WGCL (AM)

Last updated

WWZN
Broadcast area Monroe County
Frequency 1370 kHz
Branding98.7 The Zone
Programming
Format Sports
Affiliations Westwood One Sports
Ownership
Owner Sarkes Tarzian, Inc.
WTTS
History
First air date
March 11, 1949 (1949-03-11)
Former call signs
  • WTTS (1949–1984)
  • WGTC (1984–1988)
  • WGCL (1988–2025)
Call sign meaning
"Zone"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 59131
Class B
Power
  • 5,000 watts (day)
  • 500 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
39°11′25.00″N86°38′2.00″W / 39.1902778°N 86.6338889°W / 39.1902778; -86.6338889
Translator 98.7 W254DP (Bloomington)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website wgclradio.com

WWZN (1370 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Bloomington, Indiana, United States, serving Monroe County. The station is owned by Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. and features a sports radio format with programming from Westwood One Sports in the evening. [2] The studios and offices are on West 7th Street in Bloomington.

Contents

By day, WWZN is powered at 5,000 watts. But to avoid interference to other stations on 1370 AM, at night it reduces power to 500 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times. Programming is also heard on 250 watt FM translator W254DP at 98.7 MHz.

History

On March 11, 1949, the station first signed on the air. [3] It has always been owned by Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. The station's original call sign was WTTS, powered at 1,000 watts by day, 500 watts at night. It was Bloomington's third AM radio station, the others being WSUA 1010 (1946–50) and WTOM 1490 (1947–51). From the 1950s until 1984, WTTS was a full-service, middle of the road (MOR) station, playing popular adult music, news and sports. It was a network affiliate of ABC Radio prior to that network's 1967 split, and the ABC Entertainment Network after that.

In November 1949, Sarkes Tarzian put television station WTTV Channel 4 on the air. Tarzian owned it until 1978. In 1960, sister station WTTV-FM 92.3 went on the air, simulcasting 1370 WTTS until 1967, when it switched to a separate format.

WTTS changed its call letters to WGTC on July 9, 1984, flipping to a full-service, country music format. On November 17, 1988, the station changed its call sign to WGCL. [4] It ended music programming, moving to a talk radio format.

On December 29, 2025, WGCL changed their format from talk to sports, branded as "98.7 The Zone" under new WWZN call letters. [5]

FM translator

Logo while simulcast on 96.1 FM WGCL NewsTalk96.1-1370 logo.png
Logo while simulcast on 96.1 FM

WGCL added an FM translator, originally at 96.1 MHz, W241CD. It later switched its translator simulcast to 98.7 MHz, W254DP.

Broadcast translator for WWZN
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W254DP98.7 FM Bloomington, Indiana 202440250118  m (387  ft)D 39°9′11.2″N86°31′1″W / 39.153111°N 86.51694°W / 39.153111; -86.51694 LMS

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WWZN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. "WGCL Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1949 page 122, Broadcasting & Cable
  4. "WGCL Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  5. WGCL MOVES TO SPORTS AS 98.7 THE ZONE Rdaioinsight - December 29, 2025