WKQX (101.1
FM) is a commercial
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 ...
licensed to
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, featuring an
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
format
Format may refer to:
Printing and visual media
* Text formatting, the typesetting of text elements
* Paper formats, or paper size standards
* Newspaper format, the size of the paper page
Computing
* File format, particular way that informatio ...
known as "Q101". Owned by
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is a broadcasting company of the United States and is the second largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States ahead of Audacy and behind iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdi ...
, the station serves the
Chicago metropolitan area
The Chicago metropolitan area, also referred to as Chicagoland, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the Midwest, containing the City of Chicago along with its surrounding suburbs and satellite cities. ...
. WKQX's studios are located in the
NBC Tower
__NOTOC__
The NBC Tower is an office tower on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois located at 454 North Columbus Drive (455 North Cityfront Plaza is also used as a vanity address) in downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. Completed in 19 ...
, while the station transmits from atop the
John Hancock Center
875 North Michigan Avenue (officially known until 2018 as the John Hancock Center and still commonly referred to under that name) is a 100- story, supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the ...
. In addition to a standard
analog transmission
Analog transmission is a transmission method of conveying information using a continuous signal which varies in amplitude, phase, or some other property in proportion to that information. It could be the transfer of an analog signal, using an an ...
, WKQX broadcasts over two
HD Radio
HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. HD radio generally simulcast, simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD R ...
channels.
WKQX is best known for carrying an alternative rock format that, from 1992 until 2011 and since 2022, has used the "Q101" brand. A sale of the station to Merlin Media in August 2011 saw outgoing owner
Emmis Communications
Emmis Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Emmis, based on the Hebrew word for "Truth" (''Emet'') was founded by Jeff Smulyan in 1980. Emmis has owned many radio stations, including KPWR ...
sell the "Q101 Chicago" name, intellectual property and all underlying trademarks for a unrelated
internet radio
Internet radio, also known as online radio, web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio and IP radio, is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not ...
station
bearing the same name, while WKQX itself flipped to
all-news radio
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to the discussion and broadcast of news.
All-news radio is available in both local and radio syndication, syndicated forms, and is carried on both major US satellite radio networks. All-news sta ...
under Merlin Media as WWWN, then to
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
as WIQI. Reverting to alternative under a long-term
local marketing agreement
In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...
by Cumulus Media in 2014, the station branded instead under the restored WKQX
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...
until Cumulus reacquired the Q101 trademarks on May 3, 2022. A former
NBC Radio
The National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (also known as the NBC Red Network from 1927 to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in continuous operation from 1926 through 1999. Along with the NBC Blue Network, it wa ...
owned-and-operated station, WKQX's studios were located in the
Merchandise Mart
The Merchandise Mart (or the Merch Mart, or the Mart) is a commercial building in Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, Illinois. When it opened in 1930, it was the List of largest buildings, world's largest building, with of floor space. The Art De ...
from the station's 1948 launch to 2016;
the station relocated to the NBC Tower, the current home of onetime sister station
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Telemundo station WSNS-TV (chann ...
, on August 4, 2016.
[Tour Of Our New Home!]
, WKQX. August 4, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2019.Feder, Robert
Robert Feder (born May 17, 1956) is an American media blogger who was the television and radio columnist for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1980 until 2008, a blogger for Vocalo.org from 2009 until 2010, and a blogger for ''Time Out Chicago'' fr ...
.
Cumulus Media moving to NBC Tower
, RobertFeder.com. November 18, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
WKQX-HD2 airs a
classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...
format branded as "The Loop" that was previously heard on the former WLUP (97.9 FM), now
WCKL.
History
The NBC years
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
, which had an
owned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry, an owned-and-operated station (frequently abbreviated as an O&O) usually refers to a television or radio station owned by the network with which it is associated. This distinguishes such a station from an network af ...
in Chicago since 1931 with
WMAQ (),
[NBC 25th Anniversary Edition]
, ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''. December 1, 1951. pp. 52, 54. Retrieved February 7, 2020. signed on WMAQ-FM on October 13, 1948, from studios in the
Merchandise Mart
The Merchandise Mart (or the Merch Mart, or the Mart) is a commercial building in Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, Illinois. When it opened in 1930, it was the List of largest buildings, world's largest building, with of floor space. The Art De ...
