WLIT-FM

WLIT-FM
City Chicago, Illinois
Broadcast area Chicago market
Branding The New 93.9 LITE FM
Slogan
  • Chicago's Best Variety from the 80's, 90's, & Now (General)
  • Chicago's Christmas Station (November–December)
Frequency 93.9 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date April 7, 1958 (1958-04-07) (as WEBH-FM)[1][2]
Format
ERP 4,000 watts
HAAT 482 meters (1,581 ft)
Class B
Facility ID 70042
Callsign meaning LITe FM
Former callsigns
  • WEBH-FM (1958–1959)[2]
  • WEBH (1959-1970)[2]
  • WWEL (1970–1972)[2]
  • WLAK (1972–1989)[2][3]
Owner iHeartMedia, Inc.
(AMFM Broadcasting Licenses, LLC)
Sister stations WEBG, WGCI-FM, WGRB, WKSC-FM, WVAZ, WVON
Webcast Listen Live (via iHeartRadio)
Website 939litefm.iheart.com

WLIT-FM 93.9 FM, (93.9 LITE FM) is a radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, featuring a format of Mainstream AC music. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications until September 2014). WLIT has studios located at the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago, and it broadcasts from a 4 kw transmitter and antenna based atop Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). WLIT broadcasts with the maximum authorized power for a Class B FM station at the specified antenna height.[4]

History

WEBH

93.9 FM in Chicago began operation April 7, 1958, with the call sign WEBH-FM, which stood for the Edgewater Beach Hotel, the location of its original studios and transmitter site.[2][5][6] The station was owned by Buddy Black Broadcasting Co.[2][5] The station broadcast easy listening music, along with middle of the road jazz on weekday evenings, a classical music block on Sundays, and Sunday morning sermons.[5] In 1968, the station's transmitter was moved to Riverside Plaza, and its studios were moved to the Congress Plaza Hotel.[2] In 1969 the station was sold to Rich Communications Corp. for $325,000.[7]

WWEL

In January 1970, the station's call sign to WWEL.[8][2] The station broadcast a beautiful music format.[9] WWEL's call sign was chosen to describe the easy listening format that was broadcast.[5] In 1971, the station's transmitter was moved to the John Hancock Center, and it was sold to Sudbrink Broadcasting.[2] The station's studios were moved to the John Hancock Center the following year.[2]

WLAK

In February 1972, the station's call sign was changed to WLAK.[2] WLAK adopted the beautiful music format produced and distributed by Stereo Radio Productions, as did the other Sudbrink FM stations.[10]

In 1974, the station's transmitter and studios were moved to the Sears Tower.[2] In 1978, WLAK was sold to Storer Broadcasting for $4.25 million.[11] That December, Storer announced that it would exit radio to focus on its television stations and cable systems.[12] While the company's other radio stations were sold in 1979, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations of the time required Storer to retain WLAK for three years.[12] Storer sold WLAK to Viacom International for $8 million in 1981.[12]

In 1983, WLAK's format was shifted to soft adult contemporary.[13] Core artists included Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand and others.[13] The station was branded "Love Songs".[14][15] Later, its slogan was "Songs to Sing Along With".[16]

WLIT-FM

WLAK changed call letters on January 16, 1989 to WLIT-FM, and rebranded as "Lite FM", with the slogan "Lite Favorites".[3][17][18]

Viacom sold its radio stations to Chancellor Broadcasting in 1997.[19] In 1999 Chancellor restructured as AMFM Inc.[20] In 2000, WLIT fell under the ownership of Clear Channel Communications after Clear Channel's merger with AMFM.[21][22]

Lite FM logo used from 2012 to 2013

Over time, WLIT evolved out of soft AC and into a mainstream adult contemporary format. WLIT became Chicago's only adult contemporary station on August 1, 2011, when former rival WCFS-FM flipped to a simulcast of WBBM. This marked the first time in years Chicago had had only one AC radio station.

My FM logo, 2013 to 2017
My FM Christmas logo

On June 17, 2013, at 9 AM, WLIT rebranded as "93.9 My FM". The first song on "My FM" was "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry.[23][24][25] The change updated the station's playlist to be more current/recurrent-based. In 2014, the station dropped most of its 1980s songs. In 2015, the station re-added 1980s music to its playlist. On December 1, 2017, at 5 PM, during its annual Christmas music programming, WLIT returned to the Lite FM branding.[26] Unlike the previous "Lite FM", this incarnation uses the same logo and jingles as sister station WLTW in New York City.

Imaging

In 1994, the station began using a custom jingle package produced by TM Century, now TM Studios of Dallas.[27][28]

In 2000, WLIT started using Reelworld Productions in Seattle, with a grand total of 5 custom packages that soon became the main formula for AC radio jingle imaging nationwide. After WLIT rebranded to 93.9 Lite FM in 2012, the station used Reelworld's Hallam FM 2006 and KMYI 2009 packages, with some Reelworld One AC cuts. WLIT didn't use any jingles as 93.9 My FM.

