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WIRL is an AM broadcast radio station on 1290 kHz in Peoria, Illinois. The current format of the station is classic country and the station uses the slogan "Classic Country 1290". WIRL broadcasts in AM stereo[citation needed] with a power of 5,000 watts. Mornings are hosted by Dan Dermody.
[edit] History
WIRL was most famous as a Top 40 radio station from 1960 until approximately 1984. WIRL was successful immediately as a Top 40 station, as the only competition was daytime-only WPEO 1020 AM. Popular disc jockeys were Robyn Weaver, Lee Ranson, Bill McCluggage, Lee Malcolm, Wayne R. Miller, Howard Taylor, Pete Stewart, and Mark Wainwright. For many years WIRL broadcast Bradley University basketball games with Mort Cantor as the play by play man.
In the late 1970s, FM station WKZW 93.3 (now WPBG) began programming a Top 40 format and siphoned away many listeners from WIRL. WIRL then evolved into a full service personality and adult contemporary station. Personalities included Lee Malcolm, Gene Konrad, Kurt Schaeffer, Denise Henley, and Darryl Parks. The adult contemporary format lasted until the early 1990s; the station also programmed oldies, standards, and sports talk. At some time, the station changed to all-sports "Fox Sports 1290" with the callsign WWFS. The station returned to the WIRL call sign when it adopted the classic country format in March 2005.
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