WROK (AM)

For the Sebastian, Florida, radio station, see WROK-FM.
WROK
Broadcast areaNorth Central Illinois
Frequency1440 kHz
BrandingNews Talk 1440 and 96.1
Programming
FormatNews/talk
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WKGL-FM, WXXQ, WZOK
History
First air date
1923
Former call signs
KFLV (1923–1933)
Call sign meaning
Rockford
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID48987
ClassB
Power
  • 5,000 watts day
  • 270 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
42°16′45.07″N 89°2′15.38″W / 42.2791861°N 89.0376056°W / 42.2791861; -89.0376056
Translator(s)96.1 W241DF (Rockford)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Website1440wrok.com

WROK (1440 kHz) is an American news/talk AM radio station in Rockford, Illinois. It is owned by Townsquare Media. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve Winnebago County, Illinois. WROK rebroadcasts on FM translator station W241DF at 96.1 MHz.

Programming

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The station features America in the Morning with John Trout, followed by Riley O'Neil for the morning drive-time broadcast. The Michael Koolidge Show airs after Riley O'Neil's morning show. Other syndicated programming includes The Sean Hannity Show, The Mark Levin Show, The Larry Elder Show, The Dave Ramsey Show, and Red Eye Radio.

Weekends feature This Weekend: America's First News with Gordon Deal, The Kim Komando Show, The Larry Kudlow Show, The Money Pit, Made in America, The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas, Live on Sunday Night, It's Bill Cunningham, Moneytalk with Bob Brinker, Viewpoints, Eye on Illinois, Stateline Sports Hour, Saturday Morning Stateline and some Sunday religious programming.

WROK broadcasts University of Illinois football and basketball, and selected NFL games during the regular season.

History

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Logo before translator sign on

WROK was a very popular Top 40 music station in Rockford during the 1970s. Sister station WZOK carries on the Top 40 heritage, although that station's format has shifted toward hot adult contemporary in recent years.

The WROK callsign was used in the 1996 movie Down Periscope. During the scene where Nitro (Toby Huss) is making a call fingering wire connections to Admiral Graham (Bruce Dern) for Captain Dodge (Kelsey Grammer) Nitro passes the phone to Captain Dodge. Captain Dodge is then heard saying "Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin, 1971." He passes the phone back to Nitro saying he answered the WROK question of the day, followed by "Now get me Admiral Graham."

On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare would acquire 53 Cumulus Media stations, including WROK, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled by Oaktree Capital Management.[2][3] The transaction was consummated effective November 14, 2013.

Translator

[edit]
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
W241DF 96.1 FM Rockford, Illinois 202281 250 D 42°16′45.2″N 89°2′14.9″W / 42.279222°N 89.037472°W / 42.279222; -89.037472 (W241DF) LMS

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WROK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Official: Cumulus Buys Dial Global, Spins Some Stations To Townsquare; Peak Stations Sold To Townsquare, Fresno Spun To Cumulus". All Access. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  3. ^ "Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official". RadioInsight. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
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