The Big 870

The Big 870 is the brand name of WWL (870 AM), one of the oldest radio stations in the United States. Founded on March 31, 1922, by Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, WWL was the first broadcast station in Louisiana and the first licensed station in the Gulf South region.

As one of the few 50,000-watt AM stations with a clear signal, WWL reaches over 38 US states. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the programming has been simulcast on 105.3 FM (WWL-FM). The station is known for News and Talk, local reporting, and crisis communication, such as during Katrina, when it was the only local medium broadcasting.

WWL has a rich history: From piano concerts at the opening to entertainment from the Roosevelt Hotel to its role in the Cuban crisis relay of Voice of America. Today, the station belongs to Audacy and is the voice of New Orleans, including Saints and Pelicans sports coverage.