.
Its transmitter was located atop the
Civic Opera Building, where it broadcast with an
ERP of 24,000 watts.
In its early years, WMAQ-FM generally operated as an outright simulcast of WMAQ.
1958 Broadcasting Yearbook
', Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...
, 1958. p. A-276. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
The station began airing a classical music format afternoons and evenings in 1966, though it continued to simulcast WMAQ during mornings and early afternoons. By the early 1970s, it had adopted an
easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...
format. In 1970, the station's transmitter was moved to the
John Hancock Center
875 North Michigan Avenue (officially known until 2018 as the John Hancock Center and still commonly referred to under that name) is a 100- story, supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, the ...
.
In late 1972, WMAQ-FM adopted an automated
adult hits format, with programming from
TM Productions. In 1974, the station's call letters were changed to WJOI.
In January 1975, WMAQ 670 adopted a
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
format.
[ Hall, Claude.]
Chicago's WMAQ Hits Air
, ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''. January 11, 1975. p. 18. Retrieved February 8, 2019. WJOI followed suit, and aired an automated country music format aimed at a somewhat younger audience than WMAQ, with programming from TM Productions.
In June 1975, the station's call letters were changed to WNIS-FM, and it adopted an
all news
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to the discussion and broadcast of news.
All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried on both major US satellite radio networks. All-news stations can run the ...
format carrying
NBC Radio Network
The National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (also known as the NBC Red Network from 1927 to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in continuous operation from 1926 through 1999. Along with the NBC Blue Network, it wa ...
's News and Information Service (NIS).
In January 1977, the station's call sign was changed to WKQX, and it adopted an
album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the late 1960s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock.
US rad ...
format.
[ Hall, Claude.]
Vox Jox
, ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''. January 22, 1977. p. 58. Retrieved February 8, 2019. The program director was
Bob Pittman, who later created
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
and is now CEO of
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 ...
.
Bob Heymann served as assistant program director and morning drive host, and Bob King was the music director.
Mitch Michaels did afternoon drive and Lorna Ozmon did nights.
In the spring of 1977, Chicago gained another
AOR station,
WLUP, resulting in four FM rock stations (WKQX,
WXRT
WXRT (93.1 FM), also known as XRT and 93-XRT is an alternative rock radio station in Chicago, Illinois. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc.
The station broadcasts from a transmitter atop John Hancock Center and its studios are located at T ...
,
WDAI
WDAI (98.5 FM broadcasting, FM, "98.5 Kiss FM") is a mainstream urban radio station licensed to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and serves the Grand Strand area. The Cumulus Media outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FC ...
, and WLUP) competing against each other. By January 1979, WDAI switched to an all-
disco
Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
format and WKQX became an
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
station; Joel Sebastian hosted mornings.
Q101
In the early 1980s, WKQX began to be branded "Q-101". By the mid-1980s, the station had evolved into a
hot AC
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, ...
format.
Chicago Radio Guide
', Vol. 1, Issue 1. May 1985. Retrieved February 9, 2019. During this period, the station carried ''Sexually Speaking'' with Dr.
Ruth Westheimer
Karola Ruth Westheimer (née Siegel; June 4, 1928 – July 12, 2024), better known as Dr. Ruth, was a German and American sex therapist and talk show host.
Westheimer was born in Germany to a Jewish family. As the Nazis came to power, her paren ...
.
From 1983 to 1993, Robert Murphy was the morning drive host on Q101.
