WKRS

WKRS (1220 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Sports format. Licensed to Waukegan, Illinois, United States, the station is currently owned by Alpha Media, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC, and features programming from TUDN Radio. Its transmitter is located in Waukegan, while its studios are based in the north end of the Gurnee Mills mall in Gurnee.

WKRS
Broadcast areaNortheastern Illinois / Southeastern Wisconsin
Frequency1220 kHz
BrandingTUDN Radio
Programming
FormatSpanish Sports
AffiliationsTUDN Radio
Chicago Fire Soccer Club
Chicago White Sox
Ownership
Owner
WCCQ, WERV, WIIL, WJOL, WSSR, WXLC, WZSR
History
First air date
September 25, 1949[1]
Call sign meaning
WauKegan Radio Station[2][3]
Technical information[4]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID10450
ClassD
Power1,000 watts day
90 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
42°20′59″N 87°52′53″W
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.tudn1220.com

History

The station began broadcasting September 25, 1949.[1] It ran 1,000 watts during daytime hours only, and was owned by The News-Sun Broadcasting Company.[5] In 1983, WKRS was sold to Roger E. Kaplan, owner of 102.3 WXLC, for $650,000.[6] In 1987, the station was sold to H&D Radio Limited Partnership, along with WXLC, for $5.5 million.[7] In 1997, it was sold to Spring Broadcasting, and in 1999 it was sold to Belvidere Broadcasting, along with WXLC, for $4.3 million.[8][9] In 2000, the station was sold to NextMedia Group, along with WXLC, for $9.4 million.[10]

Between 1949 and 2012, WKRS had been a longtime English-language radio station broadcasting local news and information for the Lake County region.[2][11][12][13] Personalities heard on WKRS included national hosts Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Bill O'Reilly, and Dave Ramsey, along with local hosts Al Salvi, Libby Collins, and Lenny Palmer, among others.[14][15] Known at times as "The Voice Of Lake County" and "The Talk of Lake County", WKRS also broadcast Lake County Fielders minor league baseball games as well as high school sports for the Lake County area.[15][16]

Among its alumni are Chicago TV reporters Anita Padilla,[12] Matt Rodewald,[17] and Susan Carlson.[18]

Spanish-language era

In January 2012, it was announced that the station would drop its longtime English-Language Talk format in favor of a Spanish-language sports format, with programming from ESPN Deportes Radio, effective February 1, 2012.[19][13]

In 2014, WKRS and NextMedia's 32 other radio stations were sold to Digity, LLC for $85 million.[20] In 2016, Digity, LLC was purchased by Alpha Media for $264 million.[21]

After ESPN Deportes Radio was discontinued on September 8, 2019, the station became an affiliate of TUDN Radio.[22][23]

References
  1. 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-68. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  2. Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 345-347.
  3. Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988/Spring-Summer 1989. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  4. "Facility Technical Data for WKRS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. History Cards for WKRS, fcc.gov. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  6. "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. January 10, 1983. p. 91. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  7. "Transactions", Radio & Records. July 17, 1987. p. 12. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  8. "Transactions", Radio & Records. May 10, 1996. p. 6. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  9. "Combos", Broadcasting & Cable. February 15, 1999. p. 46. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  10. "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. August 7, 2000. p. 50. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  11. "Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine, March 4, 1979. p. 34. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  12. "WKRS AM 1220", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 19. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  13. "WKRS flipping to ESPN Deportes", Radio & Television Business Report. January 24, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  14. "WKRS Happenings". WKRS. Archived from the original on June 5, 2004. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  15. "Weekday Programs". WKRS. Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  16. "News 1220 WKRS The Talk of Lake County". WKRS. Archived from the original on December 30, 1996. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  17. "Comcast SportsNet Chicago Brings Fans 2012 IHSA Football State Championships in HD", Illinois High School Association. November 13, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  18. Rosenthal, Phil. "Susan Carlson to co-anchor WBBM-Ch. 2 early news", Chicago Tribune. August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  19. "WKRS flips to 'Deportes 1220'". Lake County News Sun. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  20. "NextMedia Radio Stations Now Owned And Operated By Digity", Chicagoland Radio and Media. February 10, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  21. "With Digity, Alpha Is Now Fourth-Largest Radio Co.", InsideRadio. February 26, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  22. "TUDN 1220". WKRS. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  23. "TUDN Picks Up Some Former ESPN Deportes Radio Affiliates", Radio & Television Business Report. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
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