WRKX (95.3 FM, "

Jack FM Jack FM is a radio network brand that is licensed by Sparknet Communications, with the exception of the European Union where it is licensed by Oxis Media. It plays an adult hits radio format, format, in most cases not using disc jockey, DJs. F ...

") is a

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 ...

broadcasting a variety hits format. Licensed to

Ottawa, Illinois Ottawa is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the confluence of the navigable Fox River (Illinois River tributary), Fox River and Illinois River, the latter being a conduit for river barges and ...

, the station covers Northern Illinois, including LaSalle, and

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

. It is owned by NRG Media.

History

The station began broadcasting on August 15, 1964, as WOLI, and broadcast at 98.3 MHz.
1965 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), ...

, 1965. p. B-51. Retrieved July 25, 2018.History Cards for WRKX
fcc.gov. Retrieved July 25, 2018. WOLI aired a MOR format.
1971 Broadcasting Yearbook
',

, 1971. p. B-66. Retrieved July 25, 2018. By 1975, the station had begun airing a

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 Wale ...

top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...

format.
Broadcasting Yearbook 1975
',

, 1975. p. C-59. Retrieved July 25, 2018. In 1975, the station's frequency was changed to 95.3 MHz, and in September 1976, its call sign was changed to WRKX. By 1977, the station had begun airing 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.
Broadcasting Yearbook 1977
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, 1977. p. C-66. Retrieved July 25, 2018. The station continued airing a country music format into the 1980s.
Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984
', Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1984. p. B-82. Retrieved July 25, 2018. By 1985, the station had begun airing 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 ...

format.
Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985
', Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1985. p. B-85. Retrieved July 25, 2018. In August 1991, the station's format was changed to

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 ...

. In early 1993, the station's format was changed to

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, ...

. The station was branded "K95.3", "The River". By 2010, the station's format had changed to adult hits, as "95.3 SAM FM", carrying

Westwood One Westwood One, Inc. is an American radio network owned by Cumulus Media. The company syndicates talk, music, and sports programming. The company takes its name from an earlier network also named Westwood One, a company founded in 1976. The co ...

's S.A.M.: Simply About Music programming until the discontinuation of the network in August 2015, at which point the station became "95.3 Jack FM".Westwood One Signs Off 'SAM-FM'
, ''All Access Music Group''. August 31, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2018.

References

External links

Jack FM 95.3 FacebookWRKX's website
* {{coord, 41.383, N, 88.855, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title Jack FM stations RKX Adult hits radio stations in the United States NRG Media radio stations Radio stations established in 1964 1964 establishments in Illinois