celebrate its 95th birthday on the air in Chicago. It’s a pretty amazing feat and the station will be celebrating with live interviews, contests, and throw-backs showing WLS’s long legacy serving Chicago, and much of the “lower 48,” for 95 years.
“WLS” first launched on April 12, 1924, as Sears-Roebuck and Company’s own broadcast outlet to reach and market to farmers. Shortly after 6 p.m. that day, Edgar Bill stepped to the microphone and exclaimed: “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! WLS, the Sears-Roebuck station, is on the air!” WLS stood for “World’s Largest Store” and first aired farm and civic programming, popular music, comedies, and radio serials.
Listeners can celebrate with WLS-AM on 890AM, 94.7 WLS-FM-HD2, WLSAM.com, as well as Twitter, and Facebook on Friday for more trivia, photos, live stream, and contests.
