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WNGL

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WNGL
Frequency1410kHz
BrandingArchangel Radio
Programming
FormatCatholic
Ownership
OwnerArchangel Communications, Inc.
History
First air date
February 7, 1930 (as WODX)
Former call signs
WODX (1930–1933)
WALA (1933–1963)
WUNI (1963–1984)
WMML (1984–1991)
WLVV (1991–2009)[1]
Call signmeaning
WANGEL
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID854
ClassB
Power5,000watts(day)
4,600 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
30°42′24″N88°3′43″W/ 30.70667°N 88.06194°W/30.70667; -88.06194
Translator(s)W233CX (94.5MHz,Mobile)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitearchangelradio.com

WNGL(1410AM) is aradio stationlicensedto serveMobile, Alabama,United States. Since September 2009, the station has been owned byFairhope-based Archangel Communications, Inc.

Programming

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WNGL broadcasts aCatholic radioformat to theMobile metropolitan area.[3]The station primarily airs programming from EWTN Global Catholic Radio and also broadcasts a local Live Hour program weekdays at 7AM, along with McGill-Toolen High School Football games.

History

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The beginning

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The oldest radio station in Mobile,WODXfirst broadcast from the Battle House Hotel in downtown Mobile on February 7, 1930.[4]Owned by W.O. Pape's Pape Broadcasting Company, the station changed its call sign toWALAin 1933.[5][6]The bookAlabama's First Broadcast Stationsby Harry Butler says the calls WALA once stood for "We Are Loyal Alabamians".[7]

January 1953 saw the launch of co-owned NBC-affiliatedtelevision stationWALA-TV(channel 10) in Mobile and the start of a new era for the AM radio station.[8]A shift by the Pape family in January 1956 saw WALA transferred to a new company called Pape Television Company.[9]

The country era

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In 1963 the ownership of the radio and television stations was split and the AM station's callsign was changed toWUNI.The callsign was intended to sound out the phrase "You and I".[10]The re-christened radio station was acquired by a new company called WUNI Inc. on December 3, 1964.[11]It was with this ownership change that WUNI became the first full-timecountry musicradio station in Mobile.[10]The station was sold again, this time to the similarly named Radio Station WUNI Inc. on August 1, 1976.[12]

In October 1983, Radio Station WUNI, Inc., agreed to sell the station tocountry musiclegendMel Tillisthrough his Tillis Communications, Inc.[13]The deal was approved by the FCC on December 2, 1983.[14]Tillis had theFederal Communications Commissionassign new call lettersWMMLon January 3, 1984.[1]As with sister station KMML inAmarillo, Texas,the new callsign stood for "M-M-Mel Tillis" as a play on Mel's famousstutter.[10][13]WMML continued to air the country music format it had adopted back in 1964.[10]

R&B and religion

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Tillis exited the radio business in 1985 and WMML was sold to Bridgeway Communications, Inc.,[13]owned by St. Louis Media Hall of Fame inductee Doug Eason. Bridgeway changed the format to urban-orientedrap musicwhich did well in the ratings but proved a tough sell to area advertisers.[10]In December 1989, station owner Bridgeway Communications, Inc., faced financial difficulties and the license for this station was involuntarily transferred to Bridgeway Communications, Inc., Debtor-In-Possession. The transfer was approved by the FCC on December 11, 1989.[15]In January 1990, Bridgeway Communications, Inc., Debtor-In-Possession gained approval to sell this station to Lonnie M. Tillis. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 2, 1990, and the transaction was consummated on May 30, 1990.[16]

In March 1991, Lonnie M. Tillis made a deal to sell WMML to Albert L. Crain. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 26, 1991, and the transaction was consummated on June 17, 1991.[17]The new owner had the FCC change the station's legal callsign toWLVVon June 28, 1991.[1]The station aired religious programming branded as "Love Radio".[10]

On February 19, 1997, station owner Albert L. Crain died and on April 21, 1997, Joy Crain Johns applied to the FCC to have the license legally transferred to the Estate of Albert L. Crain. The transfer was approved by the FCC on May 5, 1997, and the transaction was completed on May 9, 1997.[18]

In February 1999, the Estate of Albert L. Crain reached an agreement to sell this station to WLVV, Inc., based inBaytown, Texas,for a reported sale price of $263,750.[19]The deal was approved by the FCC on April 14, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on June 23, 1999.[20]The station switched to ablack Gospelmusic format branded asVictory 1410under the slogan "The Voice of Victory".[10]The station's transmitter site and broadcast tower were severely damaged byHurricane Katrinaand has been operating under a series of special temporary authorities since September 2005 while repairs and new construction bring the broadcaster back to regular licensed operation.

WNGL today

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In July 2009, WLVV, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Archangel Communications, Inc., ofFairhope, Alabama.The deal, valued at $125,000, was accepted for filing by the FCC on August 3, 2009, approved by the Commission on September 18, 2009, and the transaction was consummated on September 29, 2009.[21]The new owners flipped to aCatholic radioformat. They had the station's call sign changed toWNGLon October 8, 2009.[1]

References

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  1. ^abcd"Call Sign History".FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  2. ^"Facility Technical Data for WNGL".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^"Station Information Profile".Arbitron.
  4. ^McLaurin, Melton Alonza (1981).Mobile, the Life and Times of a Great Southern City: An Illustrated History.Windsor Publications. p. 119.On February 7, 1930, WODX, Mobile's first radio station, signed on the air.
  5. ^"Directory of Standard Broadcasting Stations of the United States".1944 Broadcasting-Telecasting Yearbook.Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1944. p. 74.
  6. ^Radex Radio Index.The Radex Press Inc. January 1934.
  7. ^Butler, Harry D.Alabama's First Radio Stations, 1920-1960.Alabama Broadcasters Association.
  8. ^"Today in NBC History (Part 2)".History Orb.RetrievedJanuary 4,2009.
  9. ^"Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.".1965 Broadcasting Yearbook.Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1965. p. B-6.
  10. ^abcdefg"AM Technical Profile: WLVV".Alabama Broadcast Media Page.RetrievedJanuary 4,2009.
  11. ^"Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.".1967 Broadcasting Yearbook.Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1967. p. B-6.
  12. ^"Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada".Broadcasting Yearbook 1979.Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p. C-6.
  13. ^abc"News and Stories: The Mel Tillis Story".AM 1070 The Ranch. Archived fromthe originalon August 27, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 4,2009.
  14. ^"Application Search Details (BAL-19831017EN)".FCC Media Bureau. December 2, 1983.
  15. ^"Application Search Details (BAL-19891129EA)".FCC Media Bureau. December 11, 1989.
  16. ^"Application Search Details (BAL-19891228EC)".FCC Media Bureau. May 30, 1990.
  17. ^"Application Search Details (BAL-19910311EF)".FCC Media Bureau. June 17, 1991.
  18. ^"Application Search Details (BAL-19970421GI)".FCC Media Bureau. May 9, 1997.
  19. ^"Changing Hands - 3/22/1999".Broadcasting & Cable.March 22, 1999. Archived fromthe originalon October 22, 2012.
  20. ^"Application Search Details (BAPL-19990216GH)".FCC Media Bureau. June 23, 1999.
  21. ^"Application Search Details (BAL-20090731ACV)".FCC Media Bureau. September 29, 2009.
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