WWNL
Encyclopedia
WWNL is a Christian
radio station
based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. The station, which is owned by Steel City Radio, Inc., broadcasts at 1080 kHz with a power of 50,000 watts daytime (25,000 watts during critical hours
).
audience in the 1950s; in 1957 it became WEEP, a top 40 station, before switching to the call letters WYRE in 1961 (and then back to WEEP). Unable to compete with KQV in the format, WEEP changed to country music, in which it enjoyed its greatest success, and for which it is best remembered. The station format complemented its then (WDSY) FM sister station in the 1970s, which was originally WEEP-FM.
Throughout the 1980s, WEEP continued to simulcast WDSY part of the day until the early 1990s, when it adopted a failed all-business news and talk format before its call letters were changed to WDSY-AM and the station was a full simulcast of its FM sister. That didn't last long, as a management change resulted in a complete separation of programming between the two stations, with WEEP affiliating with ABC/SMN's "Real Country" format delivered via satellite.
By the 1990s AM 1080 had switched to a news/talk format before being sold and flipping formats to gospel music
as WPGR. In 1999 the format moved to 1510
, and 1080 changed to WWNL and a Christian format. Starting out as a music-based station, WWNL has added more talk and paid programming in recent years. WEEP is now assigned to a defunct radio station in Virginia, Minnesota
.
The WYRE callsign was assigned to a very small 250 watt AM station on 810 kHz in Annnapolis, MD. In the 60s it broadcast a Top 40 format. Today it is a Spanish language station.
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. The station, which is owned by Steel City Radio, Inc., broadcasts at 1080 kHz with a power of 50,000 watts daytime (25,000 watts during critical hours
Critical hours
Critical Hours is that time from sunrise to two hours after sunrise, and from two hours before sunset until sunset, local time. During that time, certain American radio stations may be operating with reduced power as a result of Section 73.187 of the Federal Communications Commission's...
).
History
WWNL was originally WILY, a station which primarily served an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
audience in the 1950s; in 1957 it became WEEP, a top 40 station, before switching to the call letters WYRE in 1961 (and then back to WEEP). Unable to compete with KQV in the format, WEEP changed to country music, in which it enjoyed its greatest success, and for which it is best remembered. The station format complemented its then (WDSY) FM sister station in the 1970s, which was originally WEEP-FM.
Throughout the 1980s, WEEP continued to simulcast WDSY part of the day until the early 1990s, when it adopted a failed all-business news and talk format before its call letters were changed to WDSY-AM and the station was a full simulcast of its FM sister. That didn't last long, as a management change resulted in a complete separation of programming between the two stations, with WEEP affiliating with ABC/SMN's "Real Country" format delivered via satellite.
By the 1990s AM 1080 had switched to a news/talk format before being sold and flipping formats to gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
as WPGR. In 1999 the format moved to 1510
WPGR (AM)
WPGR is a radio station serving the Pittsburgh area. The station, which is owned by St. Joseph Ministries, broadcasts at 1510 kHz, with a transmitter power of 5,000 watts daytime, 2,500 watts critical hours, and only 1 watt at nighttime. The city of license is Monroeville, Pennsylvania...
, and 1080 changed to WWNL and a Christian format. Starting out as a music-based station, WWNL has added more talk and paid programming in recent years. WEEP is now assigned to a defunct radio station in Virginia, Minnesota
Virginia, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,157 people, 4,333 households, and 2,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 486.1 people per square mile . There were 4,692 housing units at an average density of 249.1 per square mile...
.
The WYRE callsign was assigned to a very small 250 watt AM station on 810 kHz in Annnapolis, MD. In the 60s it broadcast a Top 40 format. Today it is a Spanish language station.