View source for WIRL

{{Distinguish|text=[[West Indies Records Limited]], a former record label based in Jamaica and Barbados}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name             = WIRL
| logo             =
| logo_size        =
| city             = [[Peoria, Illinois]]
| area             = [[Peoria, Illinois]]
| branding         = ''Freedom 95.9 & AM 1290''
| frequency        = 1290 [[kHz]] [[C-QUAM]] [[AM stereo]]
| translators      = {{Radio Relay|95.9|W240DM|Peoria, via [[WPBG|WPBG-HD3]]}}
| repeaters        = {{Radio Relay|93.3|WPBG-HD3|Peoria}}
| airdate          = {{start date|1948|8|18}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thebig1290.com/ |title=1290 WIRL Airchecks, Jingles and Photos |date=2008-01-14 |access-date=2008-09-10 |work=thebig1290.com }}</ref>
| format           = [[Talk radio|Conservative talk]]
| power            = 5,000 [[watt]]s
| class            = B
| facility_id      = 13040
| coordinates      = {{coord|40|37|24.00|N|89|35|27.00|W|region:US-IL_type:landmark}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WIRL (1948&ndash;2000)|WWFS (2000&ndash;2005)}}
| affiliations     = {{ubl|[[Fox News Radio]]|[[Compass Media Networks]]|[[Premiere Networks]]|[[Westwood One]]}}
| owner            = Duke Wright
| licensee         = [[Midwest Communications, Inc.]]
| sister_stations  = [[WSWT]] (traditional); [[WMBD (AM)]], [[WPBG]], [[WKZF]], [[WXCL]]
| webcast          = [https://freedom959.net/player/?playerID=2049 Listen Live]
| website          = {{URL|https://freedom959.net}}
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}
'''WIRL''' (1290 [[AM broadcasting|AM]]) is a [[radio station]]  broadcasting a [[talk radio|conservative talk]] format. Licensed to [[Peoria, Illinois]], United States, the station serves the Peoria area and broadcasts in [[AM stereo]].  The station is currently owned by [[Midwest Communications, Inc.]]
WIRL can also be heard in [[HD Radio|HD]] on sister station [[WPBG]]-HD3.  WIRL itself is not licensed to broadcast in HD.<ref>http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=13040 WIRL licensing page</ref>
==History==
WIRL began broadcasting February 18, 1948, on 1290&nbsp;kHz with 5,000 watts of power (full-time). It was licensed to Illinois Valley Broadcasting Company with studios in the Jefferson Building in Peoria.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jones Heads WIRL's Executive Personnel|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1948/1948-03-08-BC.pdf|access-date=9 November 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=March 8, 1948}}</ref>
WIRL was most famous as a successful [[Top 40]] radio station from 1960 until approximately 1984. During its tenure, its only competition was daytime-only [[WPEO]] 1020 AM.  Popular disc jockeys were Robyn Weaver, Lee Ranson, Jerry Barr, Jim French, Timmy "Old Weird" West, Bill McCluggage, Lee Malcolm, Wayne R. Miller, Howard Taylor, Pete Stewart, VLJ, Charlie O'Day, John Sebastian Bachman, Ann Holub, Dave Phillips, Steve Young, Scott Robbins, Ron Thorn, with Mark Wainwright and many more.  For many years WIRL broadcast [[Bradley Braves]] basketball games not aired on [[WMBD (AM)]].
In the late 1970s, FM station WKZW 93.3 a.k.a. KZ93 (now [[WPBG]]) began programming a Top 40 format and siphoned away many listeners from WIRL until 1984, when they began to evolve into a full service personality and adult contemporary station.  Personalities included Lee Malcolm, Gene Konrad, Kurt Schaeffer, Denise Henley, Steve Larson, Marc Truelove, Steve Young and Darryl Parks. The [[adult contemporary]] format lasted until the early 1990s; the station also programmed oldies, standards, and sports talk.
In November 2000, the station changed to all-sports "Fox Sports 1290" with the callsign WWFS.  The station returned to the WIRL call sign when it adopted a [[classic country]] format in March 2005.
On March 15, 2013, WIRL changed their format to oldies, branded as "Good Time Oldies" and began simulcasting on FM translator W274BM 102.7 FM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yourmidwestmedia.net/mainsite/formatchanges.html|title=Format Changes|publisher=Your Midwest Media|access-date=2013-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317011411/http://www.yourmidwestmedia.net/mainsite/formatchanges.html|archive-date=2013-03-17|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/81213/wirl-peoria-adds-translator-flips-to-oldies/|title = WIRL Peoria Adds Translator; Flips to Oldies}}</ref>
On February 4, 2019, Alpha Media announced that it would sell its Peoria cluster to [[Midwest Communications]] for $21.6 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Midwest Communications Acquires Alpha Media's Peoria Stations |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174257/midwest-communications-acquires-alpha-medias-peoria-stations/ |website=RadioInsight |date=6 February 2019}}</ref> The sale closed on April 30, 2019.
On February 28, 2022, WIRL switched to a conservative talk radio format, branded as "Freedom 95.9" (simulcasting 95.9 W240DM Peoria and WPBG-HD3). The oldies format is still available on 102.7 W274BM and WPBG-HD2.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220645/wirl-moves-from-superhits-to-freedom/ WIRL Moves From Superhits To Freedom] Radioinsight - February 28, 2022</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{AM station data|13040|WIRL}}
*[http://www.thebig1290.com The Big 1290] &mdash; tribute site with pictures and soundclip archives
*[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=60939&.pdf FCC History Cards for WIRL]
{{Peoria Radio}}
{{Midwest Communications}}
{{AM Stereo radio stations in the United States}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1948]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Peoria, Illinois|IRL]]
[[Category:Midwest Communications radio stations]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Talk radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Conservative talk radio]]