WWCT
Encyclopedia
WWCT is an FM broadcasting
station licensed for Bartonville, Illinois
. Through most of its history, the WWCT callsign was associated with Peoria's 105.7 frequency allocation; the call sign and related format was moved to 96.5 (Farmington
) in 2003, then 99.9 (Bartonville) in 2006. On September 26, 2010 the station flipped to an adult album alternative
format after several weeks of stunting. The original 99.9 callsign WIXO, and its music format, had moved to 105.7 in 1996.
, Illinois frequency.
"Mix 105.7" on the more powerful signal. In January 2006, WWCT switched to an all-request Rock format playing, which it maintained until it was shut down on September 20, 2006 after being sold to Independence Media. Independence Media put a new program feed, named "98.5 Kiss FM", on 96.5 (changed to WRIA) and also on 98.5 (WPIA
), which had been Christian music station Hope 98.5. 96.5 is now WZPN
, a sports station.
On or around Sunday, April 8, 2007, the Pirate Radio moniker was dropped in favor of CT 99-dot-9. The slogan was changed to "World Class Rock" and the size of the playlist increased greatly, cutting a wide swath across many different genres and eras of music. On April 11, 2008, the station temporarily dropped the adult album alternative
format it had been running with the slogan "World Class Rock" and began stunting
; it then returned on April 15 with the same AAA format and the new name 99.9 The Stage.
On September 15, 2008, after 3 days of stunting
, the station became alternative rock
station 99.9 The Buzz, and began carrying the Lex and Terry
morning show from KEGL in Dallas. The station was commercial-free from 10 a.m. to Noon.
The station was turned over to Michael S. Rea through Advanced Media Partners on August 1, 2010, in anticipation of the station being purchased; since then, the station has run a format of mixed popular music. The sale of WPIA, along with its other 3 Peoria-area stations (96.5 WZPN
Farmington, 98.5 WPIA
Eureka, and 101.1 WHPI
Glasford), was completed on November 15, 2010.
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
station licensed for Bartonville, Illinois
Bartonville, Illinois
Bartonville is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,310 at the 2000 census. Bartonville is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. Through most of its history, the WWCT callsign was associated with Peoria's 105.7 frequency allocation; the call sign and related format was moved to 96.5 (Farmington
Farmington, Illinois
Farmington is a city in the northeast corner of Fulton County, Illinois, United States. It is north of Canton and Lewistown, west of Peoria and Bloomington, and east of Galesburg and Macomb. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. The public school system is Farmington Central Community Unit...
) in 2003, then 99.9 (Bartonville) in 2006. On September 26, 2010 the station flipped to an adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
format after several weeks of stunting. The original 99.9 callsign WIXO, and its music format, had moved to 105.7 in 1996.
105.7
The original 105.7 was operating as WWTO in the early 1970s. In 1976, the station changed its callsign to WWCT and made its debut as an album rock station. Calling itself simply "106" or "WWCT" early on, by the 1990s it was using the nickname "Rock 106". Owned locally until the 1990s, the station was then sold to AAA Entertainment. AAA gave the station the new nickname "Rock 105.7", then "Rock 96.5" when it moved the format to the FarmingtonFarmington, Illinois
Farmington is a city in the northeast corner of Fulton County, Illinois, United States. It is north of Canton and Lewistown, west of Peoria and Bloomington, and east of Galesburg and Macomb. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. The public school system is Farmington Central Community Unit...
, Illinois frequency.
96.5
WWCT was moved to 96.5 in 2003 by AAA to make room for its new WXMPWXMP
WIXO is a radio station in Peoria, Illinois. It is owned by Townsquare Media, which also owns several other radio stations in the market...
"Mix 105.7" on the more powerful signal. In January 2006, WWCT switched to an all-request Rock format playing, which it maintained until it was shut down on September 20, 2006 after being sold to Independence Media. Independence Media put a new program feed, named "98.5 Kiss FM", on 96.5 (changed to WRIA) and also on 98.5 (WPIA
WPIA
WPIA is a radio station licensed to Eureka, Illinois, between Peoria and Bloomington, Illinois. The station is owned and operated by Advanced Media Partners, LLC.-History:...
), which had been Christian music station Hope 98.5. 96.5 is now WZPN
WZPN
WZPN is a sports talk FM broadcasting station licensed for Farmington, Illinois near Peoria, Illinois.-History:The radio station originally went on the air as WJPL with a rock format, then changed to Smooth Jazz 96.5 through the rest of the 90's...
, a sports station.
99.9
Independence Media, who had also bought the license for 99.9, replaced its 10-day-old callsign WRXP with the better-known callsign WWCT on 2006-09-29, but kept the new nickname 99.9 Pirate Radio.On or around Sunday, April 8, 2007, the Pirate Radio moniker was dropped in favor of CT 99-dot-9. The slogan was changed to "World Class Rock" and the size of the playlist increased greatly, cutting a wide swath across many different genres and eras of music. On April 11, 2008, the station temporarily dropped the adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
format it had been running with the slogan "World Class Rock" and began stunting
Stunting (broadcasting)
In radio broadcasting, stunting occurs when a station abruptly airs programming that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what they normally play...
; it then returned on April 15 with the same AAA format and the new name 99.9 The Stage.
On September 15, 2008, after 3 days of stunting
Stunting (broadcasting)
In radio broadcasting, stunting occurs when a station abruptly airs programming that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what they normally play...
, the station became alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
station 99.9 The Buzz, and began carrying the Lex and Terry
Lex and Terry
Lex and Terry is a syndicated morning radio hosted by Lex Staley and Terry Jaymes. Currently based in Dallas, Texas, the show is distributed by United Stations Radio Networks. It is heard during weekday mornings on 30 radio stations in the U.S. and on XM 165....
morning show from KEGL in Dallas. The station was commercial-free from 10 a.m. to Noon.
The station was turned over to Michael S. Rea through Advanced Media Partners on August 1, 2010, in anticipation of the station being purchased; since then, the station has run a format of mixed popular music. The sale of WPIA, along with its other 3 Peoria-area stations (96.5 WZPN
WZPN
WZPN is a sports talk FM broadcasting station licensed for Farmington, Illinois near Peoria, Illinois.-History:The radio station originally went on the air as WJPL with a rock format, then changed to Smooth Jazz 96.5 through the rest of the 90's...
Farmington, 98.5 WPIA
WPIA
WPIA is a radio station licensed to Eureka, Illinois, between Peoria and Bloomington, Illinois. The station is owned and operated by Advanced Media Partners, LLC.-History:...
Eureka, and 101.1 WHPI
WHPI
WHPI is a radio station for Glasford, Illinois in the Peoria, Illinois radio market. On September 26, 2010 the station began using the adult hits format Jack FM.-History:...
Glasford), was completed on November 15, 2010.