WKBK

WKBK (1290 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Keene, New Hampshire, USA, the station is currently owned by Monadnock Radio Group (Saga Communications) and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC and features programming from Westwood One, CBS Radio and Premiere Radio Networks.

History

WKBK originally signed on as WNBX on June 2, 1927 in Springfield, Vermont. The station operated at 1240 kc. (as kilohertz was known then). In November 1928, the frequency was changed to 1260 kc. On December 25, 1940, WNBX signed on from its new location as WKNE. The move to Keene also brought an increase in power to 5,000 watts, the third most powerful AM station in New England behind WBZ/1030 in Boston and WTIC 1080 in Hartford. In 1941 as part of the NARBA shift, WKNE shifted to its permanent home on 1290 AM. In Spring of 2002, WKNE was sold to Saga Communications, along with sister station WKNE-FM. In 2002, Saga Communications also purchased WKBK 1220 AM, the other AM signal in the Keene radio market, which began the steps for a change in for the impending format flips. In late 2002, Saga Communications moved the talk programming from weaker signaled WKBK to 1290, changing the call sign to WKBK. 1220 would pick up the call sign WZBK with the adult standards format (which was later dropped for a simlcast of WKVT in Brattleboro, Vermont).