WPIA

Infobox Radio station
name = WPIA


city = Eureka, Illinois
area = Peoria, Illinois
branding = 98.5 Kiss-FM
slogan = Peoria's Hit Music
airdate = August 22, 1988
frequency = 98.5 MHz
format = Top 40/CHR
erp = 6000 watts
haat = 100 meters
class = A
facility_id = 28317
coordinates = coord|40|42|57.1|N|89|27|50.3|W|display=inline,title|region:US|name=WPIA tower
callsign_meaning = Peoria (also Peoria airport code)
former_callsigns = WRVP (2000–2004)
WPPY (August 1999 – July 2000)
WEEK-FM (1997–1999)
WIVR (1994–1997)
WCRI (1988–1994)cite web |title=WPIA(FM) |work=FCCInfo.com |publisher=Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc. |url= http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=FM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=1178058 |date=2007-09-04 |accessdate=2007-09-08]
owner = Independence Media Holdings
licensee = IM IL Licenses LLC
sister_stations = WZPN, WWCT, WHPI
webcast =
website = [http://www.kissfmpeoria.com/ www.kissfmpeoria.com]
affiliations =

WPIA (98.5 FM, "98.5 KISS-FM") is a radio station licensed for Eureka, Illinois, between Peoria and Bloomington, Illinois. It uses the KISS-FM Top 40/CHR format from Clear Channel Communications, but the station is not owned by Clear Channel.

History

The station originally went on the air as WCRI in 1988. After a stint as "98.5 The River" in the mid-1990s, the station was bought by the owners of WEEK-TV, who turned it into Oldies 98.5 with the callsign WEEK-FM, the only radio station owned by Granite Broadcasting. After 93.3 became WPBG ("Big Oldies 93.3"), putting it in direct competition with WEEK-FM, 98.5's ratings slid and Granite sold the radio station.

From around 1999 to 2004, the station was called "98.5 The Party", first with the callsign WPPY, then adding a simulcast on 101.1 WRVP (now WHPI), then swapping callsigns with 101.1 to become WRVP itself.

Around 2004, the station's callsign was changed to WPIA and it became Christian rock station Hope 98.5. Then-owners Regent Communications sold the station and 101.1 (now WHPI) to Independence Media Holdings, who also bought 96.5 (now WZPN) from another company and combined it with 98.5 to form 96.5 & 98.5 Kiss-FM starting in September 2006. On July 2, 2007, 96.5 stopped simulcasting 98.5. [http://www.pjstar.com/stories/070107/STE_BDL3RTSG.004.php (dead link)]

As of 2008-08-18, the full-time weekday personalities were The Big Show with Big D in the Mornings, O'Ryan on mid-days, and Govia on afternoons and nights.

References

External links

* [http://www.kissfmpeoria.com/ KISS FM Peoria WPIA official website]
*FMQ|WPIA
*FML|WPIA
*FMARB|WPIA