WFPS: Difference between revisions

WFPS
Freeport, Illinois; United States;
Broadcast area	Northwest Illinois
Frequency	92.1 MHz
Branding	Kickin' Country K92
Programming
Format	Contemporary country
Ownership
Owner	Big Radio
Sister stations	WBGR-FM, WEKZ, WFRL, WQLF
History
First air date	November 1, 1970
Former call signs	WACI (1970–1982); WFPS-FM (1982–2002);
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	22647
Class	A
ERP	3,600 watts
HAAT	129 meters (423 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	42°19′41″N 89°43′30″W / 42.32806°N 89.72500°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live
Website	www.bigradio.fm

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WFPS is an FM radio station in Freeport, Illinois, operating on an assigned frequency of 92.1 megahertz as authorized by the Federal Communications Commission. It shares studios with sister WFRL at 834 North Tower Road, northeast of Freeport. Their transmitter site is west of town, on Highway 20.

History

WFPS signed on the air on November 1, 1970, under the call letters of WACI with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. The station was started by Ruth and F.X. Mahoney. The studios were in a double wide trailer custom designed for a radio station located on highway 20, five miles west of Freeport. Its format was easy listening music. The staff consisted of Ruth Mahoney, Dick Carroll, Al Newman, Lee Newman, Lee Jackson, Mike Dierdorf, Barb Cremer, John Shepler, Jim Runkle, Helen Hawkins, Bob Spencer, John Byers and Sherwin Williams (not the paint guy).

In the summer of 1972 WACI was sold to Bob Barry and Bill James from Milwaukee. When the sale of the station was approved the format changed to a top 40 format. The station sounded very much like Milwaukee radio station WOKY; Bob Barry was that station's morning DJ. Among the DJ's were Joe Benson, Scott Bell, Jay Allan Reese, John Q, Mike Raub, Chris O'Brien and others.

Joe Benson went on to bigger and better jobs as a DJ after leaving WACI in the summer of 1974. He worked at several stations in the Milwaukee market and eventually ended up in Los Angeles and was formerly the mid-day DJ on 100.3 The Sound KSWD and is the host of the national syndicated show "Off The Record".

When Bill James died in 1973 the station was sold to P.J. Broderick with another silent partner. The station continued with its Top 40 format until the station was sold to Dick Weis in December 1981. Dick Weis did not like the connotation "WACKY" so the call letters were changed to WFPS and the format changed to an adult contemporary format in the fall of 1982. WFPS changed its format to oldies in May 1987. Milwaukee radio legend Pat Shanahan worked at the station in the 1980s. Dick Weis owned the station until he became the mayor of Freeport, Illinois.

In the spring of 1989 the station was again sold to a group of four investors (Friends Communications). The four investors included Chuck Brooks, a radio sales representative from Chicago; his brother, Mick Brooks, a dentist from Youngstown, Ohio, Bob Elliot, a radio consultant from Atlanta, and Robert Guererro, a real estate developer from New Jersey. Despite having no previous experience in the radio industry, Mick Brooks served as the station's general manager. The format switched back to adult contemporary with the change of ownership. The move backfired as Brooks struggled with staffing issues and financial problems and alienated many of the locals.

On November 1, 1995, the 25th anniversary of the station, WFPS was again sold to Chuck Mills, an investor from Wisconsin. He held on to the station for six months before an offer was presented to him which he could not turn down. The station was again sold in the summer of 1996 to Mike Weckerly. Shortly after Weckerly purchased WFPS, he moved the station out of the trailer it had been broadcasting from for 26 years into a real building that also housed WFRL on Tower Road east of Freeport. It was in August 1996 when WFPS got its first taste of digital automation using Scott Studios.

Mike sold the stations in May 1998 to Radio Works, a corporate group from Rockford, Illinois. The station switched from its adult contemporary format to "Country Legends" in May 2001. In 2005 Radio Works sold its stations in Rockford and Freeport to Maverick Media.

