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Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 18, 2023, 2:46 pm

I realize the latest Nielsen PPM ratings will be released shortly, 6+, however, I would like to go down radio memory lane.

Can anyone recall a Chicago AM or FM station which were in their format for the shortest time?

Both Jeremy Andrews and WYTZZ95FM are both radio encyclopedias.

Minor format tweaks don't count.

If I had to take a guess, I think 94.7 would take the crown as it were.

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 18, 2023, 3:05 pm, in reply to "Chicago Radio Format Changes"

Hi Hunter LOL @ radio encyclopedias!

You are correct. 94.7 WRCK-FM lasted for 5 months. Yes, FIVE!

In 1978, WDAI flipped from Rock to all Disco. In 1980 Disco was all but over and WDAI was a Disco/Urban at the time. In May they flipped to Adult CHR/Oldies hybrid WRCK-FM, W-ROCK WRCK FM95. By October, they were WLS-FM. Simulcasting Larry Lujack in AM Drive and if I recall Brant Miller (yes the weatherman) doing nights. The other shifts were live only on the FM side.

Z

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN0jjQIMGAI

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by PhilJSmith <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=PhilJSmith' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 18, 2023, 6:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

“Listen to the rock, W-RoCK!” Right off the bat it seemed likely that was going to morph into WLS-FM, especially hearing Brant Miller’s voiceovers, station IDs, etc.

This might come down to the wire between FM95 W-RoCK and 101 FM News though. That experiment lasted very little time on 101.1 FM, although I don’t know if the callsign history accurately shows how long the format lived: https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hi

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by Jeffro <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeffro' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 19, 2023, 12:18 am, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

For some reason, they changed the calls from WWWN to WIQI in the middle of the "FM News 101.1" format. The whole thing lasted from 7/29/2011 to 7/17/2012.

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 19, 2023, 7:14 am, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

At first they were trying to target women. WWWN. Then they realized that was not working, so they went with a more regular news format. WIQI (101)

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by PhilJSmith <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=PhilJSmith' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 19, 2023, 7:09 pm, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

I don’t recall how long it was before the i101 format began, and then flipped to WKQX.

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 19, 2023, 7:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

Supposedly at the moment Q87.7 launched in May 2012, Cumulus was already interested in buying the stations and relaunching Q101. They couldn't get a reasonable price for the branding from Matt.

i101 launched in July 2012. It continued until January 2014 when 87.7's programming began simulcasting on 101.1 as "101.1" until it went with the 101 WKQX branding in February.

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by Jeffro <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeffro' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 21, 2023, 3:21 pm, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

"At first they were trying to target women. WWWN. Then they realized that was not working, so they went with a more regular news format. WIQI"

LOL...since everyone pays so much attention to call letters. And hey, when I see the letters WWWN, that just screams "women!"

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by PhilJSmith <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=PhilJSmith' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 21, 2023, 9:38 pm, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

Oh yes Jeffro, virtually nobody pays any attention to call letters, except for the few stations that brand themselves with them (e.g. WGN, WLS, WFMT, WGCI, WVON). If listeners actually cared, they would be puzzled why “WBBM” is WCFS while “B96” is WBBM. And then how about translators 🤓

Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes

Posted by Jeffro <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeffro' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 22, 2023, 2:40 pm, in reply to "Re: Chicago Radio Format Changes"

The minute amount of attention listeners pay to radio content would blow your mind. Some of the best (and worst) comedy came from reading Arbitron diary comments. OMFG! We rely on these people for our livelihood?!?

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