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Anyone remember?

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on July 3, 2025, 10:57 am

Was telling my son about a radio station signing off several years ago. They let go the Dee jays but for the last week or so let a station engineer pick the song list. I think it was WCKG, but I could be wrong. Anyone remember this?

Re: Anyone remember?

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on July 3, 2025, 12:37 pm, in reply to "Anyone remember?"

WYSY Aurora Chicago. 107.9 FM, when WCKG's parent company (either CBS or Infinity, forgot who it was at the time) bought 107.9FM from COX and they were over the limit allowed in a market, so it had to spun off as it was the weakest of all the signals they owned.

The jocks were union and not allowed to talk when SBS (new owners) closed on the deal, so for the last week or so, they just spun music they selected. I actually voiced the top hour ID for a few nights, called in and they recorded me "WYSY Aurora, Chicago"

When they finally pulled the plug on 70s based WYSY, it was "Engineer Bill" playing a loop of his own chosen music out of a closet. This lasted until SBS rolled out studios for WLEY and debuted their new format. From my recollection, was more than a few months. I think it was called Radio Bill.

Side note, Engineer Bill took his life some years later. He was well respected within his engineer and radio colleagues. Sad loss.

Z

Re: Anyone remember?

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on July 3, 2025, 6:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Anyone remember?"

Thanks for the info. Was that in the late 90s?
Any if your friends hear you on the radio?

Re: Anyone remember?

Hi Detectivetom,

My fiancé at the time was so impressed, told her sisters, mom when we were siting at the kitchen table. LOL! I have an air check of it, I will have to encode it and try to post it somewhere. It was not my finest moment, I was nervous and it was rushed. I did not have time to put on my radio voice.

April 1997. It was a cold, rainy spring that year. I was using my new PrimeCo PCS phone as I got out of work in my 1984 Pontiac Trans Am. Splitting my time between WYSY & their weak 70s format, and B96, which was slowly turning urban and Hip Hop. I was so happy that 92.7 Cyber Radio by Sal Amato popped up and then Big city Radio 92 Kiss FM gave birth, as B96 was def not Top40 or Flashbacks or Dance any longer. The good old days!

Your welcome!

Z

Re: Anyone remember?

Posted by Johnny Vegas <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Johnny+Vegas' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on July 5, 2025, 9:25 pm, in reply to "Anyone remember?"

Here's a recording I made of that station back in 1997, not long after the announcement was made that SBS was going to buy WYSY. Zach Harris wasn't holding back. (Wait until the end when he plays Diana Ross). Features a listener grab for US99.

Link: WYSY Y107.9 - Aurora / Chicago - Last Sat Night Dance Party - Zach Har

Re: Anyone remember?

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on July 6, 2025, 7:30 am, in reply to "Re: Anyone remember?"

Thanks for posting this. What station did Zach recommend listeners switch to? Remember when Larry Lujack did the same thing when WCFL flipped to beautiful music? It was a California station.

Re: Anyone remember?

I do not remember who the exiting jocks were recommending people migrate to. I know CBS/Infinity was cross promoting in commercials, their other outlets (US 99, CKG). Rightfully so as they were ready to unload 107.9 and it was free promotion.

Zach was a good guy, loved radio, pretty sore (rightfully so) about the format change/sale. He had already been up an down the dial @ B96, Q101, WCKG, WYSY and Milwaukee. I do not think he is radio anymore. I was talking to a radio friend and we agreed, he has gone ghost. But he did come up in this article this year in Radio Ink, link below. Look at that image, the old reel to reel and cart decks!

If anyone knows what Zach is up to, chime in! Please.

Z

Link: Blast From The Past: WORG; South Carolina, 1982

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