WIOL (AM)

WIOL
Columbus, Georgia;
Frequency	1580 kHz
Branding	Hits 104.5
Programming
Format	Top 40 (CHR)
Ownership
Owner	Davis Broadcasting, Inc.; (Davis Broadcasting, Inc. of Columbus);
Sister stations	WEAM-FM, WFXE, WIOL-FM, WKZJ, WOKS
History
First air date	1954 (as WCLS)
Former call signs	WCLS (1954–1984); WIZY (1984–1985); WEAM (1985–2010)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	47088
Class	B
Power	2,300 watts day; 1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates	32°27′55.00″N 85°1′22.00″W / 32.4652778°N 85.0227778°W
Translator(s)	104.5 W283DF (Columbus)
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Website	hits1045.com

WIOL (1580 AM) is an American radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to Columbus, Georgia, United States, the station serves the Columbus, Georgia, area. The station is owned by Davis Broadcasting of Columbus, Inc.^[2] Its studios are co-located with four other sister stations on Wynnton Road in Columbus east of downtown, and its transmitter is located in Phenix City, Alabama.

History

The station originally signed on the air in 1954 as WCLS. It was assigned call letters WIZY on February 1, 1984. On April 1, 1985, the station changed its call sign to the current WEAM.^[3]

This station was originally WCLS. The stationed was owned by Charlie Parish through late 1979. Some of the well known "Good Guys" were: Larry James, known as L.J. the D.J., Bill Dean, also known as "Batman Bill Dean", Rod Stacey (Frank Pittman), Rich Galore (Ken Carlisle), Chris Brannon, Kemosabie Joe Johnson, Bill Holly, Don Edwards, Scott Shannon, Buddy Fox.

The station was known as "the rock" of Columbus and led the market in popularity. The station had studios in Columbus, Georgia and in nearby Phenix City, Alabama, where the tower and transmitter were/are located.

The station sold to George H. Buck, Jr. Broadcasting and went to a Southern Gospel/Black Gospel format in 1980, under the direction of General Manager and air personality Glenn Lee.

Buck later sold the call letters in the 80's to someone further north for their station since CLS was the initials of the owner. The new call letters were/are WEAM. The format alternated between talk, and sports. The station is now an all gospel station, owned by Davis Broadcasting, which also owns WEAM FM and other area stations.

In January 2021, WIOL changed their format from sports to top 40/CHR, branded as "Hits 104.5" (simulcast on FM translator W283DF 104.5 FM Columbus).^[4]