WHPI

WZPN
City Glasford, Illinois
Broadcast area Peoria, Illinois
Branding ESPN Peoria
Frequency 101.1 MHz
First air date 1998 (as WBDM)
Format Sports
ERP 3,300 watts
HAAT 137 meters (449 ft)
Class A
Facility ID 78165
Transmitter coordinates 40°39′0.1″N 89°46′46.4″W / 40.650028°N 89.779556°W / 40.650028; -89.779556 (WHPI tower)Coordinates: 40°39′0.1″N 89°46′46.4″W / 40.650028°N 89.779556°W / 40.650028; -89.779556 (WHPI tower) (NAD83)
Callsign meaning W Z ESPN
Former callsigns WBDM (1998–1999)[1]
WRVP (1999–2000)
WPPY (2000–2004)
WVEL-FM (2004–2006)
WXMP (2006–2007)
WHPI (2007–2018)
Affiliations ESPN Radio
Owner Mike and Ann Rea
(Advanced Media Partners LLC)
Sister stations 96.5 WZPN
98.5 WPIA
99.9 WWCT
Webcast Listen Live
Website espnpeoria.com

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.

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". The River was born as an AC 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.[1][6]

In 2004, 101.1 began simulcasting the Pekin, Illinois station 1140 WVEL (AM), which has long suffered from a weak signal outside of Pekin.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 and changed its name to "Mix 101.1" when the WIXO callsign and its "99X Rocks" format moved from 99.9 to 105.7.

At midnight on the morning of September 19, 2007, the station changed its format to Oldies, branded as "Hippie Radio 101.1".[8] The callsign was changed to WHPI[1] to match the name.

At 9:45pm on September 26, 2010, WHPI changed their format to adult hits, branded as "Jack FM".[9] 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 (96.5 WZPN Farmington, 98.5 WPIA Eureka, and 99.9 WWCT Bartonville) to Michael S. Rea's Advanced Media Partners on November 15, 2010.[10]

On June 6, 2018 at 3p.m., WHPI dropped its variety hits ("Jack FM") format and began simulcasting sister station WZPN, branded as "ESPN Peoria".[11] On June 26, WHPI and WZPN swapped call letters, with WHPI moving to 96.5 FM (although a new format has not yet been announced for the frequency) and WZPN moving to 101.1 FM.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 3 "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. ↑ 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
  9. ↑ "Jack Plays In Peoria". RadioInsight. Sayreville, New Jersey: RadioBB Networks. 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  10. ↑ "Application Search Details (BALH-20100723AEO)". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  11. ↑ ESPN Peoria Moves to 101.1 Replacing Jack FM Radioinsight - June 6, 2018
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