WJVL

WJVL (99.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to Janesville, Wisconsin, and serving the areas of Madison, Wisconsin, to the Rockford, Illinois, area. The station is owned by Bliss Communications and plays "Pure Country." Top 40 country mixed in with country golds. [ [http://www.wjvl.com WJVL ] ]

History

In order to learn more about WJVL Radio, you need to start with sister station WCLO, which came to Janesville Aug. 1, 1930. The late Harry H. BLISS largely was responsible for bringing the station to Janesville. A son, Sidney H. BLISS, became president and general manager of the new venture. That date marked a new era in The Gazette Printing Co.'s growth.

Former Wisconsin Gov. Walter Kohler headed the list of guest speakers appearing on the inaugural program. Broadcasts from The Gazette building studios were supplemented by many remote control broadcasts that reached listeners throughout Southern Wisconsin from the first transmitting station with its twin towers on County A, four miles east of Janesville. The current transmitting station is on South Oakhill Avenue.

In the days of early radio, it was possible for a broadcast station to be moved from one city to another. WCLO was originally licensed in 1925 to broadcast at Camp Lake, west of Kenosha. Its owners at that time were in the business of promoting a real estate development. From the name of their project, Camp Lake Oaks, came the call letters assigned by the Federal Radio Commission to the small 50-watt station, WCLO.

After three years of operating at Camp Lake, WCLO was moved by its licensees to Kenosha. Then in 1929, a group of Kenosha men organized the WCLO Radio Corp., acquiring its rights to the station and receiving permission to increase its power to 100 watts. The WCLO Radio Corp. operated the station in Kenosha for a year.

On Feb. 25, 1930, an agreement was reached transferring WCLO's license and equipment to Harry H. BLISS of Janesville. Studios were then constructed on the third floor of The Gazette building, a staff assembled and finally the Aug. 1 broadcast kickoff.

For the first 11 years of its life here, it operated as a daytime station, signing on at local sunrise and signing off at sunset. In 1947, WCLO-FM went on the air as Wisconsin's first network FM station. That later became WJVL-FM. WJVL's call letters (if you didn't already figure it out), stand for Janesville. WJVL's tower is located on N. Roherty Road between Janesville & Evansville, WI.

After some years as "Music of your Life" (A.K.A. Elevator Music), WJVL went country in 1982.WJVL & WCLO are still on the 3rd floor of the Janesville Gazette Building today. Many renovations have taken place since then, and today both stations operate using the latest state of the art broadcast equipment.

WJVL & WCLO are owned and operated by Bliss Communications, Inc.and President & Board Chairman, Sidney "Skip" H. BLISS.

Bliss Communications, Inc. also owns [http://www.wbkvam.com WBKV] & [http://www.wbwifm.com WBWI] in West Bend, WI; [http://www.wrjn.com WRJN] & [http://www.literock921.com/ WEZY] in Racine, WI; as well as numerous newspapers in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan including the Janesville Gazette.

Technical info

Licensed Class B1 FM Station. Effective Radiated Power - 11,000 Watts. Height above Avg. Terrain - 153 meters (502 feet). Height above Ground Level - 157 meters (515 feet). Height above Sea Level - 427 meters (1402 feet). Antenna Pattern - Non-Directional Transmitter Location 42° 43' 47" N, 89° 10' 10" W.

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References