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WCLR (FM)

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Coordinates: 41°52′32″N 88°45′17″W / 41.875444°N 88.754806°W / 41.875444; -88.754806
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WCLR
Broadcast areaDeKalb County–Fox Valley
Frequency92.5 MHz
BrandingK-Love
Programming
FormatChristian contemporary
AffiliationsK-Love
Ownership
OwnerEducational Media Foundation
WAWE, WAWY, WILV, WLWX, WQFL, WSRI, WZKL
History
First air date
December 17, 1961; 63 years ago (1961-12-17)[1]
Former call signs
  • WLBK-FM (1961–1976)[2]
  • WDEK (1976–2008)[2]
  • WCPY (2008–2014)
  • WCPT-FM (2014–2018)[3]
Former frequencies
99.1 MHz (1961–1962)[4]
Technical information[5]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID15974
ClassB
ERP20,000 watts
HAAT149 meters (489 ft)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.klove.com

WCLR (92.5 FM) is a radio station located in DeKalb, Illinois. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation, and airs a Christian contemporary format, as an affiliate of K-Love. The station's signal can be heard from Rockford to Joliet and includes the Fox Valley region.

History

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WLBK-FM

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The station began broadcasting on December 17, 1961, and broadcast at 99.1 MHz.[1][4] The station was originally WLBK-FM and simulcast AM 1360 WLBK during the day.[6] The station was locally owned and operated in DeKalb. On May 25, 1962, the station's frequency was changed to 92.5 MHz.[4] Gradually in the 1970s, the station added a progressive program known as "Headquarters" at night beginning at 6:00 p.m. and ending with sign-off at 2:00 a.m.

WDEK

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In October 1976, the station's call sign was changed to WDEK.[2] The station aired an automated Top 40 format during the day and a live album-oriented rock format at night.[7] In 1979, the station became a full-time AOR station.[7][8] WXRT Chicago mid-day jock John Bell was hired as the first Program Director. By late 1984, the station had adopted a Top 40/CHR format as "All Hit WDEK".[9][10] WDEK was also an affiliate of The Rockin' America Top 30 Countdown with Scott Shannon (later replaced by American Top 40 with Shadoe Stevens and then by Rick Dees Weekly Top 40), The Dr. Demento Show, and Hot Mix during its Top-40 days.[11]

92 Kiss FM

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92 Kiss FM logo

In early 1999, the station's local owners sold WDEK to Big City Radio.[12][13] The station became "92 Kiss FM", retaining its CHR format and began simulcasting 92.7 WKIE in Arlington Heights and 92.7 WKIF in Kankakee.[14][15] Melissa Forman hosted mornings on 92 Kiss FM, before moving to 93.9 WLIT-FM in 2001.[16][17]

Energy 92.7&5

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On January 12, 2001, Clear Channel's WUBT changed formats from rhythmic oldies to CHR as WKSC-FM "Kiss 103.5".[18] At that time, Clear Channel filed suit against Big City Radio, alleging the "Kiss FM" branding used by WDEK and its simulcasts violated its national trademark.[18][19] However, Big City Radio had already planned on changing the formats of these stations.[19] On January 26, 2001, 92 Kiss-FM signed off, and the three stations adopted a dance hits format as "Energy 92.7&5".[19][20] The station's airstaff remained intact.[21][22] The new format was designed by 92 Kiss FM's program director, Chris Shebel, who has stated that the dance hits format is something he had dreamed of doing for a long time.[19]

Onda 92

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In late 2002, Big City Radio became insolvent and began the process of selling all of its radio stations.[23] In early 2003, WDEK, WKIE, and WKIF were sold to Spanish Broadcasting System for $22 million.[24] On January 6, 2003, the three stations adopted a Spanish contemporary format as "Onda 92".[25][26][27][28]

Nine FM / Dance Factory

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In 2004, Spanish Broadcasting System sold WDEK, WKIE, and WKIF to Newsweb Corporation for $28 million.[29][30] At 9 a.m. November 29, 2004, WDEK and WKIE began simulcasting with its new adult hits sister station 99.9 WRZA in Park Forest, Illinois, as "Nine FM", with the slogan "We Play Anything".[31][32] The first song on the Nine FM simulcast was "With or Without You" by U2.[31] Sky Daniels was the original program director for Nine FM.[31] When he left in 2005, he was replaced by Matt DuBiel.[32]

In 2006, Chris Chudzik began leasing air time for a dance music show called Dance Factory.[33][34] Initially airing overnight on Saturdays,[33] the program was expanded to seven nights a week on May 14, 2007.[34]

