WSWT
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2009) |
 | |
| Broadcast area | Peoria metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 106.9 MHz |
| Branding | Mix 106.9 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult contemporary |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WIRL (traditional and current); WMBD, WPBG, WKZF, and WXCL (current) | |
| History | |
First air date | 1964 (as WIRL-FM) |
Former call signs | WUHN (1971–?)[1][2] WIVC (1966–1971)[3] WIRL-FM (1964–1966) |
Call sign meaning | "Sweet" (previous nickname/format)[4] |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 13041 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 146 meters (479 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 40°43′22.1″N 89°30′40.3″W / 40.722806°N 89.511194°W (NAD83) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | mix1069.com |
WSWT (106.9 FM, branded as "Mix 106.9") is a commercial radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. It is licensed to Peoria, Illinois, and is owned by Midwest Communications, Inc.[5][6] The radio studios and offices are on Fulton Street in Peoria.
WSWT has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts, the current maximum for Illinois radio stations. The transmitter is on Grosenbach Road in Washington, Illinois.[7]
History[edit]
 | This section possibly contains original research. (April 2019) |
The station signed on the air in 1964 as WIRL-FM. It was the FM counterpart to WIRL 1290 AM. It has since changed call signs to WIVC, WUHN and then to the current WSWT. For many years, it aired a beautiful music format, calling itself "W-Sweet" to go along with its call letters. The station played quarter hour sweeps of soft, instrumental cover versions of popular songs. Walter Thurman was a longtime announcer at the station. Beginning in the 1980s the station gradually evolved into a soft adult contemporary sound and then to the more upbeat adult contemporary format that is the format today.
On December 22, 2014, WSWT announced it would rebrand from "Today's Lite Rock 107" to "Mix 106.9" after Christmas as part of its "New Year, New Name" campaign. That returned the heritage brand to the market for the first time since September 2007, when WXMP flipped to oldies as WHPI and rebranded as "Hippie Radio". This is the fourth incarnation for the "Mix" branding in Peoria: it originated as WMXP in 1994 on 93.3, after a seven-year absence, it resurfaced on 105.7 in 2003, and then moved to 101.1 in 2006 before the callsign and format were dropped the following year. The rebrand officially took place on the 26th. Shortly after the rebrand, the station dropped all-80s music from its weekend schedule, and shifted its non-Christmas playlist to Hot AC.
On February 4, 2019, Alpha Media announced that it was selling its Peoria cluster to Midwest Communications for $21.6 million.[8] The sale closed on April 30, 2019.
On December 26, 2019, WSWT changed its slogan to "Your Life. Your Music.", and also adopted a new logo.
On December 29th 2023 long time morning show personality and program director Randy Rundle retired after more than 30 years at WSWT.
Previous logos[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ C, Mike (2009-07-14). "Constant Rotation, the fifth part". The Skull & Pumpkin Public House. Blogger.
The Peoria Plague, a remarkably dark and effective alien/zombie plague drama from WUHN 106.9 Peoria IL, broadcast in 1971 or '72. There's no hard date for it (the station became WUHN in '71, but some say the production wasn't done during its first year).
- ^ White, Tim (2002-11-24). "#56". 1290 WIRL Guestbook. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
- ^ Henry (2002-10-01). "#50". 1290 WIRL Guestbook. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
- ^ "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web.
- ^ "WSWT Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "WSWT Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WSWT-FM
- ^ "Midwest Communications Acquires Alpha Media's Peoria Stations". RadioInsight. 6 February 2019.
External links[edit]
- WSWT in the FCC FM station database
- WSWT in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- "The Peoria Plague" on Archive.org — a radio drama that aired on the station in the early 1970s
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