WPEO-FM

WPEO-FM (98.3 MHz) is an FM radio station licensed to Farmer City, Illinois.^[2] It is owned by WPEO Radio Foundation, and it simulcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format with co-owned WPEO 1020 AM in Peoria, Illinois. The radio studios and offices are just south of Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois.

WPEO-FM

Simulcast of WPEO (1020 AM)
Farmer City, Illinois
Broadcast area	Champaign, Bloomington
Frequency	98.3 MHz
Branding	The Word
Programming
Format	Christian talk and teaching
Ownership
Owner	WPEO Radio Foundation
History
First air date	1983; 42 years ago (1983) (as WZRO)
Former call signs	WEZO (1983–1996) WWHP (1996–2018) WEXG (2018–2020)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	14962
Class	A
ERP	5,200 watts
HAAT	107 meters (351 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	40°24′17.00″N 88°35′34.00″W
Repeater(s)	WPEO 1020 AM Peoria
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	www.wpeo.com

WPEO-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 5,200 watts. The transmitter is in Saybrook, Illinois, giving it coverage of an area of Central Illinois between Champaign and Bloomington.^[3]

History

The station began operations in 1983 as WZRO "5 County Country", then changed to WEZO, and changed to WWHP as "The Whip". It played a variety of music genres, primarily Americana roots, classic country, blues, and bluegrass. The station claimed to be located, "somewhere between Memphis and Chicago."^[4]

After a change in ownership in early 2014, the station changed formats to classic hits.^[5]

On November 23, 2015, WWHP became "NewsTalk 98.3" with a local morning and afternoon drive.

Former Cities 92.9 morning host Ian Bayne took over the station as program director and general manager and hosted the morning show from 6-9 am, installing national Breitbart editor Mike Flynn from 3-6 pm. Other programming included Laura Ingraham, Dana Loesch, Jerry Doyle, and Lars Larson.^[6]

On May 30, 2016, WWHP changed its format to classic rock.

On January 24, 2018, the station changed its call sign to WEXG and rebranded as "The Edge".^[7]

On October 6, 2020, WEXG changed its format from classic rock to a simulcast of Christian radio-formatted WPEO 1020 AM Peoria, branded as "The Word", and adopted a new WPEO-FM call sign the next day.^[8] Smash Hit then sold the station to WPEO owners WPEO Radio Foundation for $159,900.^[9] The sale was consummated on March 16, 2021.