WWIL (AM)

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WWIL

| logo =

| city = Wilmington, North Carolina

| country = US

| area =

| branding =

| airdate = 1964

| last_airdate = {{end date|2020|9}}

| frequency = 1490 kHz

| translator = {{Radio Relay|104.9|W285FQ|Wilmington}}

| format = Gospel

| power = 1,000 watts unlimited

| erp =

| haat =

| class = C

| facility_id = 20662

| coordinates = {{coord|34|13|52.6|N|77|57|17|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning = Wilmington

| former_callsigns = WHSL (1964–1977)[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=68865 History Cards for WWIL], fcc.gov. Retrieved March 18, 2018.

| owner = James and Maxzine Utley

| licensee = CLI Radio, LLC

| sister_stations = WLTT

| webcast =

| website =

| affiliations =

}}

WWIL (1490 AM) was a radio station broadcasting a gospel format, licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, United States. The station was last owned by James and Maxzine Utley, through licensee CLI Radio, LLC. It operated from 1964 until James Utley's death in 2020.

History

From 1964 to 1977, the station had the call sign WHSL. In 1970, WHSL was joined by a sister F.M. station on 97.3 MHz: WHSL-FM (today’s WMNX).

R. Darryl Davis was host of "Fat Man's Blues Shop" on WWIL; he later played "Blues in the Night" on WHQR.Richard Myers, "Radio Personality: Fat Man Spins Blues As Darryl Davis Works to Help His Community; Part-Time Disc Jockey Has Consulting Firm," Star-News November 27, 1994.

Family Radio Network Inc. purchased WWIL in 1992 from a Jacksonville church. Before that, the station was R&B. WWIL began calling itself "Family Radio" in 1993.Ben Steelman, "Praise Radio; It's the Gospel Truth: Christian Radio Is Gaining Popularity," Star-News, December 14, 1999. Jim Stephens worked for a Raleigh Christian station but vacationed in Wilmington. When he turned on the radio, he found no Christian stations, so he took over WWIL. Stephens struggled financially after moving to Wilmington but he got numerous cards and letters from people who enjoyed the contemporary Christian music and nationally syndicated ministers. Stephens needed for these listeners to prove their support with cash, and they did.Frank Maley, "Christian Radio; He's Sending a Message," Star-News, February 19, 1995. WWIL-FM, a 20,000-watt signal, was added in 1995. As of 1999, the AM station aired "God's Country" during the day, including Ricky Skaggs, The Gatlin Brothers and traditional Southern gospel. At night and early in the morning, the station played urban gospel such as Andrae Crouch and Shirley Caesar.

On August 16, 2022, WWIL’s license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission, due to having been silent for more than a year;{{cite web|url= https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=20662|title=License Cancelled|work=Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System|date=August 16, 2022|access-date=October 19, 2024}} it and sister station WLTT had not operated since the September 2020 death of owner James Utley Jr. FM translator W285FQ’s license was also cancelled.{{cite web|url= https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=200978|title=License Cancelled|work=Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System|date=August 16, 2022|access-date=October 19, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/239655/fcc-report-8-28-owner-death-leads-to-demise-of-two-wilmington-nc-ams/|title=FCC Report 8/28: Owner Death Leads to Demise of Two Wilmington NC AMs|publisher=radioinsight|date=August 28, 2022|access-date=August 29, 2022}}

References

External links

[https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=20662 Facility details for Facility ID 20662 (WWIL)] in the FCC Licensing and Management System
[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=68865 FCC History Cards for WWIL] (covering 1959-1981)

WIL (AM)

Category:Radio stations established in 1964

Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2022

Category:Defunct radio stations in the United States

Category:1964 establishments in North Carolina

Category:2022 disestablishments in North Carolina

Category:Defunct religious radio stations in the United States

WIL

Category:Wilmington, North Carolina