View source for WBEB

{{short description|Adult contemporary radio station in Philadelphia}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = Logo for WBEB Philadelphia.png
| logo_size = 150px
| name = WBEB
| city = [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| country = US
| area = [[Delaware Valley|Greater Philadelphia (Delaware Valley)]]
| branding = Philly's B101
| frequency = {{frequency|101.1|[[Hertz#SI multiples|MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| airdate = {{start date|1963|5|13}} (as WDVR)
| language = [[English language|English]]
| format = [[Adult contemporary]]
| subchannels = HD2: The Bet ([[sports gambling]])
| erp = {{val|14000|u=[[watt]]s|fmt=commas}}
| haat = {{convert|287|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = B
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id = 71382
| coordinates = {{coord|40|2|19.4|N|75|14|12.6|W|type:landmark_region:US-PA_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WDVR (1963–81)|WEAZ (1981–89)|WEAZ-FM (1989–93)}}
| owner = [[Audacy, Inc.]]
| licensee = Audacy License, LLC
| sister_stations = [[KYW (AM)|KYW]], [[WIP-FM]], [[WOGL]], [[WPHI-FM]], [[WPHT]], [[WTDY-FM]]
| webcast = {{ubl|{{Audacy.com|b101philly}}|{{Audacy.com|thebetphiladelphia}} (HD2)}}
| website = {{url|https://www.audacy.com/b101philly}}
}}
'''WBEB''' (101.1 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a commercial [[radio station]] [[City of license|licensed]] to serve [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]. Owned by [[Audacy, Inc.]], the station broadcasts an [[adult contemporary]] format, switching to [[Christmas music]] for part of November and December. The broadcast [[radio masts and towers|tower]] used by the station is in the [[Roxborough, Philadelphia|Roxborough]] section of Philadelphia at ({{coord|40|2|19.7|N|75|14|12.8|W}}),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WBEB |title=FM Query Results for WBEB |website=fcc.gov |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=2020-01-25}}</ref>  The [[radio studio]]s are co-located within Audacy's corporate headquarters in [[Center City, Philadelphia]].
In addition to a standard [[analog transmission]], WBEB broadcasts over two [[HD Radio]] channels, and is available online via [[Audacy]].
Prior to 2018, WBEB was co-founded and owned by broadcaster [[Jerry Lee]], and was recognized as one of the last independently owned and operated major market FM stations remaining in the United States.<ref name=":0" /> WBEB has been a top-ranking station in the Philadelphia [[Nielsen Audio]] ratings since the early 1990s; this dominance has been further demonstrated during the holiday season, where WBEB has historically seen the largest ratings gains among U.S. radio stations that switch to [[Christmas music#Radio broadcasting of Christmas music|Christmas music]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.insideradio.com/christmas-remains-king-in-holiday-ratings/article_08911e9a-00dc-11e8-9375-237d39cff16f.html|title=Christmas Remains King In Holiday 2017 Ratings.|work=Insideradio.com|access-date=2018-07-20|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioink.com/2017/11/16/wbeb-flips-christmas-music/|title=WBEB Flips To Christmas Music|date=2017-11-16|work=Radio Ink|access-date=2018-07-20|language=en-US}}</ref>
==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=April 2017}}On May 13, 1963, the station first signed on using the call sign WDVR, which stood for Delaware Valley Radio.<ref>[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-181]]</ref> The station was launched with David Kurtz as owner, [[Jerry Lee]] as sales manager, and [[Marlin Taylor]] as station manager and program director. Taylor developed a custom programming format that called for instrumental versions of popular songs and would come to be known as beautiful music.<ref>{{cite news | title =Marlin Taylor gets beautiful ratings with 'beautiful music'| work=Television/Radio Age| date =September 7, 1970 | url =https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-TV-Radio-Age/70s/TVRA-1970-09-07.pdf| accessdate =November 5, 2021}}</ref> It was one of several Philadelphia stations airing a [[beautiful music]] format, including [[WUSL|WPBS (98.9 FM)]] and [[WUMR (FM)|WWSH (106.1 FM)]]. In 1981, it switched call signs to WEAZ, which stood for easy listening.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=71382&Callsign=WBEB|title=Call Sign History [WBEB]|website=fcc.gov|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=2017-04-27}}</ref> It began using the slogan ''EAZY 101'' with actor [[Patrick O'Neal (actor)|Patrick O'Neal]] and later with actor [[Robert Urich]] as its TV commercial spokesperson.<ref>{{cite news | last=Logan| first=Joe| title =How stations will cover Amnesty concert| newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer| date =September 19, 1988 | url =https://www.newspapers.com/image/168789443/?terms=%22WEAZ%22%20%22robert%20urich%22%20%22patrick%20o%27neal%22&match=1| accessdate =November 4, 2021}}</ref> By 1984, EAZY 101 had become the number one rated station in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite news | last=Duncan Jr.| first=James H.| title =American Radio Fall 1984| work=World Radio History| date =1984 | url =https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Duncan-American-Radio/Duncan-1984-Fall.pdf| accessdate =November 4, 2021}}</ref>
The station was known for playing pop tunes reworked in the form of instrumentals. At first, it played two vocalists per hour, although over time, more vocals were added. The instrumental music was based on the works of such artists as [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Tony Bennett]], [[Nat King Cole]], [[Neil Diamond]], [[The Carpenters]] as well as songs from movies and [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. By the 1980s, the station increased the number of vocals to four per hour, either from the [[middle of the road (music)|middle of the road]] format or from the [[soft adult contemporary]] format.