On June 1, 2006, the FCC approved the sale of WFPS and WFRL from Maverick Media to Green County Broadcasting, owner of WQLF in Lena, Illinois, and WEKZ AM–FM in Monroe, Wisconsin. The current format of WFPS is new country.

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WFPS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

External links

Official website
Facility details for Facility ID 22647 (WFPS) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
WFPS in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

[1] "Facility Technical Data for WFPS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{about|a radio station in Illinois, United States|the singular of WFPs|WFP (disambiguation)|other uses}}
-{{Wikify|date=June 2008}}
+{{Infobox radio station
-{{Unreferenced|date=June 2008}}
+| name             = WFPS
+| logo             = WFPS921.png
+| city             = [[Freeport, Illinois]]
+| country          = US
+| area             = Northwest Illinois
+| branding         = Kickin' Country K92
+| airdate          = {{start date|1970|11|1}}
+| frequency        = 92.1 [[megahertz|MHz]]
+| format           = [[Country music|Contemporary country]]
+| erp              = 3,600 [[watt]]s
+| haat             = {{convert|129|m|ft|sp=us}}
+| class            = A
+| facility_id      = 22647
+| coordinates      = {{coord|42|19|41|N|89|43|30|W|region:US-IL_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
+| callsign_meaning =
+| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WACI (1970–1982)|WFPS-FM (1982–2002)}}
+| owner            = Big Radio
+| licensee         =
+| sister_stations  = [[WBGR-FM]], [[WEKZ (AM)|WEKZ]], [[WFRL]], [[WQLF]]
+| webcast          = {{listenlive|http://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WFPSFM}}
+| website          = {{URL|http://www.bigradio.fm}}
+| affiliations     =
+| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
+}}
-'''WFPS''' is a FM [[radio station]] in [[Freeport, Illinois]], operating on an assigned frequency of 92.1 mega-hertz as authorized by the [[Federal Communications Commission]].
+'''WFPS''' is an FM [[radio station]] in [[Freeport, Illinois]], operating on an assigned frequency of 92.1 megahertz as authorized by the [[Federal Communications Commission]]. It shares studios with sister [[WFRL]] at 834 North Tower Road, northeast of Freeport. Their transmitter site is west of town, on [[U.S. Route 20 in Illinois|Highway 20]].
+==History==
-WFPS signed on the air on November 1, 1970 under the caller letters of WACI with an ERP of 3,000 watts.   The station was started by Ruth and F.X. Mahoney.  The studios were in a double wide trailer custom designed for a radio station located on highway 20, 5 miles west of Freeport, IL.  Its format was easy listening music.  The staff consisted of Ruth Mahoney, Dick Carroll, Al Newman, Lee Newman, Lee Jackson, Mike Dierdorf, Barb Cremer, John Shepler, Jim Runkle, Helen Hawkins, Bob Spencer, John Byers and Sherwin Williams (not the paint guy).
+WFPS signed on the air on November 1, 1970, under the call letters of WACI with an [[effective radiated power]] of 3,000 watts.   The station was started by Ruth and F.X. Mahoney.  The studios were in a double wide trailer custom designed for a radio station located on highway 20, five miles west of Freeport.  Its format was [[easy listening]] music.  The staff consisted of Ruth Mahoney, Dick Carroll, Al Newman, Lee Newman, Lee Jackson, Mike Dierdorf, Barb Cremer, John Shepler, Jim Runkle, Helen Hawkins, Bob Spencer, John Byers and Sherwin Williams (not the paint guy).
-In the summer of 1972 WACI was sold to Bob Barry and Bill James from Milwaukee.  Bob was the morning DJ on WOKY.  When the sale of the station was approved the format changed to a top 40 format.  The station sounded very much like WOKY.  Among the DJ's were Joe Benson, Scott Bell, Jay Allan Reese, John Q, Mike Raub, Chris O'Brian and others.
+In the summer of 1972 WACI was sold to Bob Barry and Bill James from [[Milwaukee]]. When the sale of the station was approved the format changed to a [[top 40]] format.  The station sounded very much like Milwaukee radio station [[WOKY]]; Bob Barry was that station's morning DJ.  Among the DJ's were Joe Benson, Scott Bell, Jay Allan Reese, John Q, Mike Raub, Chris O'Brien and others.
-[[Joe Benson]] went on to bigger and better jobs as a DJ after leaving WACI in the summer of 1974.  He worked at several stations in the [[Milwaukee]], WI market and eventually ended up in [[Los Angeles]] and is currently the afternoon DJ on 95.5 [[KLOS]] and is the host of the national syndicated show "Off The Record".
+[[Joe Benson]] went on to bigger and better jobs as a DJ after leaving WACI in the summer of 1974.  He worked at several stations in the Milwaukee market and eventually ended up in [[Los Angeles]] and was formerly the mid-day DJ on 100.3 The Sound [[KKLQ (FM)|KSWD]] and is the host of the national syndicated show "Off The Record".