Tommy Edwards
Thomas Jefferson Edwards (February 17, 1922 – October 23, 1969) was an American singer and songwriter. His most successful record was the multi-million-selling song " It's All in the Game", becoming the first African-American to reach No. 1 ...
joined the station as program director in 1986. Starting in 1987, NBC began a two-year-long divestiture of their radio properties. In 1988,
Emmis Communications
Emmis Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Emmis, based on the Hebrew word for "Truth" (''Emet'') was founded by Jeff Smulyan in 1980. Emmis has owned many radio stations, including KPWR ...
purchased WKQX, along with four other NBC radio stations, for $121.5 million.
In the mid to late 1980s, WKQX aired an
adult top 40
The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Syste ...
format, with the slogan "Today's Music".
Chicagoland Radio Waves
', MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved February 9, 2019. Q101 continued to evolve, and on July 14, 1992, WKQX adopted an
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
format as "Chicago's New Rock Alternative". Bill Gamble was the station's Program Director.
In July 1993, former MTV
VJ Mark Goodman
Mark Goodman (born October 11, 1952) is an American radio host, TV personality and actor. He is best known as one of the original five VJ (media personality), video jockeys (VJs), along with Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter (VJ), Alan Hunter, J. J. ...
was hired as morning host, replacing Robert Murphy, but he remained in this position less than a year. In July 1998, Q101 became the new home of
Mancow Muller
Matthew Erich "Mancow" Muller (born June 21, 1966) is an American radio and television personality, actor, and former child actor. Considered a shock jock, his career has been well known for controversy and clashes with the Federal Communication ...
's morning show after he left
WRCX the previous month.
Specialty shows on the station, like ''Local 101'', showcased promising local acts, many of whom went on to achieve greater prominence.
On April 1, 2005, WKQX went "on shuffle", with its playlist expanded from 200 to approximately 1,000 songs.
Instead of focusing solely on new music, they expanded their playlist to include classic alternative rock from the 1980s and 1990s, and some 1970s artists.
Mancow was dropped by the station on July 14, 2006, with Emmis Communications replacing his show with one that they felt would better appeal to their target demographic.
On September 18, 2006, Q101 launched ''The Morning Fix'', a morning show led by former
WXDX-FM
WXDX-FM (105.9 Hertz, MHz) is a commercial radio station that is located in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known as ''105.9 The X'', it airs an alternative rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. Its radio studio, studios and off ...
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
personality
Alan Cox, and presented in a manner similar to ''
The Daily Show
''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night talk and news satire television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central in the United States, with extended episodes released shortly after on Paramount+ ...
'', featuring a blend of current events and pop culture. However, on November 9, 2007, ''The Morning Fix'' underwent major changes when it was decided that morning airtime would be more wisely used playing music; the changes resulted in only 2 of the shows' original 6 members remaining, Alan Cox and Jim "Jesus" Lynam. On August 1, 2008, Cox and Lynam were let go, with management moving Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle from afternoons to the morning slot.
During its tenure as an alternative rock station, WKQX served as host to several music festivals and events, mainly Jamboree at
Tweeter Center in
Tinley Park
Tinley Park is a village in Cook and Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 55,971 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb in the Chicago metropolitan area.
History
19th century
Modern settlement of the area now known as Ti ...
every June, and Twisted (formerly Twisted Christmas) at various venues every December.
Purchase by Merlin Media
On June 21, 2011, Emmis announced that it would sell WKQX, sister station
WLUP-FM, and
WRXP-FM in New York City to Merlin Media, whose CEO was former
Tribune Company
Tribune Media Company, also known as Tribune Company, was an American multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Through Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Media was one of the largest television broadcasting companies, owning 39 ...
and
Clear Channel Communications
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 ...
executive
Randy Michaels
Benjamin Homel, known professionally as Randy Michaels, is an American broadcasting executive and a former member of the National Association of Broadcasters TV Board.
Biography
Michaels has been involved in large market radio broadcasting since ...
. Emmis, who retained a minority stake in Merlin Media, granted Merlin a
local marketing agreement
In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...
to operate WKQX and WLUP-FM from July 15 until the sale officially closed on September 1. A format flip for WKQX, from alternative rock to
all-news
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to the discussion and broadcast of news.
