WCRL
title: "WCRL" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["radio-stations-in-birmingham,-alabama", "classic-hits-radio-stations-in-the-united-states", "radio-stations-established-in-1952", "blount-county,-alabama", "1952-establishments-in-alabama"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCRL" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | WCRL |
| city | Oneonta, Alabama |
| country | US |
| branding | WCRL 95.3/94.7 FM |
| frequency | 1570 kHz |
| translator |
| | airdate | 1952 | | format | Classic hits | | power | 2,500 watts day 64 watts night | | class | D | | facility_id | 5888 | | coordinates | | | affiliations | Fox News Radio | | owner | Our Town Radio, Inc. | | webcast | Listen Live | | website | wcrlradio.com | | licensing_authority | FCC | ::
| name = WCRL | logo = | logo_size = | city = Oneonta, Alabama | country = US | branding = WCRL 95.3/94.7 FM | frequency = 1570 kHz | translator =
| airdate = 1952 | format = Classic hits | power = 2,500 watts day 64 watts night | class = D | facility_id = 5888 | coordinates = | callsign_meaning = | former_callsigns = | affiliations = Fox News Radio | owner = Our Town Radio, Inc. | licensee = | sister_stations = | webcast = Listen Live | website = wcrlradio.com | licensing_authority= FCC
WCRL (1570 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Oneonta, Alabama. The station is owned by Our Town Radio, Inc. and began operation on July 29, 1952. WCRL airs a classic hits music format.
History
The station was assigned the WCRL call sign by the Federal Communications Commission. The station has been owned by the L.D. Bentley Jr. family since the early 1950s, through Blount County Broadcasting Service, Inc. In 1968 the station added an FM sister, WKLD. That station was sold to Great South Wireless LLC in a deal that was completed in September 2008.
In November 2002, control of Blount County Broadcasting Service legally passed from Luther Daniel Bentley Jr. to Luther Daniel Bentley III. The younger Bentley and his sister, Teresa B. Lowry, now respectively own 51% and 49% of the corporation.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/WCRL_95.3-1570_logo.png" caption="Logo before 94.7 translator sign on"] ::
On March 30, 2012, Blount County Broadcasting Service, Inc., reached a deal to sell WCRL and its translator, W237DH, to Our Town Radio, Inc., for $180,000. The FCC approved the sale on May 14, 2012, and the transaction was consummated on June 1, 2012. Our Town Radio, Inc., is owned by Mark S. Sims (51%) and Robbie McAlpine (49%) of Oneonta, Alabama.
On 7/21/2015 Robbie McAlpine bought the other 51% from Mark Sims. Robbie McAlpine is 100% owner of Our Town Radio, Inc. The FCC filing can be found here: https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/assignmentDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=01ac944aad6f4c61928ac1b6063ebeb7&id=01ac944aad6f4c61928ac1b6063ebeb7&goBack=N
Translators
WCRL rebroadcasts its signal on two FM translators:
| call1 = W234DI | freq1 = 94.7 | watts1 = 230 | class1 = D | city1 = Douglas, Alabama | call2 = W237DH | freq2 = 95.3 | watts2 = 85 | class2 = D | city2 = Oneonta, Alabama | fid1 = 202511 | fid2 = 150993
References
References
- "Winter 2008 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- "Application Search Details (BALH-20080417ABT)". FCC Media Bureau.
- "Application Search Details (BTC-20020725AAF)". FCC Media Bureau.
- (May 14, 2012). "Application Search Details (BAL-20120330ALJ)". FCC Media Bureau.
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