You’re stuck on the Kennedy Expressway. It’s 12:15 PM on a Sunday in October. The sky is that specific shade of Chicago gray that looks like a wet wool blanket, and you’re moving at a crisp four miles per hour. You can't watch the TV broadcast because, well, you’re driving. This is exactly why 780 AM Bears radio exists.
It’s about more than just the signal. It’s the voice.
Jeff Joniak and Tom Thayer have become the internal monologue for every Bears fan from Kenosha down to Joliet. When Joniak screams "Touchdown, Bears!" his voice hitting that specific, gravelly register of pure adrenaline, it doesn't matter if you're in a car, a garage, or a backyard. You're there. You see the grass. You feel the cold.
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The WBBM Powerhouse and the 50,000-Watt Blowtorch
WBBM-AM isn't just a radio station; it's a "clear channel" behemoth. For the uninitiated, that means it has a 50,000-watt signal that can, on a clear night, reach half the United States. But for Bears fans, the magic happens on 780 AM. Since the move back from 105.9 FM for the primary simulcast, the partnership between the Chicago Bears and Audacy (the parent company of WBBM) has solidified the station as the undisputed home of the Monsters of the Midway.
Radio is intimate. TV is a spectacle, but radio is a conversation between people who care too much about a third-down conversion in the second quarter.
The technical setup is impressive. While most people just tune in their car, the signal originates from a transmitter in Itasca, Illinois. It’s a piece of broadcasting history that has survived the transition from the "Golden Age" of radio into the digital streaming era. People thought the internet would kill the AM dial. Honestly? It kinda did the opposite. Now, you can listen to the 780 AM feed via the Audacy app or the Bears’ official website, but there’s still something visceral about the analog hum of a real radio.
The Joniak and Thayer Chemistry
Why do people choose to mute the TV and turn up the radio? It’s the chemistry. Jeff Joniak has been the play-by-play voice since 2001. Think about that. He’s seen the highs of 2006 and the many, many rebuilding years in between. He doesn't just call the game; he narrates a saga.
Then you’ve got Tom Thayer.
Thayer isn’t just some guy in a suit. He was a guard on the 1985 Super Bowl team. When he talks about leverage, hand placement on a block, or why a linebacker missed a gap fill, he’s speaking from the perspective of someone who has had his face in the dirt at Soldier Field. He sees the game through a straw, focusing on the trenches where most fans (and TV cameras) never look.
They don't always agree. Sometimes they get frustrated. That's the beauty of it. It feels like listening to two guys at a bar who just happen to have a world-class view of the 50-yard line.
What You Hear on 780 AM That You Miss on TV
- The nuance of the "Hard Count": Joniak is obsessed with the cadence. He’ll tell you exactly how the quarterback is trying to draw the nose tackle offsides.
- The sideline reports: Mark Grote is usually the man on the ground, providing updates on injuries or the mood of the bench that the cameras often gloss over.
- The Pregame Ritual: The "Bears Game Day Live" pregame show starts two hours before kickoff. It’s a deep dive into matchups that goes way beyond "they need to run the ball more."
Navigating the Blackouts and Streaming Rules
Here is where it gets a little tricky, and honestly, where most fans get annoyed.
If you’re within the Chicago market, you can stream the 780 AM Bears radio broadcast easily through the official Chicago Bears app or the Audacy app. It’s free. It’s simple. However, the NFL is notoriously protective of its broadcasting rights. If you’re a transplant living in, say, Phoenix or Tampa, you might find the stream geo-blocked on certain platforms.
The NFL+ subscription service is usually the workaround for out-of-market fans who want that local Chicago flavor. It’s a bummer that you can’t always get the hometown call for free when you’re out of state, but that’s the reality of modern sports media contracts.
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The Soldier Field Experience and the "Radio Delay"
If you’re lucky enough to be at the stadium, you’ll notice a lot of older fans wearing headphones. They aren't listening to music. They’re listening to 780 AM.
The problem? The digital delay.
In the old days, the analog signal hit your ears almost instantly. Now, between the digital processing and the streaming buffers, the radio call can be 5 to 15 seconds behind the live action. It’s a bit of a "spoiler" if you see the touchdown and then hear Joniak scream about it ten seconds later. To fix this, some hardcore fans use specialized "short delay" radios that tune directly into the FM frequency (105.9 FM) which often has a tighter sync, though the 780 AM signal remains the flagship for distance.
The Schedule Beyond Sunday
It isn't just about the three hours on Sunday afternoon. The 780 AM ecosystem includes:
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- The Bears Insider: Mid-week breakdowns that look at film study.
- The Coaches Show: Usually airing on Monday nights, giving a post-mortem on the weekend's performance.
- The Draft Coverage: April is huge for WBBM, as they provide wall-to-wall analysis of who the Bears are bringing in to save the franchise (again).
Dealing with the "AM Static" Myth
Some younger fans think AM radio sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies—all snaps, crackles, and pops. While AM can be susceptible to interference from power lines or lightning, WBBM’s signal is remarkably clean. If you’re getting static, it’s usually because you’re inside a parking garage or standing next to a massive microwave.
Once you get out into the open air of the Chicago suburbs or the Illinois farmland, the audio is surprisingly robust. It has a warmth to it. There’s a certain "football weather" vibe to the sound of an AM broadcast that a crisp, sterile digital stream just can't replicate. It feels like history.
The Future: Will 780 AM Stay the Home of the Bears?
Contracts come and go. We've seen teams jump from station to station in search of better revenue splits. But the relationship between the Bears and WBBM feels foundational. It’s a brand alignment. WBBM is "Newsradio," the station of record for the city. The Bears are the team of record.
Even as we move toward a world where everything is an app, the "780" brand is too strong to abandon. It’s a shorthand. If you tell a Chicagoan "turn on 780," they don't ask what's on. They know.
Actionable Steps for the Best Listening Experience
If you want to make the most of the broadcast this season, don't just wing it.
- Download the Audacy App early. Don't wait until 11:55 AM on Sunday to try and figure out your login. The servers get slammed right before kickoff.
- Invest in a pocket radio. If you’re going to the game, a small analog radio with headphones is the only way to hear the call without a massive delay. Look for one with good AM sensitivity.
- Check the FM simulcast. In many parts of the city, 105.9 FM carries the same Joniak/Thayer call. If you’re dealing with city interference (tall buildings blocking AM waves), the FM signal might be clearer.
- Sync your TV. If you're watching at home, use the "pause" button on your DVR to delay the TV picture by a few seconds. This allows you to perfectly line up the 780 AM audio with the action on the screen. It takes a little trial and error—usually waiting for the referee’s whistle or the snap of the ball—but once you lock it in, it’s the ultimate way to watch.
The reality is that sports media is changing fast. We have 4K streams, Manningcasts, and Twitter feeds that update in milliseconds. But for a certain segment of Chicago, none of that matters. As long as there’s a 50,000-watt signal pushing Jeff Joniak’s voice out into the cold Midwest air, the Chicago Bears will always have a home at 780 AM. It’s the soundtrack of the city's Sundays, and it isn't going anywhere.
Next Steps for Fans:
To ensure you never miss a snap, bookmark the official WBBM 780 schedule page. If you are traveling outside of Illinois, verify your NFL+ login credentials at least 24 hours before game time, as geo-fencing rules for local broadcasts are strictly enforced based on your GPS location. For those in the city, check your car's HD Radio settings; often, WBBM broadcasts an HD signal that eliminates traditional AM static entirely while keeping the same 780 frequency.