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WIAL

Coordinates: 44°49′48″N 91°26′49″W / 44.830°N 91.447°W / 44.830; -91.447
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WIAL
Broadcast areaEau Claire-Chippewa Falls
Frequency94.1 FM (MHz)
BrandingI-94
Programming
FormatCommercial; Hot Adult Contemporary
Ownership
Owner
Technical information
ClassC1
ERP84,000 watts
HAAT107 m (351 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.i94online.com

WIAL (94.1 FM) is a radio station in the Eau Claire area of Wisconsin, with its studio/offices located in Altoona, Wisconsin. Its transmitter is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

History

WIAL began as an easy listening station, similar to "The Wonderful WAIL" (WAYL, now KXXR) in Minneapolis. On November 1, 1982, WIAL switched formats to become Top 40 (CHR), in the wake of the transition of pop/rock formats from AM to FM stations, and debuted the name "I-94" after Interstate 94 which runs along the south and west side of Eau Claire. It currently airs a Hot Adult Contemporary format, with Sue Kelly mornings, Teri Ryan middays, and Demitre Ellis afternoons.

WIAL was sold to Midwest Family Communications in 1991 along with sister WEAQ-AM. In 1993 Midwest Family purchased WECL-FM. Then the stations were sold to Central Communications (consisting of WAXX-FM & WAYY-AM) in 1996, and moved to the Central studios in Altoona, WI. The five stations, along with new sister stations WDRK-FM, were sold to Maverick Media, LLC, in 2003. In 2013, Mid-West Family Broadcasting Inc re-purchased WIAL (along with WEAQ-AM).

WIAL switched to a Hot Adult Contemporary format in March, 2003, and unveiled its current logo soon after. In 2005, the station shifted to a mainstream Adult Contemporary format. On August 17, 2012, the station returned to a Hot AC format.

WIAL and its Eau Claire sister stations, along with Maverick Media's Rockford, Illinois stations, were sold to Mid-West Family Broadcasting for $15.5 million. The purchase of the Eau Claire stations was consummated on October 1, 2013, while the Rockford station purchases were consummated on June 1, 2014.

Previous logos

WIAL logo 1982 to circa-1987
WIAL logo circa 1987-mid-1990s
WIAL logo mid-1990s to 2003

44°49′48″N 91°26′49″W / 44.830°N 91.447°W / 44.830; -91.447