- WIRL
Infobox Radio station
name = WIRL
city = Peoria,Illinois
area = Bloomington, Peoria
slogan =
branding = "Classic Country 1290"
frequency = 1290kHz
repeater =
airdate =August 18 ,1948 [cite web |url=http://thebig1290.com/ |title=1290 WIRL Airchecks, Jingles and Photos |date=2008-01-14 |accessdate=2008-09-10 |work=thebig1290.com ]
share = 2.6
share as of = Fall 2007
share source = R&Rcite news |title=Peoria Market Ratings |url=http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRRatings/DefaultSearch.aspx?MarketName=Peoria&MarketRank=%20 |work =Radio & Records ]
format =Classic Country
power = 5,000watt s day
5,000watt s night
class = B
facility_id = 13040
coordinates = coord|40|37|24.00|N|89|35|27.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WWFS (2000–2005) WIRL (1948–2000)
owner =Triad Broadcasting JMP Media Group
licensee = Monterey Licenses, LLC
sister_stations =WSWT (traditional);WMBD (AM) ,WPBG ,WDQX ,WXCL
webcast =
website = [http://www.1290wirl.com/ 1290wirl.com]
affiliations =ABC Radio WIRL (1290 AM, nicknamed "Classic Country 1290") is a
radio station broadcasting aclassic country music format. Licensed toPeoria, Illinois , USA, the station serves the Bloomington and Peoria areas. The station is currently owned by Monterey Licenses, LLC which is known locally as JMP Radio.Current Programming
WIRL features local air personalities Dan Dermody in the morning and Courtney Lynne in the afternoon. The station has a noon farm and
agri-business show weekdays. The station features ABC network news on the hour and carriesChicago Cubs baseball and University of Illinois football and basketball.Chicago Bears coverage, formerly heard on 1290, is now heard on sister station "Max FM" at 102.3 FM.History
WIRL was most famous as a
Top 40 radio station from 1960 until approximately 1984. WIRL was successful immediately as a Top 40 station, as the only competition was daytime-onlyWPEO 1020 AM. Popular disc jockeys were Robyn Weaver, Lee Ranson, Bill McCluggage, Lee Malcolm, Wayne R. Miller, Howard Taylor, Pete Stewart, and Mark Wainwright. For many years WIRL broadcastBradley University basketball games with Mort Cantor as the play by play man.In the late 1970s, FM station WKZW 93.3 (now
WPBG ) began programming a Top 40 format and siphoned away many listeners from WIRL. WIRL then evolved into a full service personality and adult contemporary station. Personalities included Lee Malcolm, Gene Konrad, Kurt Schaeffer, Denise Henley, Steve Larson and Darryl Parks. Theadult contemporary format lasted until the early 1990s; the station also programmed oldies, standards, and sports talk. In November 2000, the station changed to all-sports "Fox Sports 1290" with the callsign WWFS. The station returned to the WIRL call sign when it adopted theclassic country format in March 2005.References
External links
*AM station data|WIRL
* [http://www.thebig1290.com The Big 1290] — tribute site with pictures and soundclip archives
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