WICU-FM (92.7

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is a

contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (CHR, also known as contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top ...

-formatted

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting 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 rad ...

Erie, Pennsylvania Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pen ...

, licensed to Lawrence Park, Pennsylvania, under the ownership of SJL Broadcasting (a sister company to

Lilly Broadcasting Lilly Broadcasting, LLC is a privately owned American broadcasting company owned and operated by the Lilly Brothers. The company was formed in September 1999 with the purchase of WENY-TV (ABC) and WENY-FM & AM radio. In 2002, Kevin Lilly purc ...

). It uses the moniker "Happi 927". WICU-FM is simulcast in

Warren Warren most commonly refers to: * Warren (burrow), a network dug by rabbits * Warren (name), a given name and a surname, including lists of persons so named Warren may also refer to: Places Australia * Warren (biogeographic region) * War ...

on Lilly-owned WICU (1310 AM and 96.7 FM).

History

The station, using the call sign WEHP, signed on the air November 9, 2012, stunting with songs including the word "

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"; at 12p.m. on November 16, 2012, it formally launched its contemporary hit radio format under the branding of "Happi 92.7". The station was originally owned by Rick Rambaldo'a Erie Radio Company; the

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had been acquired, under the name First Channel Communications, for $2,068,000 in a May 2011

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(FCC) auction, outbidding an entity affiliated with

Connoisseur Media Connoisseur Media LLC is an American media company. It is based in Westport, Connecticut and led by Jeff Warshaw. As of May 2024, Connoisseur operates 13 radio stations and digital assets in four U.S. markets: Frederick, MD, Nassau-Suffolk, NY, Ne ...

. Rambaldo had previously a group of Erie radio stations that was sold to

NextMedia Nextmedia Pty Limited (styled as nextmedia) is an Australian media company which publishes special interest magazines in the sport, humor, and hobby (among others). The company is headquartered in Sydney and owned by The Forum Media Group, a Ge ...

in 1999, and subsequently acquired by Connoisseur Media and then

iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc., formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a company founded by ...

. The WEHP call sign was assigned on May 16, 2012. In September 2019, Erie Radio Company announced the sale of the station to SJL of Pennsylvania, owner of

WICU-TV WICU-TV (channel 12) is a television station in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by SJL Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Lilly Broadcasting, owner of CBS/ CW+ affiliate a ...

, for $1.33 million; SJL is a sister company to

, whose holdings in the area include

WSEE-TV WSEE-TV (channel 35) is a television station in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, affiliated with CBS and The CW Plus. It is the flagship television property of locally based Lilly Broadcasting, and is a sister station to NBC affiliate WIC ...

and three

radio stations. Under the terms of the agreement, Erie Radio Company retained the rights to the "Happi" brand, but granted SJL/Lilly a perpetual royalty-free license to use the name. The sale was completed on December 31, 2019, at which point the call sign was changed to WICU (the "-FM" suffix was added on February 13, 2020). On April 1, 2020, WICU-FM began simulcasting in Warren on WICU (1310 AM and 96.7 FM). In September 2021, WICU-FM relocated its studios to the facilities of WICU-TV and WSEE-TV, up State Street from its original studios.

References

External links

* ICU-FM Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 2012 2012 establishments in Pennsylvania Lilly Broadcasting {{Pennsylvania-radio-station-stub