WPEO

Last updated
WPEO
WPEO The Word Logo - Master.jpg
Broadcast area Peoria metropolitan area
Frequency 1020 kHz
BrandingThe Word
Programming
Format Christian talk and teaching
Ownership
OwnerWPEO Radio Foundation, Inc.
History
First air date
1946;78 years ago (1946) (as WMMJ) [1] [2]
August 1950 (as WPEO) [1]
Former call signs
WMMJ (1946–1949) [1] [2]
Call sign meaning
PEOria [1]
Technical information
Facility ID 52641
Class D
Power 1,000 watts daytime-only
Transmitter coordinates
 40°41′53.1″N89°31′31.3″W / 40.698083°N 89.525361°W / 40.698083; -89.525361 (NAD83)
Translator(s) 97.7 W249CZ (Peoria)
103.9 W280FA (Peoria)
Repeater(s) WPEO-FM (98.3 MHz, Farmer City)
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website wpeo.com

WPEO (1020 kHz) is a daytime-only AM radio station licensed to Peoria, Illinois. [3] It is owned by WPEO Radio Foundation, Inc., and it simulcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format with co-owned WPEO-FM 98.3 FM in Farmer City, Illinois. The radio studios and offices are just south of Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois.

Contents

By day, WPEO is powered at 1,000 watts non-directional. But because 1020 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A KDKA Pittsburgh, WPEO must sign off at sunset to avoid interference. The radio studio and transmitter are on Highview Road, just south of Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois. [4] Programming is heard around the clock on two FM translators: 97.7 W249CZ and 103.9 W280FA in Peoria, as well as 98.3 WPEO-FM in Farmer City.

History

The station was first on the air from 1946 to 1949 as WMMJ, the second radio station in Peoria after 1470 WMBD. WMMJ played big band music and broadcast sports, but it had financial difficulties and went off the air. [1] [2]

WPEO signed on in August 1950, with its studios in the Jefferson Hotel downtown, and started its top 40 format in 1954, competing with 1290 WIRL. During this time, noted disc jockey Harry Harrison was at WPEO as the "Morning Mayor of Peoria" [2] and station manager. In 1959, he left for New York's WMCA,[ citation needed ] and WPEO switched to country music in 1960. [1]

In 1970, WPEO was bought by the Pinebrook Foundation, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based non-profit corporation, and switched to a Christian radio format. [1] [2] As of 2009, its programming is based on paid time for various national Christian programming sources. It is still restricted to daylight hours to protect clear-channel station KDKA in Pittsburgh. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLTJ</span> Radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

WLTJ is a commercial radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is owned by The Frischling Family, through licensee WPNT Media Subsidiary, LLC, and broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format.

WPIT is a commercial radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries a Christian talk and teaching radio format. At night, classic Christian contemporary music is heard. WPIT is licensed to the Salem Communications Holding Corporation, which is owned by the Salem Media Group. The studios are at Parkway Center in Pittsburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBZZ</span> Radio station in New Kensington–Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

WBZZ is a top 40/CHR station licensed to New Kensington, Pennsylvania, targeting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and owned by Audacy, Inc. Its transmitter is located in Pittsburgh's Spring Hill district and its studios are located west of downtown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDKA-FM</span> Radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

KDKA-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. through licensee Audacy License, LLC and broadcasts a sports radio format. Studios are located at Foster Plaza near Green Tree while the broadcast tower used by the station is located near Mount Washington, next to its former studios in Pittsburgh's South Shore neighborhood at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAMO (AM)</span> Radio station in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania

WAMO is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, and serving the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. It broadcasts an urban contemporary radio format, is owned by the Martz Communications Group and is operated by Audacy, Inc., under a local marketing agreement (LMA).

