WVON

WVON

Berwyn, Illinois United States
Broadcast area	Chicago metropolitan area
Frequency	1690 kHz
Branding	AM 1690 WVON
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	African-American-oriented talk
Affiliations	Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia (iHM Licenses, LLC)
Operator	Midway Broadcasting Corporation
Sister stations	WCHI-FM WGCI-FM WGRB WKSC-FM WLIT-FM WVAZ
History
First air date	October 2003 (21 years ago) (2003-10)
Former call signs	WHTE (1998–2003) WRLL (2003–06)
Call sign meaning	"The Voice of the Negro"[1] "The Voice of the Nation."[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	87178
Class	B
Power	10,000 watts day 1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates	41°44′14.12″N 87°42′4.18″W / 41.7372556°N 87.7011611°W / 41.7372556; -87.7011611
Translator(s)	98.3 W252AW (Chicago)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen live (via iHeartRadio)
Website	wvon.com

WVON (1690 AM "The Voice of the Nation", originally "Voice of the Negro") is a radio station serving the Chicago market, which airs an African-American-oriented talk format. WVON is operated by Midway Broadcasting Corporation via a local marketing agreement with frequency owner iHeartMedia.

WVON's predecessor station began catering to an African-American audience in the 1940s. In 1963 Chess Records bought the station and debuted WVON, with its programming of soul, and rhythm and blues music becoming very popular throughout the 1960s. The station's news and commentary also played an active role during the Civil Rights Movement during this era. Its present African-American-oriented talk format began in 1986. The station served as a springboard for Barack Obama during the early days of his political career.^[3]

Licensed to Berwyn, Illinois, WVON has studios in the South Loop,^[4] and its transmitter is located at 87th and Kedzie in Chicago's Ashburn community.