All-news radio is available in both local and radio syndication, syndicated forms, and is carried on both major US satellite radio networks. All-news sta ...
, was rumored after the sale was announced.
Michaels was on record as saying, "My favorite format has always been spoken radio... it's time for spoken word to move to FM."
The entire airstaff at Q101 was dismissed upon Merlin Media's formal takeover that July 14. That same day, Emmis sold off the "Q101" name, related intellectual properties, and the Q101.com web domain, to Broadcast Barter Radio Networks.
[Q101's Past, Present & Future To Continue Online At New Q101.com]
, ''Chicagoland Radio and Media''. July 14, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
Q101's final on-air staffed show, "Local 101", concluded at approximately 1:01 a.m. on July 15; the program ended with "
Tonight, Tonight" by Chicago-based
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The ...
,
The Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
's "
Friday I'm in Love
"Friday I'm in Love" is a song by British rock band the Cure. Released as the second single from their ninth studio album, ''Wish'' (1992), in May 1992, the song became a worldwide hit, reaching number six in the UK and number 18 in the United S ...
" (the first song played at Q101's 1992 inception as an alternative station), and formal goodbyes by Chris Payne, Pogo, and other Q101 staffers. Q101 would continue solely as an online stream programmed, in part, by Emmis'
KROX-FM
KROX-FM (101.5 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Buda, Texas, and serving the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. It is owned by Sinclair Telecable Inc. (not related to television broadcaster Sinclair Broadcast Group, who owns CBS ...
, before BBRN eventually relaunched it as
an internet-only station.
WKQX itself continued without on-air staffing until Midnight on July 19; after playing "
Closing Time" by
Semisonic
Semisonic is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (musician), Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, pe ...
, WKQX began
stunting with adult contemporary music along with news reports as "FM New".
[Merlin's WWWN/Chicago Flips To All-News](_blank)
, All Access Music Group. July 29, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2019.[Venta, Lance.]
Merlin Media Call Letter Changes
, ''Radio Insight''. April 8, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2019. Robert Murphy returned to the station after 19 years to host mornings along with Lise Dominique for a few weeks until the full format switch took place.
FM News 101.1
On July 21, 2011, WKQX changed its call letters to WWWN, a
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...
moved from a
silent signal in
Watseka, Illinois
Watseka is a city in and the county seat of Iroquois County, Illinois, Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. It is located approximately west of the Illinois-Indiana state line on U.S. Route 24.
The population of Watseka was 4,679 as of th ...
licensed to Randy Michaels' Radioactive LLC.
[Call Sign History](_blank)
fcc.gov. Retrieved February 10, 2019. Eight days after the call letter change, on July 29, at 4 pm, WWWN launched an all-news format branded as "FM News 101.1".
[Channick, Robert.]
, ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
''. July 31, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
At the outset, "FM News 101.1" sought to differentiate itself from WBBM by highlighting its round-the-clock newswheel (as opposed to
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
flagship WBBM), aiming for a looser, less formal news presentation with a conversational tone, and deviating from hard news in favor of lifestyle, health and entertainment features.
[Merlin Media Officially Announces FM News 101.1 Format]
, ''Chicagoland Radio and Media''. July 31, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2019. The initial on-air and newsroom staff at "FM News 101.1" included several with Chicago radio ties, including Debra Dale and Jennifer O'Neill (both
WBBM alumna),
Brant Miller and Monica DeSantis (
WLS alums), and Ed Curran and Rob Hart (
WGN alums).
The station's call letters were changed again in December 2011 to WIQI.
"FM News 101.1" was criticized in its early weeks for what was seen as an amateurish, unpolished, and unprepared presentation.
[Learning the Lessons of FM News 101.1]
, Marcus Brown Media. July 17, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2019. Moreover, Merlin's top management (including Michaels) admitted that the format for both stations were still a work in progress, and "FM News" underwent a continual series of format adjustments. These included: the addition of sports and business updates; the "informal" testing of a news partnership with
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Telemundo station WSNS-TV (chann ...
