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WHPK (88.5 FM) is an American
radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
based in Hyde Park on the
South Side of Chicago The South Side is an area of Chicago, Illinois, U.S. It lies south of the city's Loop area in the downtown. Geographically, it is the largest of the three sides of the city that radiate from downtown, with the other two being the north and w ...
, established in 1968. The station is owned by the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
, and operated by volunteer students and community members. WHPK's station manager and program director are elected by the station's student members and must be students themselves. The station's
broadcast engineer Broadcast engineering is the field of electrical engineering, and now to some extent computer engineering and information technology, which deals with radio and television broadcasting. Audio engineering and RF engineering are also essential pa ...
is paid by the university.


History

In 1968, WHPK-FM was established when the campus secret Society of the Owl and Serpent disbanded, donating its funds and Reynolds Club office space to a student radio group. WHPK-FM started broadcasting as a 15-watt FM station at 88.3 MHz on March 22, 1968. In 1985, WHPK-FM upgraded to a 100-watt transmitter and moved to the current frequency of 88.5 MHz. WHPK-FM was the first radio station to broadcast hip hop music in Chicago, and would become home to aspiring rappers throughout the years, including Common and
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
. The station changed its call sign to the current WHPK on February 26, 2016.


Content

Programming blocks are divided into classical,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fo ...
,
international International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...
,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
, public affairs,
rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
,
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
, and specialty show formats.


Notable

In 1984, WHPK-FM's first rap show was established by Ken Wissoker. DJ JP Chill has had a rap and hip hop show on WHPK since 1986. A long-running Saturday night show, ''The Blues Excursion'', is hosted by a widely received radio personality named Arkansas Red.


Recognition

In 2008, WHPK-FM was awarded "Best College Radio Station" by '' Chicago Reader''.


References


External links


Official website
* {{coord, 41.794, N, 87.599, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title Radio stations established in 1968
HPK Hämeenlinnan Pallokerho (HPK) is a professional ice hockey team in the Liiga, the top men's ice hockey league in Finland. Their home ice is the Ritari-areena in Hämeenlinna. HPK was established in 1929. The parent club of the team is HPK Edu ...
University of Chicago
HPK Hämeenlinnan Pallokerho (HPK) is a professional ice hockey team in the Liiga, the top men's ice hockey league in Finland. Their home ice is the Ritari-areena in Hämeenlinna. HPK was established in 1929. The parent club of the team is HPK Edu ...
1968 establishments in Illinois