Broadcast Coverage Maps

FM Stations - Detail         FM Stations - Printable

AM Stations - Detail         AM Stations - Printable

Public Radio Stations in State

Main stations in bold followed by associated repeaters and translators
Facilities in italics operated by out‑of‑state broadcasters
Location in ( ) - actual location of transmitting facilities
N - New facility since 1989 study     # - Station now meets study criteria

FM Stations
WSIU		91.9	Carbondale		WIUM		91.3	Macomb
WVSI	N	88.9	Mt. Vernon		WIUW	N	89.5	Warsaw
WUSI	N	90.3	Olney		WGLT	N	89.1	Normal
WEFT		90.1	Champaign		W278AE	N	103.5	Peoria
WBEZ		91.5	Chicago		WCBU		89.9	Peoria
WRTE	#	90.5	Chicago		WQUB	#	90.3	Quincy
WNIU		90.5	DeKalb		WVIK		90.3	Rock Island
WNIE	N	89.1	Freeport		WQNA	#	88.3	Springfield
WNIW	N	91.5	LaSalle		WUIS		91.9	Springfield
WNIJ	N	89.5	Rockford		WIPA	N	89.3	Pittsfield
W289AB	N	105.7	Rockford		WILL		90.9	Urbana
WNIQ	N	91.5	Sterling		W293AF	N	106.5	Danville
WSIE		88.7	Edwardsville		W266AF	N	101.1	Urbana
WDCB		90.9	Glen Ellyn

AM Stations

WILL                        580   Urbana

General Comments

Public radio in Illinois is provided primarily by university-licensed stations.  Eleven of the main stations and all of the repeaters and translators are licensed to universities.  The universities operating WSIU and WILL also operate public television stations.  Community organizations operate a public radio station in Champaign‑Urbana, two separate stations in Chicago, and WQNA in Springfield.  These three markets are the only markets in the state served by multiple program services.  While there is no state‑designated entity responsible for the development of public radio, substantial gains have been made in public radio coverage since the 1989 PTFP study.  Several public broadcasters provide a regional service, including WNIU in the northwest part of the state and WSIU in southeast Illinois.  Nevertheless, the only public radio service in large areas of the state is provided by an AM station which must greatly reduce its power during the nighttime hours.    

FM Service  

Since the 1989 PTFP study, public broadcasters in Illinois have made significant strides to extend FM public radio service to unserved areas of the state.  The 1989 study reported twelve public radio stations in Illinois that met the study criteria.  Now, 23 stations and four translators provide public radio service.  Nine stations and four translators were constructed in areas identified in that study without public radio service.  Three additional stations -- WRTE Chicago, WQUB Quincy and WQNA Springfield -- that were on the air but did not meet the criteria of the 1989 study, now meet criteria for inclusion in this study.  They are indicated with a # symbol on the list of stations.  The percentage of the state's population that can receive a public FM radio station in the state increased from 85% in 1989 to 94.3% currently.  The number of people outside the range of an FM public radio signal decreased from 1,681,000 in 1989 to 706,019 currently.  

AM Service  

WILL(AM) 580 kHz Urbana provides public radio service to much of central and eastern Illinois.  During daylight hours the station broadcasts with 5 kW of power covering many areas of the state that do not receive a public radio signal from an FM station.  At night, the station must reduce its broadcast power to 100 watts, which covers only the immediate Urbana area. Portions of Illinois also receive AM coverage from WSUI Iowa City, Iowa, WBAA West Lafayette, Indiana, and WHA Madison, Wisconsin.  

Service from Adjacent States

Public radio service is also received by Illinois residents from stations operating in neighboring states.  WGTD Kenosha, Wisconsin, reaches Lake county and suburban Chicago in northeast Illinois.  KSUI Iowa City, Iowa, covers the Illinois cities of Rock Island and Moline.  KCRU Cape Girardeau, Missouri, covers Union, Alexander and Pulaski counties at the southern tip of Illinois. WVUB Vincennes covers portions of Crawford, Lawrence and Wabash counties on the Indiana-Illinois border. As noted, portions of Illinois receive AM service from stations in Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin.    

Unserved Areas

Region A  

There are 12,000 residents of Carroll and Jo Davies counties in the northwest corner of the state without public radio service.    

Region B 

The area just northwest of Chicago in Lake and McHenry counties contains 187,000 residents without public radio service.     

Region C

Kendall, Grundy, Will, Kankakee, Livingston, and Iroquois counties, south of Chicago, have 269,000 residents who do not receive a FM public radio signal.  This area receives daytime service from WILL(AM).  Kankakee County, with a population of 103,833, does not receive any FM public radio service at all. WBEZ Chicago is activating a new station, WBEQ Morris, in Grundy County, east of the WNIW coverage area, which will reduce the number of unserved residents there.    

Region D  

Vermillion, Edgar and Clark counties, southeast of Champaign-Urbana along the Illinois-Indiana border, have 48,000 residents who do not receive a FM public radio signal. The area receives daytime service from WILL(AM).      

Region E  

Montgomery, Fayette, Mason and Shelby counties, south of Springfield, have 40,000 residents, 51% of the area's population, who do not receive an FM public radio signal. The area receives daytime service from WILL(AM).    

Region F  

In the far southern counties of Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Hardin, and Saline, near the Ohio River, 90% of the population (47,726 residents) is without public radio service.