; and the addition of daily commentary segments from
Clark Howard
Clark Brian Howard (born June 20, 1955) is an American author and radio/podcast host, focused primarily on personal finance, consumer protection, and related topics. He has hosted ''The Clark Howard Show,'' which began in 1989 and has lasted ov ...
and
Lionel. Later staff changes and reassignments at the station would lead to an increased reliance on "shared anchor arrangements" with its New York counterpart WEMP, as well as a non-linear,
voicetracking
Voice-tracking, also called cyber jocking and referred to sometimes colloquially as a robojock, is a technique employed by some radio stations in radio broadcasting to produce the illusion of a live disc jockey or announcer sitting in the radio stu ...
-style of arranging reports, sometimes without any anchor transitions.
WIQI also began an advertising campaign that included a controversial series of billboards using the face of imprisoned former
Illinois Governor
The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich ( ; born December 10, 1956), often referred to by his nickname "Blago", is an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Blagojevich previously worked ...
and the "He Never Listens... to FM News 101.1" tagline.
By June 2012, WIQI began phasing in blocks of "Expanded News Coverage" where the station entered a programming approach similar to
talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, Interview (jo ...
.
Feder, Robert
Robert Feder (born May 17, 1956) is an American media blogger who was the television and radio columnist for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1980 until 2008, a blogger for Vocalo.org from 2009 until 2010, and a blogger for ''Time Out Chicago'' fr ...
.
"News goes from bad to worse for Merlin Media
, ''Time Out Chicago
''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 333 cities in 59 countries worldwide.
In 2012, the London edition became ...
'', June 14, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2019. Personalities such as
Mancow Muller
Matthew Erich "Mancow" Muller (born June 21, 1966) is an American radio and television personality, actor, and former child actor. Considered a shock jock, his career has been well known for controversy and clashes with the Federal Communication ...
,
Neil Steinberg
Neil Steinberg (born June 10, 1960) is an American news columnist for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and an author. He joined the paper's staff in 1987.
Steinberg has written for a wide variety of publications, including ''Esquire'', ''The Washington ...
,
Kevin Matthews,
Mike North
Mike North (born May 1, 1951) is an American radio sports personality, formerly working for Clear Channel Communications as a cohost with Andy Furman on ''Fox Sports Daybreak'' Mon-Friday from 5am-8am CST on their Fox Sports Radio subsidiary, un ...
and
Dan Jiggets
Danny Marcellus Jiggetts (born March 10, 1954) is an American former American football, football offensive lineman. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 1976 NFL draft.
Early life
Jiggetts was born in Brooklyn, but grew up on Long Islan ...
and former
WGN morning host
Greg Jarrett all hosted informal auditions under the "Expanded News Coverage" banner.
Jarrett himself was promoted to host morning drive on WIQI during the formats' final three weeks of existence.
[Even More Changes at WIQI-FM: Jarrett to Mornings, Talks Shows, More]
, ''Chicagoland Radio and Media''. June 22, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
In spite of constant format tweaks and alterations, the all-news format failed to achieve better than a 0.4
Arbitron
Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio broadcasting audiences. It was founded as the American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by mergin ...
ratings share.
"FM News" was outperformed by the final ratings book for "Q101" and WKQX-LP, the aural signal of a
low-power analog television
Analog television is the original television technology that uses analog signals to transmit video and audio. In an analog television broadcast, the brightness, colors and sound are represented by amplitude, instantaneous phase and frequency, ...
station operated by Merlin under a
local marketing agreement
In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...
with an alternative rock format dubbed "Q87.7".
i101
At 9 a.m.
(CT) on July 17, 2012, with both WIQI and WEMP languishing on the eve of their one-year anniversaries, "FM News" was abruptly dropped on both stations.
[Venta, Lance.]
Merlin Flips FM News In Chicago & New York
, ''Radio Insight''. July 17, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2019.[FM News 101.1 Ends; Flips To Adult Hits I101]
, ''Chicagoland Radio and Media''. July 17, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2019. WIQI flipped to a 1990s-centric
adult hits format targeted at females between the ages of 18 and 49, and was branded as "i101".