-When Bill James died in 1973 the station was sold to P.J. Broderick with another silent partner.  The station continued with its Top 40 format until the station was sold to Dick Weis in December 1981.  Dick Weis did not like the connotation "WACKY" so the caller letters were changed to WFPS and the the format changed to an Adult Contemporary format in the fall of 1982.  WFPS changed its format to an oldies format in May 1987.  Milwaukee radio legend Pat Shanahan worked at the station in the 80's.  Dick Weis owned the station until he became the mayor of Freeport, Illinois.
+When Bill James died in 1973 the station was sold to P.J. Broderick with another silent partner.  The station continued with its Top 40 format until the station was sold to Dick Weis in December 1981.  Dick Weis did not like the connotation "WACKY" so the call letters were changed to WFPS and the format changed to an [[adult contemporary]] format in the fall of 1982.  WFPS changed its format to [[oldies]] in May 1987.  Milwaukee radio legend Pat Shanahan worked at the station in the 1980s.  Dick Weis owned the station until he became the mayor of Freeport, Illinois.
-In the spring of 1989 the station was again sold to a group of 4 investors (Friends Communications) in the spring of 1989.  The format switched back to [[Adult Contemporary]] with the change of ownership.
+In the spring of 1989 the station was again sold to a group of four investors (Friends Communications). The four investors included Chuck Brooks, a radio sales representative from Chicago; his brother, Mick Brooks, a dentist from Youngstown, Ohio, Bob Elliot, a radio consultant from Atlanta, and Robert Guererro, a real estate developer from New Jersey. Despite having no previous experience in the radio industry, Mick Brooks served as the station's general manager.   The format switched back to adult contemporary with the change of ownership. The move backfired as Brooks struggled with staffing issues and financial problems and alienated many of the locals.
-On the 25th anniversary of the station (November 1, 1995) the station was again sold to an investor from Wisconsin.  He held on to the station for 6 months before an offer was presented to him which he could not turn down.  The station was again sold in the summer of 1996 to Mike Weckerly.  Shortly after Mike Weckerly purchased WFPS, he moved the station out of the trailer it had been broadcasting from for 26 years into a real building that also housed WFRL on Tower Road. It was in August of 1996 when WFPS got its first taste of digital automation using Scott Studios.
+On November 1, 1995, the 25th anniversary of the station, WFPS was again sold to Chuck Mills, an investor from Wisconsin.  He held on to the station for six months before an offer was presented to him which he could not turn down.  The station was again sold in the summer of 1996 to Mike Weckerly.  Shortly after Weckerly purchased WFPS, he moved the station out of the trailer it had been broadcasting from for 26 years into a real building that also housed [[WFRL]] on Tower Road east of Freeport. It was in August 1996 when WFPS got its first taste of digital automation using Scott Studios.
-Mike sold the stations in May 1998 to a corporate group from Rockford, IL ([[Radio Works]]).  The station switched from its Adult Contemporary format to [[Country Legends]] in May 2001.  In 2005 Radio Works sold its stations in Rockford and Freeport to [[Maverick Media]].
+Mike sold the stations in May 1998 to Radio Works, a corporate group from [[Rockford, Illinois]].  The station switched from its adult contemporary format to "[[Classic country|Country Legends]]" in May 2001.  In 2005 Radio Works sold its stations in Rockford and Freeport to [[Maverick Media]].
-On June 1, 2006 the FCC approved the sale of WFPS (and WFRL) from Maverick Media to Green County Broadcasting which also owns [[WQLF]] (Lena, IL) and [[WEKZ]] AM & FM (Monroe, WI).  The current format of WFPS is new Country.
+On June 1, 2006, the FCC approved the sale of WFPS and WFRL from Maverick Media to Green County Broadcasting, owner of [[WQLF]] in [[Lena, Illinois]], and [[WEKZ (AM)|WEKZ AM]]–[[WBGR-FM|FM]] in [[Monroe, Wisconsin]].  The current format of WFPS is new country.
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
+==External links==
+*{{Official website|http://www.bigradio.fm}}
+*{{FM station data|22647|WFPS}}
+{{Rockford Radio}}
+{{Country Radio Stations in Illinois}}
 [[Category:Radio stations in Illinois|FPS]]
+[[Category:Country radio stations in the United States]]
+[[Category:Radio stations established in 1970]]
+[[Category:1970 establishments in Illinois]]
+[[Category:Freeport, Illinois]]

