WKRS (1220 AM) is a

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 ...

broadcasting a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

Sports format. Licensed to

Waukegan, Illinois ''(Fortress or Trading Post)'' , image_flag = , image_seal = , blank_emblem_size = 150 , blank_emblem_type = Logo , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_type1 = State , subdivisi ...

, United States, the station is currently owned by

Alpha Media Alpha (uppercase , lowercase ; grc, ἄλφα, ''álpha'', or ell, άλφα, álfa) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of one. Alpha is derived from the Phoenician letter aleph , which ...

, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC, and features programming from

TUDN Radio TUDN Radio (formerly Univision Deportes Radio) is a U.S. Spanish-language sports radio network operated by Uforia Audio Network, a division of TelevisaUnivision. It launched on March 15, 2017 on ten AM and FM radio stations, most of which previ ...

. Its studios and transmitter are separately located in Waukegan.

History

The station began broadcasting September 25, 1949. It ran 1,000 watts during daytime hours only, and was owned by The News-Sun Broadcasting Company.History Cards for WKRS
fcc.gov. Retrieved August 29, 2019. In 1983, WKRS was sold to Roger E. Kaplan, owner of 102.3

WXLC WXLC is an FM radio station that operates on the 102.3 frequency, based in Waukegan, Illinois. The format is currently hot adult contemporary and its owned by Alpha Media. WXLC broadcasts throughout Lake County, Illinois and Kenosha County, Wisc ...

, for $650,000. In 1987, the station was sold to H&D Radio Limited Partnership, along with WXLC, for $5.5 million. In 1997, it was sold to Spring Broadcasting, and in 1999 it was sold to Belvidere Broadcasting, along with WXLC, for $4.3 million. In 2000, the station was sold to

NextMedia Group NextMedia Group was an out-of-home media company headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. NextMedia owns and operates 33 AM and FM stations, 5,700 outdoor advertising display across several regions and markets, as well as an interactive divi ...

, along with WXLC, for $9.4 million. Between 1949 and 2012, WKRS had been a longtime English-language radio station broadcasting local news and information for the Lake County region.Ghrist, John R. (1996). ''Valley Voices: A Radio History''. Crossroads Communications. p. 345-347.WKRS flipping to ESPN Deportes
, Radio & Television Business Report. January 24, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2019. Personalities heard on WKRS included national hosts

Laura Ingraham Laura Anne Ingraham (born June 19, 1963) is an American conservative television host. Gale Biography In Context. She has been the host of ''The Ingraham Angle'' on Fox News Channel since October 2017, and is the editor-in-chief of LifeZette. ...

Michael Savage Michael Alan Weiner (born March 31, 1942), known by his professional name Michael Savage, is a far-right author, conspiracy theorist, political commentator, activist, and former radio host. Savage is best known as the host of '' The Savage Na ...

, Bill O'Reilly, and

Dave Ramsey David Lawrence Ramsey III (born September 3, 1960) is an American personal finance personality, radio show host, author, and businessman. An evangelical Christian, he hosts the nationally syndicated radio program ''The Ramsey Show''. Ramsey has ...

, along with local hosts

Al Salvi Albert J. Salvi (born April 25, 1960) is an American attorney, politician, and former radio talk show host. Salvi served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and was a Republican nominee for the United States Senate and Illinois ...

, Libby Collins, and Lenny Palmer, among others. Known at times as "The Voice Of Lake County" and "The Talk of Lake County", WKRS also broadcast

Lake County Fielders The Lake County Fielders were an American professional minor league baseball team based in Zion, Illinois, located in Lake County in the northern reaches of the Chicago area. The Fielders were owned by Grand Slam Sports & Entertainment, LLC, ba ...

minor league baseball games as well as high school sports for the Lake County area. Among its alumni are Chicago TV reporters Anita Padilla,WKRS AM 1220
, ''Radio Chicago''. Fall 1989. p. 19. Retrieved August 30, 2019. Matt Rodewald, and Susan Carlson.

Spanish-language era

In January 2012, it was announced that the station would drop its longtime English-Language Talk format in favor of a Spanish-language sports format, with programming from

ESPN Deportes Radio ESPN Deportes Radio was an American Spanish language sports radio network created and produced by Disney-owned ESPN. Programming included call-in talk shows and commentary from hosts about a full range of sporting events, including soccer, Ameri ...

, effective February 1, 2012. In 2014, WKRS and NextMedia's 32 other radio stations were sold to Digity, LLC for $85 million. In 2016, Digity, LLC was purchased by

for $264 million. After ESPN Deportes Radio was discontinued on September 8, 2019, the station became an affiliate of TUDN Radio.TUDN Picks Up Some Former ESPN Deportes Radio Affiliates
, ''Radio & Television Business Report''. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.

References

External links

* {{TUDN Radio KRS KRS Alpha Media radio stations Radio stations established in 1949 1949 establishments in Illinois Waukegan, Illinois