WCFL (FM)

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For WCFL-FM which was owned and operated from 1948 to 1950 by the Chicago Federation of Labor, see WCFL (AM).
WCFL
Simulcasts WBGL, Champaign
WBGL station logo.png
CityMorris, Illinois
Broadcast areaSouth and West Suburban Chicago
LaSalle, Illinois
Pontiac, Illinois
Kankakee, Illinois
Frequency104.7 MHz
Programming
FormatChristian AC
AffiliationsNorthwestern Media
Ownership
OwnerUniversity of Northwestern – St. Paul
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
Licensing authority
FCC
ClassB
ERP50,000 watts
HAAT137 meters (449 ft)
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
WebcastListen Live
Websitewbgl.org

WCFL 104.7 FM is a Christian radio station licensed to Morris, Illinois and owned by the University of Northwestern – St. Paul. WCFL airs a Contemporary Christian music format, relaying the programming of 91.7 WBGL in Champaign, Illinois.

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[]

  1. ^ a b c d e History Cards for WCFL, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  2. ^ The History of WCSJ FM 103.1 WCSJ-FM. Accessed September 1, 2012
  3. ^ a b Call Sign History FCC.gov. Accessed September 1, 2012
  4. ^ Vernon, Tom (June 8, 2017). "WCFL Asks FCC to Shut Down Chicago Translator". Radio World. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  5. ^ 1972 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1972. p. B-65. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  6. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977, Broadcasting, 1977. p. C-65. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  7. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1979, Broadcasting, 1979. p. C-68. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  8. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1983. p. B-76. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  9. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook '89, Broadcasting & Cable, 1989. p. B-95. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d Feder, Robert. "Radio's new WCFL will return to oldies". Chicago Sun Times. April 16, 1990
  11. ^ Steele, Jeffrey. "'CFL Still The Rebel The 2nd Time Around", Chicago Tribune, May 30, 1993. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  12. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 11 No. 1. January 5, 1994. p. 2. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  13. ^ Application Search Details fcc.gov. June 16, 1993. Accessed September 1, 2012
  14. ^ "Proposed Station Transfers", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 10 No. 43. October 26, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  15. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 11 No. 6. February 9, 1994. p. 1. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  16. ^ "About WCFL". WCFL. Archived from the original on August 6, 2002. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  17. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 11 No. 20. May 18, 1994. p. 1. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  18. ^ "About WCFL". WBGL. Archived from the original on March 1, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  19. ^ "Northwestern Media Acquires WBGL/WCIC In Illinois", Radio Insight. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  20. ^ "U. of Northwestern Buys 13 Stations From Illinois Bible Institute", HisAir.net. August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  21. ^ "Northwestern Media Moves to Buy New Life Media", All Access Music Group. August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  22. ^ "U. of Northwestern Buys 13 Stations From Illinois Bible Institute", Inside Radio. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.

External links[]

Coordinates: 41°21′17″N 88°29′55″W / 41.3547541°N 88.4986806°W / 41.3547541; -88.4986806

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