WIBL

Last updated

WIBL
Broadcast area Bloomington-Normal
Frequency 107.7 MHz
Branding107-7 & 92-1 The Bull
Programming
Format Country
Affiliations Compass Media Networks
Ownership
OwnerPilot Media LLC
OperatorZimmer Media Group (through subsidiary Great Plains Media)
WZIM, WRPW
History
First air date
August 2000 (as WZBM)
Former call signs
WBZM (2000–2003)
WYST (2003–2010)
Call sign meaning
Illinois' Bull
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 86178
Class B1
ERP 14,000 watts
HAAT 135 meters (443 ft)
Translator(s) 92.1 W221CY (Normal)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website 1077thebull.com

WIBL (107.7 FM), known as "The Bull", is a commercial radio station in Central Illinois with a country music radio format. WIBL is licensed to Fairbury, Illinois, and serves the Bloomington-Normal radio market. Owned by Pilot Media, it is operated by Zimmer Radio Group.

Contents

WIBL has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 14,000 watts, broadcasting from a transmitter on South Pine Street south of Lexington. The station also has an FM translator covering Bloomington-Normal proper, W221CY (92.1), licensed to Normal.

History

The station signed on in August 2000;25 years ago as WBZM, "The Buzz". Owned by Cromwell Broadcasting, it was operated out of Peoria with an alternative rock format shared with WIXO in Peoria, featuring Bob and Tom , and sharing that station's personell.

Cromwell sold off its Peoria stations in 2001, with WBZM not included. Operations were moved to Cromwell's Decatur facility while the station remained for sale. At the end of 2001, AAA Entertainment purchased the station, at first simulcasting WIHN, then WDQZ.

On March 28, 2003, the station switched to its own adult contemporary format as "Star 107.7", with the new calls WYST. Originally transmitting from Fairbury, the station's transmitter was moved three months later to Lexington, allowing it full coverage of the inner ring of the Bloomington-Normal metro for the first time.

In February 2007, the format was modified to what would be a placeholder urban contemporary format, branding as the "heart and soul" of Bloomington-Normal. Two months later, it was integrated into the Zimmer stations through Great Plains Media, with that entity taking control of the station through a local marketing agreement while the station was in the process of being sold to GPM. Zimmer would then wait until the sale was closed in late June 2007, and on June 29, the station became a country station as "107.7 The Bull", though it did not change its calls to reflect its new steer-specific branding for three years. The station finally switched to its current WIBL callsign on August 17, 2010.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WIBL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

40°37′48″N88°46′52″W / 40.630°N 88.781°W / 40.630; -88.781

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