WEBQ (AM)

WEBQ (1240 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Harrisburg, Illinois, the station serves Southern Illinois.

History
WEBQ's first license was granted on September 30, 1924, to the Tate Radio Company in Harrisburg, Illinois. The call letters were randomly assigned from a sequential roster of available call signs. It made its debut broadcast on the evening of November 26, 1924.

Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927. In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard. On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WEBQ, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it." However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.

On November 11, 1928, the FRC implemented a major reallocation of stations under its General Order 40, and WEBQ was assigned to 1210 kHz, sharing time with KFVS in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.