WVEL

WVEL (1140 AM) is a daytimer radio station licensed to Pekin, Illinois, and serving the Peoria metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media with the license held by Radio License Holding CBC, LLC. It broadcasts an urban gospel radio format, with some Christian talk and teaching shows, and is known as "Central Illinois' Christian Voice."^[4] The radio studios and offices are on Eaton Street in Peoria.

WVEL

Studio in downtown Peoria
Pekin, Illinois
Broadcast area	Peoria metropolitan area
Frequency	1140 kHz
Branding	AM 1140 WVEL
Programming
Format	Urban gospel
Ownership
Owner	Cumulus Media (Radio License Holding CBC, LLC)
Sister stations	WFYR, WGLO, WIXO, WZPW
History
First air date	April 21, 1946; 79 years ago (1946-04-21)[1]
Former call signs	WSIV (1946–1979)[1][2]
Call sign meaning	Velvet (former music format)
Technical information[3]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	68623
Class	D
Power	5,000 watts (day) 3,200 watts (critical hours)
Transmitter coordinates	40°36′12″N 89°37′32″W
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen live
Website	wvel.com

By day, WVEL transmits 5,000 watts non-directional.^[5] As 1140 AM is a clear channel frequency, reserved for Class A WRVA Richmond, Virginia, and XEMR Monterrey, Mexico, WVEL must sign off at sunset to avoid interference. During critical hours, WVEL has a power of 3,200 watts.

History

The station signed on the air on April 21, 1946; 79 years ago (1946-04-21). The original call sign was WSIV. It increased its power to 1,000 watts on 1948.^[1] The station was assigned the WVEL call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on January 2, 1979.^[2] Before it was acquired by Cumulus Media in 2012, it was owned by Townsquare Media.^[6]