Since September 2009, the station has been owned by Fairhope-based Archangel Communications, Inc. WNGL broadcasts a Catholic radio format to the Mobile metropolitan area.
[5][6] The book Alabama's First Broadcast Stations by Harry Butler says the calls WALA once stood for "We Are Loyal Alabamians".
[1] As with sister station KMML in Amarillo, Texas, the new callsign stood for "M-M-Mel Tillis" as a play on Mel's famous stutter.
[10] Tillis exited the radio business in 1985 and WMML was sold to Bridgeway Communications, Inc.,[13] owned by St. Louis Media Hall of Fame inductee Doug Eason.
Bridgeway changed the format to urban-oriented rap music which did well in the ratings but proved a tough sell to area advertisers.
[18] In February 1999, the Estate of Albert L. Crain reached an agreement to sell this station to WLVV, Inc., based in Baytown, Texas, for a reported sale price of $263,750.
In July 2009, WLVV, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Archangel Communications, Inc., of Fairhope, Alabama.