WZPN

WZPN (101.1 FM, "ESPN Peoria") is a radio station for Glasford, Illinois in the Peoria, Illinois radio market. From September 26, 2010 to June 6, 2018 the station aired the adult hits format Jack FM, before becoming an affiliate of ESPN Radio.

WZPN
CityGlasford, Illinois
Broadcast areaPeoria, Illinois
Frequency101.1 MHz
BrandingESPN Peoria
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsESPN Radio
Ownership
OwnerMike and Ann Rea
(Advanced Media Partners LLC)
96.5 WHPI
98.5 WPIA
99.9 WWCT
History
First air date
1998 (as WBDM)
Former call signs
WBDM (1998–1999)[1]
WRVP (1999–2000)
WPPY (2000–2004)
WVEL-FM (2004–2006)
WXMP (2006–2007)
WHPI (2007–2018)
Call sign meaning
W Z ESPN
Technical information
Facility ID78165
ClassA
ERP3,300 watts
HAAT137 meters (449 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
40°39′0.1″N 89°46′46.4″W (NAD83)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiteespnpeoria.com

History

Neil A. Rhones and Luann C. Dahl applied for a new station on 101.1 MHz at Canton, Illinois, and were granted a construction permit in 1996.[2] The call sign WBDM was assigned to this station. In 1997, Rhones and Dahl asked the Federal Communications Commission to move Canton's 101.1 MHz allocation, with their construction permit, to Glasford, Illinois, claiming that moving the city of license would result in adding 81,024 people to the coverage area while only losing 8,754. The FCC granted the request on August 26, 1996.[3] In June 1999, Rhones and Dahl assigned their construction permit to Two Petaz, Inc.,[4] which was based in Nashville, Tennessee and whose president was Bargard H. Walters.[5] The station's call sign was changed to WRVP on July 13, 1999[6] and the station received its license on January 4, 2000.[7]

The station used the nickname "101.1 The River".[8] The River was born as an adult contemporary station and was attempting to compete with heritage 50 kW signal WSWT. This did not last long; just a few months later, the plug was pulled in favor of a simulcast of sister station 98.5 as "98.5 & 101.1 The Party". 98.5 WPPY and 101.1 swapped callsigns on July 27, 2000.[9][1][6]

In March 2004, 101.1 began simulcasting WVEL (AM), which has long suffered from a weak signal outside of Pekin.[10] As part of the simulcast, 101.1 dropped the WPPY callsign in favor of WVEL-FM.[6]

In September 2006, as part of a larger station swap between multiple Peoria groups, Regent Broadcasting sold 101.1 to newly formed Independence Media Holdings. 105.7 was being sold from AAA Entertainment to Regent, and Regent indicated it did not want the Hot AC format currently on 105.7. On September 26, 2006, "Mix 105.7" (WXMP) and its format moved to the weaker 101.1 frequency and changed its name to "Mix 101.1", while the WIXO callsign and the "99X Rocks" format moved from 99.9 to 105.7.[11][12][13]

At midnight on September 19, 2007, the station changed its format to Oldies, branded as "Hippie Radio 101.1".[14][15] The callsign was changed to WHPI[1] to match the "Hippie" moniker.

At 9:45 p.m. on September 26, 2010, WHPI changed their format to adult hits, branded as "Jack FM".[16] WHPI remained jockless for the majority of its history after the "Jack FM" format signed on, only adding a local morning show in 2017.

Independence Media Holdings sold WHPI along with its other three Peoria-area stations (WZPN, WPIA, and WWCT) to Michael S. Rea's Advanced Media Partners on November 15, 2010.[17]

On June 6, 2018, at 3 p.m., Jack announced he had "gone to find himself in Tahiti", and at that point, 101.1 became the new primary station for ESPN Radio in the Peoria market, with 96.5 serving as the simulcast until a new format for the latter is planned. The two stations rebranded together as "ESPN Peoria".[18] On June 26, the two frequencies swapped callsigns, with WHPI moving to 96.5 FM and WZPN moving to 101.1 FM. During that time, the station's website was changed to a redirect to 96.5's web address.

The sports format moved to 101.1 permanently on September 5, 2020, at midnight.

References
  1. "WZPN(FM)". FCCInfo.com. Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc. 2007-09-21. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
  2. BPH-951011MA
  3. FCC Mass Media Bureau docket 97-186; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking RM-9130: Amendment of the FM Table of Allotments
  4. "FCC authorization for file number BAPH-19990304GE". Federal Communications Commission. 1999-06-28. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  5. Walters, Bargard H. (1999-09-10). "FCC Form 302-FM (File Number BLH-19990913AAB)". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  6. "WPIA(FM)". FCCInfo.com. Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  7. "FCC authorization for file number BLH-19990913AAB". Federal Communications Commission. 2000-01-04. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  8. "Peoria Radio Remains a Source of Local Identity Even as Stations Change Hands," The Peoria Journal-Star, October 10, 1999.
  9. "Column Right," The Peoria Journal-Star, August 10, 2000.
  10. "Radio stations changing formats as winter turns into spring," The Peoria Journal-Star, March 7, 2004.
  11. "New & Notable," The Peoria Journal-Star, September 21, 2006.
  12. "On the Air -- Radio dial has heads spinning," The Peoria Journal-Star, October 1, 2006.
  13. "Peoria tunes in -- Who owns what?," The Peoria Journal-Star, October 8, 2006.
  14. "Radio group shuffles lineup again," The Peoria Journal-Star, September 23, 2007.
  15. Workin4ThaMan (2007-09-19). "Now Playing in Peoria!". RadioInsight.com. "HIPPIE RADIO," as INDEPENDENCE MEDIA HOT AC WXMP (Mix 101.1) / PEORIA spins the format wheel to Oldies as Hippie Radio 101.1, as of about 90 minutes ago (Midnight, 9/19). No indication, officially, of new call letters - although an Illinois media messageboard lists WHPI as the new calls
  16. "Jack Plays In Peoria". RadioInsight. Sayreville, New Jersey: RadioBB Networks. 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  17. "Application Search Details (BALH-20100723AEO)". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  18. ESPN Peoria Moves to 101.1 Replacing Jack FM Radioinsight - June 6, 2018
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