# WNIL

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Radio station in Niles, Michigan, United States

WNIL Niles, Michigan United States Broadcast area Niles-Buchanan, Michigan Frequency 1290 kHz Programming Format Adult contemporary gold Ownership Owner Marion R. Williams Sister stations WSMK History First air date 1956 (1956) Call sign meaning Niles, Michigan Technical information[1] Licensing authority FCC Facility ID 48912 Class D Power 500 watts daytime 44 watts nighttime Translator 107.5 W298CQ (Niles) Links Public license information Public file LMS Website www.wnilradio.com

**WNIL** is an AM radio station located in [Niles, Michigan](/source/Niles%2C_Michigan), and broadcasting to the Niles-[Buchanan](/source/Buchanan%2C_Michigan) region airing a [classic hits](/source/Classic_hits)-based [adult contemporary](/source/Adult_contemporary) format. It broadcasts on AM frequency 1290 kHz and 107.5 [MHz](/source/MHz); it is under ownership of Marion R. Williams.[2]

## History

WNIL began its broadcasting activities in 1956 under an unknown format but in 1964 it became notable when [Tommy James & the Shondells](/source/Tommy_James_%26_the_Shondells) recorded a regional hit "[Hanky Panky](/source/Hanky_Panky_(The_Raindrops_song))" (the studio was located at Sycamore and 5th Street). The song did not become a national hit until it was re-recorded in 1966. In the 1990s, it dropped its music format in favor of [sports](/source/Sports_radio) programming. In 1999, the sports format was dropped in favor of [oldies](/source/Oldies), supplied from [Jones Radio Networks](/source/Jones_Radio_Networks)' [Good Time Oldies](/source/Good_Time_Oldies) satellite feed. In June 1999, the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) approved a license transfer from its original owner Niles Broadcasting to ([Pathfinder Communications](/source/Federated_Media_(broadcasting))) along with sister station [WAOR (95.3 FM)](/source/WTRC-FM).

Less than a year later, WNIL changed affiliations to [ABC Radio](/source/Citadel_Media)'s "[Memories/Unforgettable Favorites](/source/Unforgettable_Favorites)" (a [soft rock](/source/Soft_rock)/AC and oldies hybrid) and ran that feed even throughout the merger with "Stardust" and the name change to [Timeless Classics/Timeless Favorites](/source/Timeless_(radio_network)). When 2007 began, local [newscasts](/source/News_broadcasts) and talk programs were discontinued, making it an all-music station. However, in March 2007, the Timeless radio format was dropped in favor of syndicated talk programming. In October 2010, the format was changed to [Christian radio](/source/Christian_radio), branded as "The Mighty 1290 - Spirited Talk Radio", focusing on "Faith, and Family Values".

In the summer of 2012, WNIL, along with sister station [WAOR (95.7 FM)](/source/WRDI), switched once again to a sports format. Most programming came from [Fox Sports Radio](/source/Fox_Sports_Radio), except for the [Jim Rome](/source/Jim_Rome) show from [CBS Sports Radio](/source/CBS_Sports_Radio). In April 2014 WNIL and WAOR switched affiliations to [ESPN Radio](/source/ESPN_Radio). A month later, on May 19, Federated Media announced the sale of WNIL to Marion R. Williams, who already owned [WSMK](/source/WSMK) (99.1 FM) in Buchanan; this followed the sale of WAOR to St. Joseph Catholic Radio a week earlier.[3] The deal was consummated on August 29, 2014, at a purchase price of $225,000. That same day, WNIL changed its format to [news/talk](/source/News%2Ftalk), simulcasting WTRC-FM 95.3; on October 1, 2014, WNIL split from this simulcast and changed its format to a soft AC/oldies mix.