In 1988, the station completed a transition from instrumental-based easy listening to an all-vocal [[soft adult contemporary]] format. This format change came after research showed listeners who grew up after the advent of [[rock and roll]] did not like instrumental music. With the format change, the station used a satellite-delivered music service, but by the next year, some of the air staff returned. By 1990, the station's name was shortened to "EZ 101". The station would shift to a mainstream adult contemporary format in 1993, and its call sign and branding would change to WBEB, ''B101.1'', on April 25 of that year. 7 years later, they would shorten their name to ''B101''.
In December 2013, WBEB announced the station would rebrand as ''More FM'' beginning December 26, with no change in format. The station argued that the ''B101'' name was dated and did not reflect its current on-air content.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2013-12-11/entertainment/45082899_1_name-change-sister-station-wmgk|title=B101 to change name to MoreFM in January|date=December 12, 2013|website=Philly.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230023620/http://articles.philly.com:80/2013-12-12/entertainment/45082899_1_name-change-sister-station-wmgk|archive-date=December 30, 2013|access-date=September 28, 2018}}</ref>
On July 19, 2018, [[Entercom]] announced that it would acquire WBEB for $57.5 million. To comply with DOJ revenue limits, Entercom divested [[WXTU]] back to its previous owner [[Beasley Broadcast Group]]. WBEB was, at that time, one of the last major-market radio stations to be independently owned.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/169296/entercom-acquires-101-1-more-fm-philadelphia-divests-wxtu-back-to-beasley/|title=Entercom Acquires 101.1 More-FM Philadelphia; Divests WXTU Back To Beasley|date=2018-07-19|work=RadioInsight|access-date=2018-07-20|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/business/101-more-fm-925-xtu-entercom-beasley-20180719.html|title=101.1 More FM, the 'crown jewel of Philadelphia radio', sold|work=Philly.com|access-date=2018-07-20}}</ref> The sale closed September 28, 2018. With the sale's closure, former GM Blaise Howard returned to the station, this time as general sales manager.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/180353/blaise-howard-named-gsm-at-wbeb-101-1-more-fm-phil|title=Blaise Howard Named GSM At WBEB (101.1 More FM)/Philadelphia|work=All Access|access-date=2018-09-28|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/180349/alabama-fm-translator-changes-hands-entercom-close|title=Alabama FM Translator Changes Hands, Entercom Closes On WXTU/Philadelphia Sale And WBEB Acquisition|work=All Access|access-date=2018-09-28|language=en}}</ref>
On November 8, 2018, WBEB returned to its previous "B" branding as ''B101.1''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/featured/171856/b101-returns-to-philadelphia/|title=B101 Returns To Philadelphia|date=2018-11-08|work=RadioInsight|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en-US}}</ref> It was later re-shortened to B101 in the summer of 2023.
==Signal note==
WBEB is short-spaced to three other [[List of North American broadcast station classes|Class B]] stations:
[[WCBS-FM]]/[[New York City|New York]] (a sister station) and [[WWDC (FM)|WWDC]]/[[Washington, D.C.]] also operate on 101.1&nbsp;MHz. The distance between WBEB's transmitter and WCBS-FM's transmitter is 82 miles, while the distance between WBEB's transmitter and WWDC's transmitter is 121 miles, as determined by FCC rules.<ref name=FCCdist>{{cite web|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=f3c56971693dd1afdad89a680fece345&mc=true&r=SECTION&n=se47.4.73_1208 |title=Reference points and distance computations. 47 CFR § 73.208 |access-date=2021-07-17}}</ref> The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on the same channel according to current [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] rules is 150 miles.<ref name=FCCsep>{{cite web|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title47-vol4/pdf/CFR-2012-title47-vol4-sec73-207.pdf |title=Minimum distance separation between stations. 47 CFR § 73.207(b)(1) |access-date=2021-07-17}}</ref>
In addition, WBEB is short-spaced to [[WROZ]]/[[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], as they operate on first adjacent channels (101.1 and 101.3) and the distance between the stations' transmitters is 73 miles as determined by FCC rules.<ref name=FCCdist /> The minimum distance between two [[List of North American broadcast station classes#Station class description|Class B]] stations operating on first adjacent channels according to current [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] rules is 105 miles.<ref name=FCCsep />
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
*{{Official website|https://www.audacy.com/b101philly}}
*{{FM station data|71382|WBEB}}
{{Philadelphia Radio}}
{{Adult Contemporary Radio Stations in Pennsylvania}}
{{Entercom}}
[[Category:Radio stations in Philadelphia|BEB]]
[[Category:Mainstream adult contemporary radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1963]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Audacy, Inc. radio stations]]