Due to its location near the bottom of the AM dial, as well as its transmitter power, its daytime signal can be heard at city-grade strength from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, and provides at least secondary coverage to Erie, Pennsylvania, most of the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, much of north-central Ohio and even a section of Southern Ontario.

[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 WKBN, 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.

Shortly after WKBN's launch, the station became a charter affiliate of the newly formed CBS Radio Network, a partnership that would last until the end of the century.

WKBN carried CBS's schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio".

As network programming moved to TV from radio in the 1950s, WKBN switched from CBS shows to a middle of the road format of popular music, news, sports and talk.

On January 22, 1999, the Williamson family sold WKBN and WKBN-FM to Jacor Communications, earning a handsome return on their investment of 73 years prior.

Only three months later, on April 29, 1999, Clear Channel Communications completed its $6.5 billion purchase of Jacor and its 454 stations, including WKBN and WKBN-FM.

In September 2014, Clear Channel Communications became iHeartMedia, Inc.[11] WKBN has one local talk show on weekdays, Ron Verb during afternoon drive time.

On weekends, specialty programs on money, health, home improvement, technology, cars, veterans, real estate and the outdoors are heard, as well as repeats of weekday shows.