WKRS (1220 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language sports format. Licensed to Waukegan, Illinois, United States, the station is owned by Connoisseur Media, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC, and features programming from TUDN Radio. Its transmitter is located in Waukegan, while its studios are based in the north end of the Gurnee Mills mall in Gurnee.
History The station began broadcasting September 25, 1949. It ran 1,000 watts during daytime hours only, and was owned by The News-Sun Broadcasting Company.History Cards for WKRS, fcc.gov. Retrieved August 29, 2019. In 1983, WKRS was sold to Roger E. Kaplan, owner of 102.3 WXLC, for $650,000."Changing Hands", Broadcasting. January 10, 1983. p. 91. Retrieved August 30, 2019. In 1987, the station was sold to H&D Radio Limited Partnership, along with WXLC, for $5.5 million."Transactions", Radio & Records. July 17, 1987. p. 12. Retrieved August 30, 2019. In 1997, it was sold to Spring Broadcasting, and in 1999 it was sold to Belvidere Broadcasting, along with WXLC, for $4.3 million."Transactions", Radio & Records. May 10, 1996. p. 6. Retrieved August 30, 2019."Combos", Broadcasting & Cable. February 15, 1999. p. 46. Retrieved August 30, 2019. In 2000, the station was sold to NextMedia Group, along with WXLC, for $9.4 million."Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. August 7, 2000. p. 50. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
Between 1949 and 2012, WKRS had been a longtime English language radio station broadcasting local news and information for the Lake County region.Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 345-347."Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine, March 4, 1979. p. 34. Retrieved August 30, 2019."WKRS flipping to ESPN Deportes", Radio & Television Business Report. January 24, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2019. Personalities heard on WKRS included national hosts Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Bill O'Reilly, and Dave Ramsey, along with local hosts Al Salvi, Libby Collins, and Lenny Palmer, The Jack Taylor Program, among others. Known at times as "The Voice Of Lake County" and "The Talk of Lake County", WKRS also broadcast Lake County Fielders minor league baseball games as well as high school sports for the Lake County area.
Among its alumni are Chicago TV reporters Anita Padilla,"WKRS AM 1220", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 19. Retrieved August 30, 2019. Matt Rodewald,"Comcast SportsNet Chicago Brings Fans 2012 IHSA Football State Championships in HD", Illinois High School Association. November 13, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2019. and Susan Carlson.Rosenthal, Phil. "Susan Carlson to co-anchor WBBM-Ch. 2 early news", Chicago Tribune. August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
Spanish-language era In January 2012, it was announced that the station would drop its longtime English-language talk format in favor of a Spanish-language sports format, with programming from ESPN Deportes Radio, effective February 1, 2012.
In 2014, WKRS and NextMedia's 32 other radio stations were sold to Digity, LLC for $85 million."NextMedia Radio Stations Now Owned And Operated By Digity", Chicagoland Radio and Media. February 10, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2019. In 2016, Digity, LLC was purchased by Alpha Media for $264 million."With Digity, Alpha Is Now Fourth-Largest Radio Co.", InsideRadio. February 26, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
After ESPN Deportes Radio was discontinued on September 8, 2019, the station became an affiliate of TUDN Radio."TUDN Picks Up Some Former ESPN Deportes Radio Affiliates", Radio & Television Business Report. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
Alpha Media merged with Connoisseur Media on September 4, 2025.
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