WFRL
WFRL (1570 AM; "The Giant") is a radio station licensed to Freeport, Illinois. WFRL airs a classic country format and is owned by Big Radio. Its studios and transmitter are at 834 North Tower Road, northeast of Freeport.
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City | Freeport, Illinois |
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Broadcast area | Stephenson County, Illinois |
Frequency | 1570 kHz |
Branding | AM 1570 The Giant |
Slogan | Genuine Country |
Programming | |
Format | Classic country |
Affiliations | Westwood One News |
Ownership | |
Owner | Big Radio |
Sister stations | WFPS, WEKZ (AM), WBGR-FM, WQLF, WGEZ, WBEL (AM), WWHG |
History | |
First air date | October 28, 1947[1] |
Call sign meaning | "What Freeport Really Likes"[2] |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 63135 |
Class | B |
Power | 5,000 watts day 500 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°18′45″N 89°35′38″W |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen live |
Website | www |
The station features local and Westwood One news, plus farm and local high school sports programming. WFRL operates 24 hours a day, but at one time was licensed as a daytime only station.
History
WFRL began broadcasting October 28, 1947, on 1570 kHz, running 1,000 during daytime hours only.[1][3] The station was licensed to Freeport Broadcasting Company, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Vincent S. Barker.[1][3][4] Barker built the station's transmitter in his basement during World War II.[4]
In 1959, the station was sold to Triad Television Corp for $275,000.[3][4][5] In 1964, the station's power was increased to 5,000 watts.[3] On April 11, 1965, its sister station, WFRL-FM, began broadcasting on 98.5.[4] WFRL-FM is now WXXQ.[4]
The station aired a country music format until June 1977 and flipped to a top 40 format with the change of ownership.[6] In 1977, the station was sold to Bradford-Ross Associates, along with WFRL-FM, for $475,000.[3][7] In 1980, the station was sold to Illinois Broadcasting, along with WXXQ, for $975,000.[3][8] In 1980, the station had adopted a country music format.[9] In 1983, the station was sold to a partnership of C.R. Griggs, James D. McQuality and Larry S. Ward.[10] In 1985, the station was sold to Freeport Radio Associates, along with WXXQ, for $1 million.[11]
By 1989, the station had adopted an adult contemporary format, and the station had begun nighttime operations, running 500 watts.[12] In 1991, the station was sold to Stateline Broadcasting, along with WXXQ, for $900,000.[13] In 1993, the station added talk programming.[14] In 1995, the station was sold to Connoisseur Communications, along with WXXQ, for $2.3 million.[15] By 1996, talk programming had replaced all music on the station.[16] In 1996, the station was sold to Eveningstar Media Group for $245,000.[17] The station temporarily simulcast 1440 WROK while the sale was pending.[16][18]
In 1998, the station adopted an adult standards format.[19] In 2005, the station was sold to Maverick Media.[20] In 2006, the station was sold to Green County Broadcasting, along with 92.1 WFPS, for $1,475,000.[21] In 2010, the station was an affiliate of the short lived "Hit Parade Radio" oldies network, which featured DJs Larry Lujack and Wink Martindale.[22][23] After the network's shutdown, WFRL retained the oldies format with local personalities.[22] In 2017, WFRL switched to a classic country format.
References
- "WFRL in Freeport Begins Operations on 1570 kc" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 10, 1947. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "WFRL Founder V. S. Barker Dies Thursday", Freeport Journal-Standard. July 25, 1975. p. 10.
- History Cards for WFRL, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 493-494.
- "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. August 10, 1959. p. 93. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1978, Broadcasting. 1978. p. C-65. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. February 7, 1977. p. 76. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. November 24, 1980. p. 60. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983, Broadcasting/Cablecasting. 1983. p. B-73. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Ownership changes", Broadcasting. November 7, 1983. p. 83. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. February 18, 1985. p. 79-80. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1989, Broadcasting & Cable. 1989. p. B-92. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Transactions", Radio & Records. September 6, 1991. p. 9. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- "Format Changes", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 10, No. 21. May 26, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Transactions", Radio & Records. August 25, 1995. p. 6. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Format Changes", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 13, No. 21. May 22, 1996. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Transactions", Radio & Records. May 24, 1996. p. 8. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Format Changes", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 13, No. 40. October 2, 1996. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 43. October 28, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Deal of the Week", Radio & Records. March 11, 2005. p. 9. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- Asset Sale Agreement, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Broadcasting News-June 2010", Upper Midwest Broadcasting. June 7, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- "Hit Parade Radio's Parade Is Over", Chicagoland Radio and Media. June 4, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
External links
- WFRL in the FCC's AM station database
- WFRL on Radio-Locator
- WFRL in Nielsen Audio's AM station database