Atlass, H. Leslie

H. Leslie Atlass Soundex Code A342

H. Leslie Atlass Battery Manufacturer

H. Leslie Atlass (1894-1960) was the brother of Ralph L. Atlass (1903-1979). Together, they owned the Mallory Battery Company of Lincoln, Illinois.

In 1911, the Brothers began an amateur radio spark gap station. But, in 1915, the station had to cease operations during World War I at the request of the government. Then in 1921, the brothers resumed operations with an amateur license and a 200 watt vacuum tube transmitter.

In 1923, the brothers applied for and were granted a license to use the same transmitter as a commercial broadcasting station, and were allocated the radio frequency of 1,300 kHz and assigned the the station's current call sign WBBM, which then stood for World's Best Battery Maker. In later years, alternate meanings "We Broadcast Better Music" and "We Broadcast Broadmoor Music," were created. (See: Broadmoor Hotel)

The Atlass Brothers sold their battery company in 1924 to devote their full attention to WBBM, and moved to Chicago that same year. They then set up WBBM in the basement of their home at 7421 N. North Sheridan Road.

A year later, in 1925, studios were built on the main floor of the Broadmoor Hotel at Howard Street and Bosworth Avenue and the transmitter was installed on the roof. At the same time, the power of the station is increased to 1,500 watts.

February 1926 saw WBBM's power being increased again, this time to 10,000 watts with the frequency remaining at 1330 KC. Then on June 1, 1927, WBBM was authorized to change its frequency to 770 kHz and to operate with a radiated power of 25,000 watts. Later the same month, the transmitter was moved to Glenview, IL. which allowed space for the construction of a proper antenna tower.

WBBM became a charter CBS affiliate in 1928. The new network liked what it saw in the station, and bought a controlling interest in 1929.

Leslie and Ralph also founded Chicago radio station WIND and held an interest in Chicago radio station WJJD.

Leslie assumed management of WBBM-TV Ch. 2, when CBS purchased ownership from Balaban & Katz, for $6 million.

In 1954, CBS bought the Chicago Arena, 630 McClurg Court for $1.5 million and spent $6 million remodeling it. When the remodeling was completed in 1956, the former arena became the Chicago base for the CBS network's radio and television operations.