WLLV

WLLV
Louisville, Kentucky;
Frequency	1240 kHz
Branding	Gospel 101.9 FM & 1240 AM
Programming
Format	Urban Gospel
Ownership
Owner	Peter Boyce and David Smith; (New Albany Broadcasting Co., Inc.);
Sister stations	WLOU
History
First air date	June 1940; 84 years ago (as WINN)
Former call signs	WINN (1941–1982)
Call sign meaning	W L LoVe
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	1125
Class	C
Power	530 watts
Transmitter coordinates	38°13′50″N 85°49′20″W / 38.23056°N 85.82222°W
Translator(s)	101.9 W270CR (Louisville)
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Website	wllvonline.com

WLLV (1240 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting an urban gospel format. Licensed to Louisville, the station serves the Louisville metropolitan area, including sections of Kentucky and Indiana. The station is owned by New Albany Broadcasting, which also owns urban adult contemporary station WLOU 1350 AM.^[3] The studios are on Muhammad Ali Boulevard in Louisville.

WLLV is a Class C station transmitting with 530 watts non-directional. Programming is also heard on FM translator W270CR on 101.9 MHz in Louisville.

History

The station signed on the air in June 1940; 84 years ago (1940-06).^[4] Its original call sign was WINN. It was a network affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System and carried its dramas, comedies, news and sports during the "Golden Age of Radio."

By the 1960s, network programming had shifted from radio to television. In 1965, the station turned to country music, now affiliated with the ABC Entertainment Network. This continued until late 1982.

At that point, WINN was sold to a group of African-American pastors from the Chicago area. They switched the format to urban gospel music, and the callsign changed from WINN to WLLV. Popular announcers through the gospel programming years included Pastor James Ford, Elder Ben Higgins, Minister Ben Walker, Minister Sylvia Walker, gospel singer Archie Dale and Bishop D.V. Lyons.

In 2024, a new General Manager was named to head WLLV, WLOU and WMYO-CD. Steve Murphy had been the president of a private equity fund.^[5]

WLLV has undergone a power reduction from 1,000 watts to 530 watts due to the relocation of the station's tower for a sewer district project. Management hopes to have WLLV's signal restored to its 1,000–watt standard.