| City of license | Lansing, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1320 kHz |
| First air date | February 19, 1947 |
| Format | News-Talk |
| Power | 25,000 watts (Daytime) 1,900 watts (Nighttime) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 39537 |
| Owner | MacDonald Broadcasting |
| Sister stations | WHZZ, WQHH, WXLA |
| Website | http://www.1320wils.com/ |
WILS (1320 AM) is a radio station located in Lansing, Michigan broadcasting a news-talk format.
Until October 2006, WILS aired ABC Radio's satellite-delivered adult standards/MOR music package known as "Timeless Classics" (formerly "Stardust"). The station had had this format since the early 1990s and was quite successful in the ratings with it. The Timeless Favorites format moved to sister WXLA 1180 AM after that station was purchased by MacDonald Broadcasting; WILS and WXLA essentially simulcast each other with separate IDs and imaging until WILS changed to its current "More Compelling Talk Radio" format.
On January 25, 2008, WILS turned on their new Windsor Township transmitter and became the most powerful AM station in Lansing. The new daytime signal covers all of mid-Michigan including Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Mt. Pleasant, and Jackson, and can be heard as far south as Bryan, Ohio. The new night power and footprint provides improved coverage in the Lansing area.
The local programming focuses on local issues and personalities, including business, culture/entertainment, sports, education and politics/government. Politically the programs match the community's generally progressive electoral history.
Other talk programs on the station are nationally syndicated, hosted by Laura Ingraham, Neal Boortz, Dennis Miller, Lars Larson and Jerry Doyle.
WILS was a popular Top 40 music station in Lansing during the 1960s and 1970s, becoming an adult contemporary station in the '80s, and enjoying success as an Urban Contemporary station in the late 80's and early 90's. The station switched briefly to a Country music format (simulcast with WILS-FM) in 1992, and then flipped to Adult Standards in 1993. One popular WILS personality during the '60s Top 40 era was John Records Landecker, who later went on to great popularity at WLS in Chicago and CFTR in Toronto.
Tom O'Toole, another popular Chicago radio personality, worked at WILS from 1969-1971. He left Lansing for 101 WRIF, Detroit, and later WLUP, 97.9 "The Loop" in Chicago. He currently does Weekends on True Oldies 94.7 WLS FM in Chicago.
WILS-AM was a fully staffed live radio station until January 17, 1984, when the station switched to mostly automation (the original automated format was Drake-Chenault's "Hitparade", a Big Band/Nostalgia format). Since then, the station has programmed a mix of automated, satellite and live programming.
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