WECL (92.9 FM, "The X") is an

active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...

formatted

broadcast Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

licensed to

Lake Hallie, Wisconsin Lake Hallie is a village in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States. It was incorporated from part of the Town of Hallie on February 18, 2003. The 2010 census put the village's population at 6,448. History The lake, from which the village de ...

, serving the Eau Claire/ Chippewa Falls area. WECL is owned and operated by

Mid-West Family Broadcasting Mid-West Family Broadcasting is an independently owned broadcasting company based in Madison, Wisconsin. The company owns and manages radio stations in Madison, Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, La Crosse, Wisconsin, Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Mich ...

History

The station originally aired an Adult Contemporary format. When it was purchased by Midwest Family Communications that owned

WIAL 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 The station began in 1948 as an easy listening station w ...

and WEAQ, it switched to an oldies format, becoming "Oldies 92.9" on January 1, 1995. The station also moved from the near the Menards Shopping Center on the northwest side of Eau Claire to Tower Drive on the northeast side. The station slogan was later changed to "Cool 92.9" WECL, WIAL and WEAQ were sold to Central Communications (consisting of

WAXX WAXX (104.5 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 Fairchild, Wisconsin, sharing the tower with WEAU. History The station was originally ...

and

WAYY WAYY (790 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It broadcasts a sports radio format and is owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting. Programming is mostly from CBS Sports Radio. It also carries Milwaukee Brewers base ...

) in 1996, and moved into the Central studios in

Altoona, Wisconsin Altoona is a city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 8,292 at the 2020 census with an estimated population in 2021 of 8,817. The city is a railroad terminal on the Union Pacific Railroad. History The settlement o ...

. The five stations, plus new sister station WDRK, were sold to Maverick Media, LLC in 2003. WECL switched to a classic rock format branded as "Classic Rock 92.9 ECL" on March 1, 2004. The station adopted the moniker "92.9 The Big Cheese - The Station That Rocks" in September 2005, and a new mouse logo shortly thereafter. In September 2012, the moniker was revised to "92.9 The Big Cheese Rocks" and a new logo was unveiled on November 30 of that year. WECL and its Eau Claire sister stations were sold to Mid-West Family Broadcasting for $15.5 million, taking effect on October 1, 2013. Two days after the sale closed, on October 3, 2013, at 11:58 p.m., after playing ''

Again Again may refer to: Entertainment * ''Again'' (video game), a 2009 adventure game for the Nintendo DS * '' Again!!'' manga * ''Again!'', a 2011 children's book by Emily Gravett * ''Again'' (film), a 2015 Japanese film Music * Again (band), a ...

'' by

Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...

, WECL began stunting with nonstop

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

songs, beginning with '' Fade to Black''. Three days later, on October 7, at 12:00 a.m., after playing ''

The Unforgiven II "The Unforgiven" is a power ballad by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the second single from their eponymous fifth album '' Metallica'' (also known as ''The Black Album''). Though one of the slower tracks on the album, i ...

'', WECL switched to an Active Rock format as "92-9 The X". The first song played on "The X" was '' American Idiot'' by

Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...

References

External links

92.9 The X Online
* {{Active Rock Radio Stations in Wisconsin ECL Radio stations established in 1993 1993 establishments in Wisconsin