View source for WNGL

{{short description|Radio station in Mobile, Alabama}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}

{{Infobox radio station
| name             = WNGL
| logo             = 
| city             = [[Mobile, Alabama]]
| area             = 
| branding         = ''Archangel Radio''
| frequency        = 1410 [[kHz]]
| translator       = W233CX (94.5 [[MHz]], Mobile)
| airdate          = February 7, 1930 (as WODX)
| format           = [[Catholic radio|Catholic]]
| power            = 5,000 [[watt]]s (day)<br />4,600 watts (night)
| class            = B
| facility_id      = 854
| coordinates      = {{coord|30|42|24|N|88|3|43|W|type:landmark_region:US-AL|display=inline}}
| callsign_meaning = '''W''' [[Angel|A'''NG'''E'''L''']]
| former_callsigns = WODX (1930–1933)<br>WALA (1933–1963)<br>WUNI (1963–1984)<br>WMML (1984–1991)<br>WLVV (1991–2009)<ref name="fcc1"/>
| affiliations     = 
| owner            = Archangel Communications, Inc.
| licensee         = 
| sister_stations  = 
| webcast          = [http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WNGL Listen Live]
| website          = [https://archangelradio.com archangelradio.com] 
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}

'''WNGL''' (1410 [[AM broadcasting|AM]]) is a [[radio station]] [[city of license|licensed]] to serve [[Mobile, Alabama]], United States. Since September 2009, the station has been owned by [[Fairhope, Alabama|Fairhope]]-based Archangel Communications, Inc.

==Programming==
WNGL broadcasts a [[Catholic radio]] format to the [[Mobile metropolitan area]].<ref name="arb1">{{cite web |work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/radio_stations/station_information.htm |title=Station Information Profile}}</ref> The station primarily airs programming from EWTN Global Catholic Radio and also broadcasts a local Live Hour program weekdays at 7AM, along with McGill-Toolen High School Football games.

==History==

===The beginning===
The oldest radio station in Mobile, '''WODX''' first broadcast from the Battle House Hotel in downtown Mobile on February 7, 1930.<ref>{{cite book |title=Mobile, the Life and Times of a Great Southern City: An Illustrated History |first=Melton Alonza |last=McLaurin |page=119 |quote=On February 7, 1930, WODX, Mobile's first radio station, signed on the air. |publisher=Windsor Publications |year=1981}}</ref> Owned by W.O. Pape's Pape Broadcasting Company, the station changed its call sign to '''WALA''' in 1933.<ref name="bc44">{{cite book |title=1944 Broadcasting-Telecasting Yearbook |year=1944 |page=74 |chapter=Directory of Standard Broadcasting Stations of the United States |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZDg1AAAAMAAJ&q=WALA+ |title=Radex Radio Index |publisher=The Radex Press Inc. |date=January 1934}}</ref> The book ''Alabama's First Broadcast Stations'' by Harry Butler says the calls WALA once stood for "We Are Loyal Alabamians".<ref>{{cite book |title=Alabama's First Radio Stations, 1920-1960 |first=Harry D. |last=Butler |publisher=Alabama Broadcasters Association}}</ref>

January 1953 saw the launch of co-owned NBC-affiliated [[television station]] [[WALA-TV]] (channel 10) in Mobile and the start of a new era for the AM radio station.<ref>{{cite web |title=Today in NBC History (Part 2) |publisher=History Orb |url=http://www.historyorb.com/entertainment/television/channels/nbc?p=2 |access-date=January 4, 2009}}</ref> A shift by the Pape family in January 1956 saw WALA transferred to a new company called Pape Television Company.<ref name="bc65">{{cite book |title=1965 Broadcasting Yearbook |year=1965 |page=B-6 |chapter=Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S. |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>

===The country era===
In 1963 the ownership of the radio and television stations was split and the AM station's callsign was changed to '''WUNI'''. The callsign was intended to sound out the phrase "You and I".<ref name="abmp">{{cite web |publisher=Alabama Broadcast Media Page |title=AM Technical Profile: WLVV |url=http://bellsouthpwp2.net/c/r/crackedlcd/almediapage/profiles/wlvv.html |access-date=January 4, 2009}}</ref> The re-christened radio station was acquired by a new company called WUNI Inc. on December 3, 1964.<ref name="bc67">{{cite book |title=1967 Broadcasting Yearbook |year=1967 |page=B-6 |chapter=Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S. |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> It was with this ownership change that WUNI became the first full-time [[country music]] radio station in Mobile.<ref name="abmp"/> The station was sold again, this time to the similarly named Radio Station WUNI Inc. on August 1, 1976.<ref name="bc79">{{cite book |title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1979 |year=1979 |page=C-6 |chapter=Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>