v t e Country radio stations in the state of Illinois
By AM frequency	750 910 920 980 1060 1230 1240 1330 1350 1360 1440 1510 1520 1530 1540 1550 1570
By FM frequency	92.1 92.1 92.9 93.7 94.1 94.3 94.3 94.9 95.1 95.3 95.7 95.7 95.9 96.3 96.5 96.9 97.3 97.3 97.5 97.7 98.3 98.3 98.5 99.1 99.3 99.5 99.5 99.9 100.1 100.3 100.3 100.5 100.9 101.3 101.7 101.7 101.9 102.1 102.1 102.3 102.3 102.3 102.3 102.5 102.7 103.7 103.7 104.1 104.5 104.9 105.5 105.9 105.9 106.1 106.5 107.3 107.7 107.9
By callsign	KSGM – Chester WAAG – Galesburg WAKO - Lawrenceville WALS – Oglesby WAUR - Somonauk WBBA-FM – Pittsfield WBWN – Le Roy WCAZ – Macomb WCCI – Savanna WCCQ – Crest Hill WCOY – Quincy WCRC – Effingham WDDD-FM – Johnston City WDUK – Havana WDWS-FM - Arcola WDZQ – Decatur WEBQ – Harrisburg WFMB-FM – Springfield WFPS – Freeport WFRL – Freeport WFYR – Elmwood WGEL – Greenville WGKC – Mahomet WGLC-FM – Mendota WHCO – Sparta WHET – West Frankfort WHPO – Hoopeston WIBH – Anna WIBK - Watseka WIBL – Fairbury WIBV – Mount Vernon WIXY – Champaign WJBC-FM – Pontiac WJDK-FM – Seneca WJRE – Galva WJVO – South Jacksonville WKJT – Teutopolis WLCN – Atlanta WLFZ – Springfield WLIQ – Quincy WLLR-FM – Davenport, Iowa WLUV – Loves Park WLWF – Marseilles WMCI – Mattoon WMCL – McLeansboro WMIX-FM – Mount Vernon WMKR – Pana WMOK – Metropolis WNLF - Macomb WOKZ – Fairfield WOOZ-FM – Harrisburg WRAM – Monmouth WRCV – Dixon WRIK – Brookport WRMJ – Aledo WRMS-FM – Beardstown WRUL – Carmi WRTB – Winnebago WRVY-FM – Henry WSEI – Olney WSIQ - Salem WSMI – Litchfield WSMI-FM – Litchfield WSVZ – Tower Hill WUSN – Chicago WXCL – Pekin WXLC - Waukegan WXNU – Saint Anne WXXQ – Freeport WYOT – Rochelle WYUR – Gilman WYXY – Savoy WZUS – Macon WZZT - Morrison
Defunct	WQQW - Highland (1510 AM)
See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Illinois