WBBA Radio History

WBBA Radio first signed on the air on December 1, 1954 at 1580 on the AM Dial with 250 Watts of Power from a studio west of town that is now the Illinois Department of Natural Recourses Office. In 1966, owner GB Meyer built a new studio and a home on the Nebo County Rd, and WBBA-FM was added originally with 3000 watts of power at 97.7 FM. In 1988, WBBA moved to its present dial position of 97.5 FM and upgraded its power to the current 10,000 Watts. The WBBA call letters stand for We Broadcast Better Agriculture. (And We Do!) , For over 70 years, WBBA Radio has been your voice on the farm!

The station was founded by a preacher who founded several other area stations in West Central Illinois. Not long after, GB Meyer would become owner, and he owned the station until his passing, when it passed down to his son Glenn, who sold it to local resident Larry Hanna. It passed through at least one other owner before being sold to St Louis radio personality Gary "Records" Brown who also owned WJBM AM in Jerseyville. Upon Brown's passing WJBM and WBBA were sold to D&J Two River Radio under the management of David Fuhler and Jack Hull.

In 1996, after a dispute with Glenn Meyer, a former station owner who still owned the studio and tower south of town, the station relocated to the bank building in downtown Pittsfield, and in 2003 to the American Legion owned building on West Washington where it remained til 2021 when the studio for four years was in Jerseyville. The 1996 dispute forced WBBA AM permanently off the air and programming from then on was only heard at 97.5 FM.

An unfortunate legal dispute led to the station ending up going through a couple of operators who had the station a brief period after Doug Smith and the Farmer's National Bank of Griggsville assumed control of the radio station. In May of 2024 after a failed sale, WBBA went off the air for the only time in its seven decade history for nine months. During that time, sister station WJBM was sold to a local businessman in Jerseyville.

In February of 2025, Jim Fishback's Jimmy Fish Media entered into a time brokerage agreement Longtime Missouri broadcaster Mike Batchelor, who also manages KMRV FM in St Charles is acting as station manager.

In August of 2025, Mike Batchelor's Cornerstone Media Group assumed control of WBBA. Our goal is to build WBBA back to its former glory, but also bring it into the 21st Century.

How can B97.5 WBBA Radio Work for You? Drop us an email at info@b975radio.com or call 217-285-4975 today!