The first song on "i101" was ''
Bye Bye Bye
"Bye Bye Bye" is a song by American boy band NSYNC from their second studio album, '' No Strings Attached''. It was released on January 17, 2000, as the lead single from the album. The song was written and produced by Kristian Lundin and Jake Sc ...
'' by
NSYNC
NSYNC ( ; also stylized as *NSYNC or N Sync) was an American vocal group and pop boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. The group consists of Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, ...
.
With a few exceptions, most of the WIQI and WEMP news staffs were immediately dismissed, with subsequent layoffs occurring in the following weeks and months.
After one month on the air, "i101" would move towards a
hot adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
approach. "i101" included some limited use of on-air staff, including morning host and former
WLUP-FM staffer Jane Monzures, who shared morning duties with fellow "Loop" alum Pete McMurray between August and October 2012. In late 2013, the station shifted to a
rhythmic adult contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary, often abbreviated as rhythmic AC or RAC, is an adult contemporary radio format. The format focuses primarily on rhythmic contemporary, rhythmic hits aimed towards an adult audience, often resembling a mixture of the cla ...
format.
101 WKQX
On January 3, 2014, Merlin Media announced a
local marketing agreement
In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...
(LMA) with
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is a broadcasting company of the United States and is the second largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States ahead of Audacy and behind iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdi ...
that would see Cumulus take over operations of WIQI, WLUP and WKQX-LP.
[Marek, Lynee.]
Deal for 'the Loop' gives radio powerhouse bigger reach in Chicago
, ''Crain's Chicago Business
''Crain's Chicago Business'' is a weekly business newspaper in Chicago, IL. It is owned by Detroit-based Crain Communications.
History
The first issue of ''Crain's Chicago Business'' is dated April 17, 1978. In 1977, when Crain Communicati ...
''. January 3, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2019. The deal, which includes an option for Cumulus to purchase WIQI and WLUP, resulted in Merlin relinquishing operations of its last remaining radio stations, and also saw an expansion of Cumulus' Chicago cluster, which includes
WLS and
WLS-FM
WLS-FM (94.7 MHz) is a commercial classic hits radio station licensed to serve Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Cumulus Media, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area, and is the radio home of Dave Fogel. The WLS-FM studios are located a ...
.
[Cumulus Purchasing All Merlin Media Properties; Alternative Coming Back To 101.1]
, ''Chicagoland Radio and Media''. January 3, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2019. Cumulus executives indicated that they, at the time of rebranding, had no intentions of acquiring back
the online rendition of "Q101" and related intellectual properties from the stations' 1992-2011 era.
In announcing the LMA, Cumulus indicated that it would move the
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
format from WKQX-LP onto the 101.1 facility.
The move took place on January 10, 2014, when the stations began a transitional simulcast.
[Alternative Returns To 101.1 Chicago](_blank)
, ''RadioInsight''. January 10, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2019. "
Closing Time" by
Semisonic
Semisonic is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (musician), Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, pe ...
was the last song played on "i101", while the first song played on the 101.1/87.7 simulcast was "
Times Like These" by
Foo Fighters
The Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, gu ...
.
The simulcast ended February 17, 2014, when Merlin Media's LMA for 87.7 ended and
Tribune Broadcasting
Tribune Broadcasting Company, LLC was an American media company which operated as a subsidiary of Tribune Media, a media conglomerate based in Chicago, Illinois. The group owned and operated television station, television and radio stations thro ...
began a local marketing agreement for the station (which is now
WRME-LD
WRME-LD (channel 33) is a low-power television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, affiliated with Jewelry Television. The station's audio channel, transmitting at 87.75 MHz (or VHF channel 6), lies within the FM band; as a result, ...
).
The WKQX
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...
was restored on the 101.1 facility on January 17.
