WIOL (AM)
| City | Columbus, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Branding | 95.7 ESPN |
| Frequency | 1580 kHz |
| First air date | 1954 (as WCLS) |
| Format | Sports (WIOL-FM simulcast) |
| Power | 2,300 watts day 1,000 watts night |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 47088 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 32°27′55.00″N 85°1′22.00″W / 32.4652778°N 85.0227778°W |
| Former callsigns | WCLS (1954-1984) WIZY (1984-1985) WEAM (1985-2010) |
| Affiliations | ESPN Radio |
| Owner | Davis Broadcasting, Inc. (Davis Broadcasting, Inc. of Columbus) |
| Sister stations | WEAM-FM, WFXE, WIOL-FM, WKZJ, WOKS |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 957espn.com |
WIOL (1580 AM) is an American radio station broadcasting a sports format, simulcasting WIOL-FM 95.7 Waverly Hall. Licensed to Columbus, Georgia, USA, the station serves the Columbus, Georgia, area. The station is owned by Davis Broadcasting of Columbus, Inc. and features programming from ESPN Radio. Its studios are co-located with four other sister stations on Wynnton Road in Columbus east of downtown, and its transmitter is located in Phenix City, Alabama.
The station originally signed on the air in 1954 as WCLS. It was assigned call letters WIZY on February 1, 1984. On April 1, 1985, the station changed its call sign to the current WEAM.
This station was originally WCLS. The stationed was owned by Charlie Parish through late 1979. Some of the well known "Good Guys" were: Larry James, known as L.J. the D.J., Bill Dean, also known as "Batman Bill Dean", Rod Stacey (Frank Pittman), Rich Galore (Ken Carlisle), Chris Brannon, Kemosabie Joe Johnson, Bill Holly, Don Edwards, Scott Shannon, Buddy Fox.
The station was known as "the rock" of Columbus and led the market in popularity. The station had studios in Columbus, Georgia and in nearby Phenix City, Alabama, where the tower and transmitter were/are located.
The station sold to George H. Buck, Jr. Broadcasting and went to a Southern Gospel/Black Gospel format in 1980, under the direction of General Manager and air personality Glenn Lee.
Buck later sold the call letters in the 80's to someone further north for their station since CLS was the initials of the owner. The new call letters were/are WEAM. The format alternated between talk, and sports. The station is now an all gospel station, owned by Davis Broadcasting, which also owns WEAM FM and other area stations.
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Wikipedia