Chicago's Progressive Talk

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Newsweb Corporation dropped the Nine FM programming on all three signals on October 20, 2008, and replaced it with a simulcast of sister station WCPT from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m.[35][36] The Nine FM format moved to WKIF 92.7 in Kankakee.[37] On October 27, 2008, the station's call sign was changed to WCPY.[3]

On June 2, 2014, WCPQ and WCPT-FM broke away from the Progressive Talk simulcast and changed their daytime format to Polish language programming as "Polski FM".[38] The latter station swapped callsigns with this station shortly thereafter.[38][3]

K-Love

[edit]

In autumn of 2018, the station was sold to Educational Media Foundation for $1.6 million,[39][40] and the station adopted a Christian contemporary format, as an affiliate of K-Love. The sale was consummated on November 30, 2018, at which point the station's call sign was changed to WCLR.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-64. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c History Cards for WCPT-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Call Sign History". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 419-420.
  5. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCLR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  6. ^ 1963 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1963. p. B-57. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "WDEK Ups Power, AOR Slant", Billboard. January 27, 1979. p. 29. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  8. ^ "WDEK Rockin' DeKalb at 92 1/2 FM 24 Hours of Rock...", Daily Chronicle. April 14, 1979.
  9. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1985. p. B-81. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  10. ^ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Spring-Summer 1989. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  11. ^ WDEK-FM (Top-40) Aircheck (December 9th, 1985). (20:00: The Rockin' America Top-30 Countdown Clip)
  12. ^ Application Search Details - BAL-19980424GG, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  13. ^ "Big City Buys Four More In Chicago", Radio & Records. April 24, 1998. p. 4. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  14. ^ "92.7 KISS fm". 92 Kiss FM. Archived from the original on February 29, 2000. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  15. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 16, No. 9. March 3, 1999. p. 2. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  16. ^ "Melissa Forman". 92 Kiss FM. Archived from the original on March 4, 2000. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  17. ^ Rosenthal, Phil. "Melissa Forman out at WLIT-FM -- again", Chicago Tribune. August 13, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  18. ^ a b "M Street Bazaar... People, Products, and Programming", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 03. January 17, 2001. p. 8. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  19. ^ a b c d Ross, Sean "Shebel Energizes WKIE With Dance", Billboard. February 17, 2001. p. 63-64. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  20. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 05. January 31, 2001. p. 1-2. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  21. ^ "KISS On Air". 92 Kiss FM. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  22. ^ "Energy Personalities". Energy 92 7/5. Archived from the original on April 10, 2001. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  23. ^ "Big City Radio Announces Auction Of Stations", HispanicAd.com. October 05, 2002. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  24. ^ Oppelaar, Justin. "Spanish B'casting picks up Chi trio", Variety. January 3, 2003. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  25. ^ "Analysts React To Big City Sell-Off", Radio & Records. pp. 4 & 6. January 10, 2003. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  26. ^ Devine, Cathy (2003). The M Street Radio Directory. Twelfth Edition. p. 193. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  27. ^ "Latin Music 6 Pack", Billboard. February 22, 2003. p. LM-2. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  28. ^ "Onda 92". Onda 92. Archived from the original on July 19, 2003. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  29. ^ "SBS Closes $28 Million Sale of Chicago FMs to Newsweb", RadioWorld. November 30, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  30. ^ Lazaroff, Leon. "Democratic donor plans to purchase 3 stations", Chicago Tribune, July 27, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  31. ^ a b c Kampert, Patrick. "Nine FM rolls out 'anything' format on 3 frequencies", Chicago Tribune, December 02, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  32. ^ a b Devine, Cathy (2005-2006). The Radio Book. p. 192. Retrieved December, 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Dance Factory". Nine FM. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  34. ^ a b Feder, Robert. "'Nine FM' filling void with club-style music every night of the week", Chicago Sun-Times, May 10, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  35. ^ "WCPT/Chicago Gets FM Simulcasts". Radio Ink. October 17, 2008. Archived from the original on October 27, 2008.
  36. ^ Rosenthal, Phil. "'Nine FM' consolidates -- who's left?", Chicago Tribune, October 18, 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  37. ^ Rosenthal, Phil. "Harvey Wells to step down from Newsweb Radio in February", Chicago Tribune, December 15, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  38. ^ a b Feder, Robert. "Newsweb Radio streamlines WCPT talk simulcast", robertfeder.com. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  39. ^ Finlon, Katie. "DeKalb station WCPT-FM bought out by Educational Media Foundation", Daily Chronicle. September 28, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  40. ^ Venta, Lance. "EMF Acquires WCPT-FM", RadioInsight. September 26, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
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41°52′32″N 88°45′17″W / 41.875444°N 88.754806°W / 41.875444; -88.754806

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