101 WKQX's airstaff initially included Brian Phillips, Lou Lombardo, Lauren O'Neil, PJ Kling, and "wALT" (Walter Flakus of
Stabbing Westward
Stabbing Westward is an American industrial rock/alternative rock band. Christopher Hall (musician), Christopher Hall and Walter Flakus formed the band in 1985 in Macomb, Illinois. The band released an extended play in 1992, followed by four ...
). In September 2015,
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
*Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon
*Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine
*Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel
Portland may also r ...
radio personality Marconi joined WKQX to host weeknights (replacing PJ Kling).
Feder, Robert
Robert Feder (born May 17, 1956) is an American media blogger who was the television and radio columnist for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1980 until 2008, a blogger for Vocalo.org from 2009 until 2010, and a blogger for ''Time Out Chicago'' fr ...
.
WKQX finally comes alive at night
, RobertFeder.com. August 18, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2019. Marconi left WKQX in January 2018. Brian Sherman, former on-air personality at Q101 from 2001 to 2011, and one half of the duo Sherman and Tingle, was hired as an on-air personality for weekends.
Sherman retained his weekday on air role at suburban classic rocker
WFXF.
Russell Tanzillo from
North Central College
North Central College is a private college in Naperville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and has 73 undergraduate majors of study, 17 minors, 25 graduate programs, and 4 certificate programs offered by four undergradu ...
's
WONC joined as a weekend host in September 2015.
In April 2016, the station hired James VanOsdol, another former Q101 personality, to host a new local music showcase titled "Demo 312" (in reference to Chicago's
well-known main area code).
In November 2015, WKQX and WLUP announced their move from the Merchandise Mart, where the 101.1 frequency has been broadcast from since first taking the airwaves in 1948, in favor of a new studio at the
NBC Tower
__NOTOC__
The NBC Tower is an office tower on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois located at 454 North Columbus Drive (455 North Cityfront Plaza is also used as a vanity address) in downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile area. Completed in 19 ...
.
Until the new facility was completed, WKQX broadcast from a temporary facility at 190 N. State.
On August 4, 2016, the move of WKQX and WLUP to the NBC Tower was finalized.
In January 2018, as part of Cumulus Media's bankruptcy proceedings, the company requested that a
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
United States bankruptcy courts are courts created under Article I of the United States Constitution. The current system of bankruptcy courts was created by the United States Congress in 1978, effective April 1, 1984. United States bankruptcy ...
release the company from several "extremely unprofitable" contracts, including its LMAs with WLUP and WKQX.
Cumulus stated that under the agreement, which carries a monthly fee of $600,000, the company had lost $8.4 million on the two Merlin stations.
WLUP was sold by Merlin to the
Educational Media Foundation
Educational Media Foundation (formerly EMF Broadcasting, abbreviated EMF) is an American nonprofit Christian media ministry based in Franklin, a suburb of Nashville.
EMF is the parent company of K-LOVE and Air1—the world's largest contempor ...
. On April 3, 2018, it was announced that Cumulus would acquire WKQX and the intellectual property of WLUP for $18 million. The sale to Cumulus was consummated on June 15, 2018.
Returning to Q101
On April 18, 2022, Cumulus Media announced their purchase of
Q101 Chicago from Broadcast Barter Radio Networks, as well as the Q101.com domain name, all underlying trademarks and related intellectual property that Emmis had divested in 2011. Cumulus Chicago Vice President/Market Manager Marv Nyren revealed to ''Daily Herald'' journalist Robert Feder that discussions had been ongoing for over four years to reacquire rights to the "Q101" brand.
The internet station ceased operations, while WKQX reverted to "Q101" during the station's "10th anniversary" concert on May 3, 2022 (celebrating the launch of the current iteration of the format over the former WKQX-LP).
[
]
References
External links
*
List of Q101 Countdowns
(relevant to WMAQ-FM and eventually WKQX)
*
{{Authority control
1948 establishments in Illinois
Alternative rock radio stations in the United States
Cumulus Media radio stations
Modern rock radio stations in the United States
NBC Radio Network affiliates
Radio stations established in 1948
KQX (FM)