WBGG is a commercial AM radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries a sports format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Local sports hosts are heard weekdays from noon to 7 p.m. Other times, Fox Sports Radio programming is heard. The studios and offices are located in Green Tree. On January 3, 2024 it was announced the station will switch back to Fox Sports Radio with content contributed by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

WMAY is a commercial AM radio station in Springfield, Illinois. The station is owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting and the license is held by Long Nine, Inc. WMAY's transmitter, radio studios and offices are all located on North Third Street in Riverton, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKEQ</span> Radio station in Fosston–Bemidji, Minnesota–Grand Forks, North Dakota

KKEQ is a Christian radio station licensed to Fosston, Minnesota with its main studio in Grand Forks, North Dakota and additional studios in Bemidji, Minnesota. Q FM's primary format is contemporary Christian music, though it also airs Bible-based talk and teaching programming. The Bemidji area receives the Q FM broadcast on the main 107.1 FM frequency, while the Grand Forks area receives the Q FM broadcast at 104.9 FM via a translator station.

WIRL is a radio station broadcasting a conservative talk format. Licensed to Peoria, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Peoria area and broadcasts in AM stereo. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications, Inc.

KVNT is a commercial radio station in Eagle River, Alaska, broadcasting to the Anchorage metropolitan area. It airs a talk radio format and is owned by Christian Broadcasting, Inc. Its studios are located on Business Park Boulevard in Anchorage.

KLVP is a non-profit radio station licensed to Aloha, Oregon, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. The station is owned, and the broadcast license held, by the Educational Media Foundation. It airs the national contemporary Christian radio format known as "K-Love."

WWAC is a commercial radio station licensed to Ocean City, New Jersey, and serving the Atlantic City area of the Jersey Shore. It is owned by Enrico S. Brancadora, broadcasting a country format. WWAC is co-owned with WIBG-FM, a classic hits station licensed to Avalon, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPBG</span> Radio station in Peoria, Illinois

WPBG (93.3 FM) is a radio station with a classic hits format, and is licensed for Peoria, Illinois. The station was formerly known as 93.3 WMBD-FM, as well as KZ-93 (WKZW) through 1994, "Mix 93.3" prior to its conversion to oldies/classic hits. The station is owned by Midwest Communications, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOAM</span> Radio station in Peoria, Illinois

WOAM is a Peoria, Illinois radio station that broadcasts an adult standards/MOR format.

KTGG is a radio station broadcasting from Okemos, Michigan, with a Christian radio format of talk and classical music. It is owned by West Central Michigan Media Ministries and airs programming from Strong Tower Radio, a network heard on about a dozen radio stations around Michigan and one in Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFH (AM)</span> Sports radio station in Wichita, Kansas

KFH is a commercial AM radio station in Wichita, Kansas. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. It airs a sports radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on East Douglas Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W261AX</span> Radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

W261AX is a translator station serving the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania market, broadcasting on 100.1 MHz on the FM dial with a power of 99 watts. The station is owned by the Martz Communications Group, but broadcasts the programming of Audacy, Inc.-owned news/talk station KDKA. From 2011 to 2020, the translator carried a mainstream urban format, for most of that time in conjunction with Martz-owned WAMO. Audacy operates the station.

WHDD is a radio station licensed to serve Sharon, Connecticut. WHDD airs a public radio format during daylight hours, but has to sign off at night to protect KDKA at Pittsburgh. The station's programming is also heard on WHDD-FM (91.9) in Sharon, and translator W248CZ in Kent.

KCKN is an AM radio station broadcasting a Spanish Religious radio format in Roswell, New Mexico. It is owned by Radio Vision Cristiana Subsidiary Corp. Much of the programming is also heard on co-owned WWRV 1330 AM in New York City.

WPEO-FM is an FM radio station licensed to Farmer City, Illinois. It is owned by WPEO Radio Foundation, and it simulcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format with co-owned WPEO 1020 AM in Peoria, Illinois. The radio studios and offices are just south of Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Station Profile". East Peoria, Illinois: Pinebrook Foundation, Inc. 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tarter, Steve (2009-10-31). "On the Air: Stalwart station a local favorite". Peoria Journal Star . Peoria, Illinois. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  3. ↑ "WPEO-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  4. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/WPEO-AM


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.