WCFL (FM)
WCFL 104.7 FM is a Christian radio station licensed to Morris, Illinois and owned by the University of Northwestern - Saint Paul. WCFL airs a Contemporary Christian music format, relaying the programming of 91.7 WBGL in Champaign, Illinois.
City | Morris, Illinois |
---|---|
Broadcast area | South and West Suburban Chicago LaSalle, Illinois Pontiac, Illinois Kankakee, Illinois |
Frequency | 104.7 MHz |
Slogan | Faith, Hope, Family |
Programming | |
Format | Christian AC |
Affiliations | Northwestern Media |
Ownership | |
Owner | University of Northwestern - Saint Paul |
Sister stations | WBGL, WCIC, WIBI |
History | |
First air date | 1962[1] |
Former call signs | WRMI-FM 1962-1977[1] WCSJ-FM 1977[1]-1988 WUEZ-FM 1988-1990[2][3] |
Technical information | |
Class | B |
ERP | 50,000 watts |
HAAT | 137 meters (449 ft) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | wbgl.org |
In a complaint filed with the Federal Communications Commission in 2017, WCFL claims that its signal has been subjected to co-channel interference from translator W284DA, which relays WRDZ. The translator is operated by Polnet Communications Ltd. of Chicago.[4]
History
WCFL 104.7 originally held the call letters WRMI-FM, and was first licensed May 24, 1962.[1] In the 1970s, WRMI-FM aired a MOR format.[5][6] In 1977 the station's call sign was changed to WCSJ-FM.[1] WCSJ-FM initially simulcast the MOR format of WCSJ 1550.[7] By 1983, the station was airing a country music format, separate from its AM sister station.[8] In 1988 the station changed its call letters to WUEZ-FM.[3] As WUEZ-FM, the station aired an easy listening format.[9][10] In 1990 the station changed is callsign to WCFL and adopted an Oldies format with the branding "Super CFL" using slogans and jingles which harkened back to WCFL AM 1000.[10] The original WCFL-FM air staff included Gary Rivers, Bob Zak, Tom Kapsalis, Don Beno, and Jeff Andrews.[10] WCFL played rock hits from 1965 to 1979, with the goal of capturing the sound of the original WCFL.[10][11] The oldies format lasted until January 1994, when the station began simulcasting the soft AC programming of WCSJ 1550.[12]
In late 1993, the station was sold to the Illinois District Council of the Assemblies of God.[13][14] In February 1994, the station went silent while the sale was being finalized.[15] WCFL adopted its present Contemporary Christian music format in May 1994.[16][17] By 2003, the station was simulcasting WBGL full-time.[18]
In August 2019 the Illinois Bible Institute reached an agreement to sell the entire WBGL/WCIC New Life Media Network (including WCFL) to the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, which owns and operates a network of contemporary Christian stations and a network of Christian talk and teaching stations, for $9,901,558.34.[19][20][21][22]
References
- History Cards for WCFL, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- The History of WCSJ FM 103.1 WCSJ-FM. Accessed September 1, 2012
- Call Sign History FCC.gov. Accessed September 1, 2012
- Vernon, Tom (June 8, 2017). "WCFL Asks FCC to Shut Down Chicago Translator". Radio World. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- 1972 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1972. p. B-65. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1977, Broadcasting, 1977. p. C-65. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1979, Broadcasting, 1979. p. C-68. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1983. p. B-76. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook '89, Broadcasting & Cable, 1989. p. B-95. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- Feder, Robert. "Radio's new WCFL will return to oldies". Chicago Sun Times. April 16, 1990
- Steele, Jeffrey. "'CFL Still The Rebel The 2nd Time Around", Chicago Tribune, May 30, 1993. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 11 No. 1. January 5, 1994. p. 2. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- Application Search Details fcc.gov. June 16, 1993. Accessed September 1, 2012
- "Proposed Station Transfers", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 10 No. 43. October 26, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 11 No. 6. February 9, 1994. p. 1. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- "About WCFL". WCFL. Archived from the original on August 6, 2002. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 11 No. 20. May 18, 1994. p. 1. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- "About WCFL". WBGL. Archived from the original on March 1, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- "Northwestern Media Acquires WBGL/WCIC In Illinois", Radio Insight. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "U. of Northwestern Buys 13 Stations From Illinois Bible Institute", HisAir.net. August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "Northwestern Media Moves to Buy New Life Media", All Access Music Group. August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- "U. of Northwestern Buys 13 Stations From Illinois Bible Institute", Inside Radio. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
External links
- 91.7 WBGL - official website
- New Life Media network - sister station info
- WCFL in the FCC's FM station database
- WCFL on Radio-Locator
- WCFL in Nielsen Audio's FM station database