In October 1983, Radio Station WUNI, Inc., agreed to sell the station to [[country music]] legend [[Mel Tillis]] through his Tillis Communications, Inc.<ref name="mel1">{{cite web|publisher=AM 1070 The Ranch |title=News and Stories: The Mel Tillis Story |url=http://www.kfdi.com/get/theranch/page3.asp |access-date=January 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827235659/http://www.kfdi.com/get/theranch/page3.asp |archive-date=August 27, 2008 }}</ref> The deal was approved by the FCC on December 2, 1983.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=62206 |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19831017EN) |date=December 2, 1983}}</ref> Tillis had the [[Federal Communications Commission]] assign new call letters '''WMML''' on January 3, 1984.<ref name="fcc1">{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=854&Callsign=WNGL |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database}}</ref> As with sister station KMML in [[Amarillo, Texas]], the new callsign stood for "M-M-Mel Tillis" as a play on Mel's famous [[stutter]].<ref name="abmp"/><ref name="mel1"/> WMML continued to air the country music format it had adopted back in 1964.<ref name="abmp"/>

===R&B and religion===
Tillis exited the radio business in 1985 and WMML was sold to Bridgeway Communications, Inc.,<ref name="mel1"/> owned by St. Louis Media Hall of Fame inductee Doug Eason. Bridgeway changed the format to urban-oriented [[rap music]] which did well in the ratings but proved a tough sell to area advertisers.<ref name="abmp"/> In December 1989, station owner Bridgeway Communications, Inc., faced financial difficulties and the license for this station was involuntarily transferred to Bridgeway Communications, Inc., Debtor-In-Possession. The transfer was approved by the FCC on December 11, 1989.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=136008 |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19891129EA) |date=December 11, 1989}}</ref> In January 1990, Bridgeway Communications, Inc., Debtor-In-Possession gained approval to sell this station to Lonnie M. Tillis. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 2, 1990, and the transaction was consummated on May 30, 1990.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19891228EC) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=138287 |date=May 30, 1990}}</ref>

In March 1991, Lonnie M. Tillis made a deal to sell WMML to Albert L. Crain. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 26, 1991, and the transaction was consummated on June 17, 1991.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19910311EF) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=158054 |date=June 17, 1991}}</ref> The new owner had the FCC change the station's legal callsign to '''WLVV''' on June 28, 1991.<ref name="fcc1"/> The station aired religious programming branded as "Love Radio".<ref name="abmp"/>

On February 19, 1997, station owner Albert L. Crain died and on April 21, 1997, Joy Crain Johns applied to the FCC to have the license legally transferred to the Estate of Albert L. Crain. The transfer was approved by the FCC on May 5, 1997, and the transaction was completed on May 9, 1997.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19970421GI) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=245071 |date=May 9, 1997}}</ref>

In February 1999, the Estate of Albert L. Crain reached an agreement to sell this station to WLVV, Inc., based in [[Baytown, Texas]], for a reported sale price of $263,750.<ref name="bcf4">{{cite news |date=March 22, 1999 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54210855.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022035029/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54210855.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Changing Hands - 3/22/1999}}</ref> The deal was approved by the FCC on April 14, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on June 23, 1999.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAPL-19990216GH) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=281906 |date=June 23, 1999}}</ref> The station switched to a [[Urban contemporary gospel|black Gospel]] music format branded as ''Victory 1410'' under the slogan "The Voice of Victory".<ref name="abmp"/> The station's transmitter site and broadcast tower were severely damaged by [[Hurricane Katrina]] and has been operating under a series of special temporary authorities since September 2005 while repairs and new construction bring the broadcaster back to regular licensed operation.

==WNGL today==
In July 2009, WLVV, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Archangel Communications, Inc., of [[Fairhope, Alabama]]. The deal, valued at $125,000, was accepted for filing by the FCC on August 3, 2009, approved by the Commission on September 18, 2009, and the transaction was consummated on September 29, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-20090731ACV) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1325070 |date=September 29, 2009}}</ref> The new owners flipped to a [[Catholic radio]] format. They had the station's call sign changed to '''WNGL''' on October 8, 2009.<ref name="fcc1"/>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{AM station data|854|WNGL}}
* [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=68127 FCC History Cards for WNGL]

{{Mobile Radio}}
{{Religious Radio Stations in Alabama}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Mobile, Alabama|NGL]]
[[Category:Catholic radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1930]]
[[Category:1930 establishments in Alabama]]
[[Category:Christian radio stations in Alabama|NGL]]
[[Category:Catholicism in Alabama]]