[4] The station was first licensed, as WKBB, on September 30, 1925, to Sanders Brothers at 607 Jefferson Street in Joliet, Illinois, for operation on 1400 kHz.

[6] 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.

[7] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WKBB, 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.

This was granted in 1932 over the objections of the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, which desired to build its own station but could not due to the quota restriction.

As of September 2009, WDBQ's weekday programming includes Michael Smerconish, Laura Ingraham, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Fred Thompson.