WECL
WECL is an Active Rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Elk Mound, Wisconsin, serving the Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls area. WECL is owned and operated by Mid-West Family Broadcasting.[1]
 | |
| City | Elk Mound, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Eau Claire, Wisconsin Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin |
| Frequency | 92.9 FM MHz |
| Branding | "92-9 The X" |
| Slogan | "Eau Claire's Real Rock" |
| Programming | |
| Format | Active Rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Mid-West Family Broadcasting (Mid-West Management, Inc.) |
| Sister stations | WAXX, WAYY, WDRK, WEAQ, WIAL |
| History | |
| First air date | 1991 |
| Call sign meaning | W Eau CLaire |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 64011 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 3,300 watts |
| HAAT | 136 meters (446 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 44°53′04.0″N 91°35′04.0″W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | WECL Webstream |
| Website | WECL Online |
History
The station originally aired an Adult Contemporary format. When it was purchased by Midwest Family Communications that owned WIAL and WEAQ, it switched to an oldies format, becoming "Oldies 92.9" on January 1, 1993. The station also moved from the near the Menards Shopping Center on the northwest side of Eau Claire to Tower Drive on the northeast side. The station slogan was later changed to "Cool 92.9"
WECL, WIAL and WEAQ were sold to Central Communications (consisting of WAXX and WAYY) in 1996, and moved into the Central studios in Altoona, Wisconsin. The five stations, plus new sister station WDRK, were sold to Maverick Media, LLC in 2003.
WECL switched to a classic rock format on March 1, 2004. The station adopted the moniker "92.9 The Big Cheese - The Station That Rocks" in September 2005, and a new mouse logo shortly thereafter. In September 2012, the moniker was revised to "92.9 The Big Cheese Rocks" and a new logo was unveiled on November 30 of that year.
WECL and its Eau Claire sister stations were sold to Mid-West Family Broadcasting for $15.5 million, taking effect on October 1, 2013.
Two days after the sale closed, on October 3, 2013, at 11:58 p.m., after playing Again by Alice in Chains, WECL began stunting with nonstop Metallica songs, beginning with Fade to Black.[2][3] Three days later, on October 7, at 12:00 a.m., after playing The Unforgiven II, WECL switched to an Active Rock format as "92-9 The X".[3] The first song played on "The X" was American Idiot by Green Day.[3]
References
- "WECL Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- "On Air Playlist From Thu Oct 3". TuneGenie/MusicToGo. October 3, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
- Venta, Lance (October 4, 2013). "The Big Cheese Stunting In Eau Claire". RadioBB Networks. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
External links
- 92-9 The X Online
- WECL in the FCC's FM station database
- WECL on Radio-Locator
- WECL in Nielsen Audio's FM station database