Imaging wise, the station used Randy Reeves from 2000-2004, and current imaging voice Cam Brainard since 2004, though WLIT used Scott Fisher and Joe Cipriano in the past. With the My FM rebrand, the station went back to Cam Brainard's voice, and the station hasn't turned to another imaging voice since. WLIT also uses Reelworld's Production Vault imaging library for all of its imaging.

HD programming

In February 2006, WLIT began broadcasting in HD Radio. WLIT's HD-2 was originally a simulcast of the now-defunct "Real Oldies" WRLL (now WVON) 1690 AM, then changed to a mix of disco music and 1970s/1980s called "Flashback." In August 2009, the format changed again, this time to a gold-based AC format known as "Chicago's Classic Lite", and later branded as Delilah.[29][30]

Christmas broadcasting

From November through Christmas Day each year, WLIT changes its branding to The Holiday Lite and format to continuous Christmas music, resuming its regular branding and format on December 26. During the period between December 26 and January 2, the Christmas music moves to the HD2 channel while the main terrestrial station resumes the regular format. After the mid-2013 rebranding, the all-Christmas tradition was continued without reference to "lite".[31][32]

Personalities

In December 2000, the station began airing Delilah evenings.[33] Delilah's program was cancelled in November 2007, but returned in October 2008.[34] Delilah's program was cancelled again in March 2012 but was brought back in December 2017, after the station returned to its "Lite FM" branding.[34][35]

Melissa Forman joined WLIT as morning host in 2001, remaining until 2006, but returning 14 months later.[36][37] Forman was again let go in 2009, and began co-hosting "You & Me This Morning" on WCIU-TV, but was again hired as morning host on WLIT in May 2018.[36][37][38]

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010, Broadcasting & Cable, 2010. p. D-186. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 History Cards for WLIT-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  4. ↑ "FCC FM Query". Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Holland, Marsha. "Radio Broadcasting at the Edgewater Beach Hotel after 1928 - Part 2", Edgewater Scrapbook. Vol. 28, No. 1. Winter 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  6. ↑ 1958 Broadcasting Yearbook (PDF). 1958. p. A-276. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Actions" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 8, 1969. p. 84. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Call Letter Actions" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 26, 1970. p. 96. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  9. ↑ 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting. 1971. p. B-62. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  10. ↑ Ciapura, Dennis R. "The Beautiful Music Radio Format: An Insider's Perspective" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 13, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 17, 1978. p. 53. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 "Storer sells its final AM [sic] to Viacom" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 14, 1981. p. 90. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "It's Beautiful: Bonneville's Verdery Trying New Approach to Vocal Music", Billboard. February 19, 1983. pp. 15, 62. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Love Is 'On' The Air", Radio & Records. March 9, 1984. p. 41. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Chicago Radio Guide. Vol. 1, No. 1. May 1985. p. 3. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  16. ↑ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  17. ↑ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Spring-Summer 1989. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  18. ↑ "WLIT FM 93.9", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 42. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  19. ↑ Peers, Martin. "Viacom Radio Signs Off", Variety. February 18, 1997. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Chancellor to Become AMFM Inc.", AdAge. May 20, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  21. ↑ Consent to Transfer, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Clear Channel-AMFM Merger Gets Approval", Associated Press. Los Angeles Times. August 30, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  23. ↑ Venta, Lance (June 17, 2013). "Lite's Out In Chicago". Radio Insight. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  24. ↑ "WLIT-FM Drops 'The Lite' - Changes To '93.9 My FM'". Chicagoland Radio and Media. June 17, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  25. ↑ Channick, Robert (June 17, 2013). "WLIT now MY FM with updated playlist". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  26. ↑ Venta, Lance (December 1, 2017). "WLIT Chicago Reverts To 93.9 Lite-FM Branding". Radio Insight. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  27. ↑ "WLIT-FM 1994 Jingles Package", Chicagoland Radio and Media. July 5, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  28. ↑ Radio & Records Program Supplier Guide. 1994. p. 43. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Listen To Delilah 24/7!", WLIT. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  30. ↑ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=4 Archived 2016-09-16 at the Wayback Machine. HD Radio Guide for Chicago
  31. ↑ "WLIT Goes All Christmas Just After Midnight". Robert Feder. November 13, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  32. ↑ "WLIT-FM Begins Its Annual Teasing of Listeners Waiting for Christmas Music". Chicagoland Radio and Media. November 3, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 17 No. 50. December 13, 2000. p. 2. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  34. 1 2 "Delilah Loses Son; Then Loses WLIT-FM", Chicagoland Radio and Media. March 13, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Delilah Joins Chicago’s Reprised ‘Lite FM.’", Inside Radio. December 8, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  36. 1 2 Rosenthal, Phil. "Melissa Forman out at WLIT-FM -- again", Chicago Tribune. August 13, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  37. 1 2 Feder, Robert. "Melissa Forman going ‘home again’ to Lite FM morning show", Robert Feder. May 21, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  38. ↑ Melissa Forman Returns To WLIT (93.9 Lite FM)/Chicago", All Access Music Group. May 21, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

Coordinates: 41°52′44″N 87°38′10″W / 41.87889°N 87.63611°W / 41.87889; -87.63611

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