## Translator

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info W298CQ 107.5 FM Niles, Michigan 201047 80 D 41°49′23.5″N 86°17′2.6″W / 41.823194°N 86.284056°W / 41.823194; -86.284056 (W298CQ) LMS

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FCC-LMS-48912_1-0)** ["Facility Technical Data for WNIL"](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityTechDetails.html?facilityId=48912). *Licensing and Management System*. [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["WNIL now broadcasting on FM station"](https://www.leaderpub.com/2019/04/04/wnil-now-broadcasting-on-fm-station/). April 4, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ri-saletowilliams_3-0)** Venta, Lance (May 19, 2014). ["Federated Sells Another In South Bend"](http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/88701/federated-sells-another-in-south-bend/). *RadioInsight*. Retrieved May 19, 2014.

## External links

- [Michiguide.com - WNIL History](http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-m/wnil.html)

- [Facility details for Facility ID 48912 (WNIL)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=48912) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [WNIL](https://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP26&band=am&callLetter=WNIL) in [Nielsen Audio](/source/Nielsen_Audio)'s AM station database

- [Facility details for Facility ID 201047 (W298CQ)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=201047) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [W298CQ](https://fccdata.org/?facid=&call=W298CQ&ccode=1&city=&state=&country=US&zip=&arn=&party=&lmspf=&lmspl=&party_type=LICEN&latd=&lond=&lang=en) at FCCdata.org

[41°49′22.17″N 86°17′3.04″W / 41.8228250°N 86.2841778°W / 41.8228250; -86.2841778](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=WNIL&params=41_49_22.17_N_86_17_3.04_W_type:landmark_region:US-MI_source:FCC)

v t e Radio stations in the South Bend, Indiana, metropolitan area This template also includes Elkhart/Goshen, IN and Niles, MI. By AM frequency 960 1270 1290 1340 1460 1580 By FM frequency 88.1 88.5 88.9 89.7 89.9 91.1 91.7 92.1 92.9 94.3 95.3 95.7 96.9 97.7 99.1 99.9 100.7 101.5 102.3 103.1 103.9 104.7 106.3 LPFM 93.5 Translators 92.5 96.1 96.5 101.1 105.3 Digital radio by frequency & subchannel 99.9-1 99.9-2 99.9-3 By call sign W223AU W241AD W243AJ W266BF W287BL WBYT WCMR WCXB WETL WFRN-FM WGCS WGNC-FM WHME WHLY WHPD WHPZ WKAM WNDV-FM WNIL WNSN WRBR-FM WRDI WSBL-LP WSBT WSMK WSND-FM WTRC WTRC-FM WUBU WVSB WUBS WVPE WYRX-FM WYTZ-FM HD2 HD3 WZOW-FM Defunct WDND (1490 AM) WDND (1620 AM) Nearby regions Benton Harbor-St. Joseph Chicago Fort Wayne Grand Rapids Kalamazoo Muncie–Marion Northwest Indiana South Central Michigan See also List of radio stations in Indiana List of radio stations in Michigan

v t e Adult contemporary radio stations in the state of Michigan Mainstream AC Adrian WLEN Bay City/Saginaw WHNN Beaverton/Midland WMRX Detroit WNIC East Lansing WFMK Flint WCRZ Grand Haven WGHN-FM Grand Rapids WBFX WSRW-FM Hillsdale WCSR-FM McBain/Cadillac WCDY Midland WMPX Newaygo WWSN Niles WNIL Plymouth WSDP Port Huron WGRT Three Rivers WLKM-FM Hot AC Ashley/Owosso WJSZ Big Rapids WYBR Brooklyn/Jackson WKHM-FM Cadillac/Traverse City WJZQ Cassopolis WGTO Detroit WDVD Grand Rapids WLHT-FM Hancock WKMJ-FM Ishpeming/Marquette WMQT Ironwood WUPM Escanaba/Marquette WGLQ Lexington/Port Huron WBTI Negaunee/Marquette WKQS-FM Tawas City WTZM Soft AC Cadillac WLXV Dimondale/Lansing WXLA Escanaba WDBC Houghton WHBS Linwood/Bay City WSAG Marquette WUPK Norway/Iron Mountain WZNL Onaway/Cheboygan WWMK Petoskey WLXT Saginaw WSAM Sault Ste. Marie WSOO See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Michigan

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [WNIL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNIL) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNIL?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.