Because of the station's low-power status, WRME-LD is not subject to the FCC's educational and informational programming requirements, allowing a full 24/7 format without interruption for other programming. In November 2019, the station (as WRME-LP) began airing news and weather updates from WBBM-TV (channel 2) during the morning and afternoon drive times.[2]
After the 2009 digital television transition for full-power stations, WRME-LP became one of several such "Franken-FM" stations that were actually analog TV stations on channel 6; the video signal aired unrelated material to the audio, including a loop of weather and traffic information. When low-power stations were required to transition to digital, Venture Technologies Group obtained special temporary authority to convert the station to ATSC 3.0 Next Gen TV and also maintain an analog audio signal on 87.7 FM. The ATSC 3.0 channel occupies the lower 5.509MHz of the 6MHz channel.
Officially, the second HD Radio channel of Audacy-owned WMYX-FM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a repeater of WRME-LD's audio signal, and both stations identify together as "WRME-LD, Chicago and WMYX-FM-HD2, Milwaukee". The WMYX-HD2 signal also carried by the Audacy app, which is available throughout the United States and on its website.
History
Move to Channel 6
When the station first signed on the air in 2003, it broadcast on Channel 55 using the call sign W55DF. It later moved to Channel 6 because of Qualcomm's MediaFLO service expanding to the Chicago area. Its programming once consisted of infomercials, home shopping services, MTV Tr3s, and Azteca América. It became WLFM-LP in 2006.
On March 9, 2009, Venture announced that it signed letters of intent to lease out their Channel 6 signals on both WLFM-LP and KSFV-CA in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, which would pave the way for the launching a dance format on the stations. Programming was to have begun under that format June 1, 2009, and be patterned after Mega Media's New York City outlet WNYZ-LP and be branded as Pulse 87.
In the interim, on April 1, 2009, Channel 6 switched to an alternative country music format as "The L." One month later, Venture announced it would not pursue the deal with Mega Media.[3] Channel 6 continued with the alt-country format until a format change in Chicago opened a new opportunity.
Smooth Jazz
On May 22, 2009, WNUA (95.5 FM) dropped its smooth jazz sound for Spanish contemporary music. That afternoon, Channel 6 immediately picked up the abandoned format, becoming an affiliate of the Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network, and adopting the name "87.7 Chicago's Smooth Jazz." Channel 6 originally broadcast still photographs of Chicago and Jazz musicians on its video signal, since all television licensees are still required to transmit video while on air. In the summer of 2011, Channel 6 began airing traffic maps and a weather scroll on its video signal.
Initially, WLFM's smooth jazz format consisted of round-the-clock programming from the Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network. But later on the station added two local weekday hosts, both veterans WNUA DJs: midday host Rick O'Dell (also the station's program director) and evening personality Loni Taylor. In addition, channel 6 featured syndicated shows from Kenny G, Mindi Abair, Dave Ramsey and Dave Koz along with local specialty shows, such as Paul Wertico's Wild World of Jazz Sunday nights at 9 p.m., The Sounds of Brazil with Scott Adams heard Saturdays at midnight, The Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown with Allen Kepler, Dinner Party with Bill Cochran, and Sunrise Soundscapes and The Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch with Rick O'Dell. Channel 6 General Manager Pat Kelley had also worked at WNUA.
In July 2009, Channel 6 began simulcasting on a subchannel of WCHU-LD (33.2, mapped to virtual channel 61.2). In June 2011, Channel 6 became available on Comcast digital cable as Channel 877.[4]
In October 2010, WLFM tweaked its format to "Smooth Adult Contemporary" (again using a Broadcast Architecture source). The format was a mix of mainstream and rhythmic adult contemporary tracks with a few smooth jazz instrumentals per hour.
All-News and Alternative Rock
On April 24, 2012, Merlin Media, LLC, entered into a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Venture Technologies Group to take over the programming and ad sales for WLFM-LP as of April 30, 2012. Merlin Media was headed by noted radio executive Randy Michaels. Venture Technologies retained the station's license and ownership. Later on the 24th, Smooth 87.7's Rick O'Dell revealed on the station's website that smooth jazz would be replaced on April 30, 2012. Venture Technologies management termed the LMA with Merlin as a "business decision" based in part on the future status of low-power analog TV stations, whose signals must be turned off or transitioned to digital by September 2015.[5][6] "Smooth 87.7" ended before midnight on April 29, 2012, with David Sanborn's "Chicago Song" the last song played. Afterwards, the station changed over to a simulcast of Merlin's all-news station, WIQI (101.1 FM).[7] (Twice-hourly news updates from WIQI were added to WLFM on April 24, Merlin's first noticeable change to the station.)[8] A call sign change from WLFM-LP to WKQX-LP took effect on May 1, 2012.[9]
The smooth jazz format continued on the HD3 subchannel of Merlin's WLUP-FM (97.9-HD3), which launched on May 3, 2012.[10] Additionally, WLFM-LP alum Rick O'Dell launched an online radio station, SmoothJazzChicago.net, on November 12, 2012.[11][12] The channel was added to the HD2 subchannel of WTMX (101.9-HD2) in January 2014.[13]
On May 6, 2012, WKQX "Q87.7" ("Underground. Alternative.") was launched, with "Satellite" by Chicago band Rise Against as the first song played. The station, perhaps inspired by its low-FM dial position and its uncertain future ("Already there are some people maneuvering to shut us down"), cultivated a hard-edged "outlaw mystique." It targeted a younger audience that may normally listen to music through online sources. A message on the station's website at its launch noted that "older radios won't pick us up... so if someone has a radio that doesn't get 87.7FM, then they just don't get it!"[14]
LMA with Cumulus Media
On January 3, 2014, Merlin Media announced a local marketing agreement with Cumulus Media that would have Cumulus take over operations of Merlin-owned 101.1 WIQI and 97.9 WLUP-FM. The deal also created an expansion of Cumulus' Chicago operations. The company already owns and operates talk station WLS (890 AM) and classic hits station WLS-FM (94.7).[15][16]
In announcing the deal, Cumulus indicated that it would move the alternative rock format from WKQX-LP to WIQI. The move took place on January 10, 2014, with both 87.7 and 101.1 simulcasting for approximately 30–45 days. Once the simulcast ended, alt-rock remained on 101.1 which re-adopted the WKQX call sign on January 16, 2014.[17] Cumulus' long-term plans for WKQX-LP were initially unclear.
Sports Talk
Cumulus wrapped up its LMA with WKQX-LP on February 17, 2014. Tribune Broadcasting announced that it would enter into a local marketing agreement for WKQX-LP as an "FM expansion" for its primary station, WGN (720 AM).[18][19] Venture applied to change the call sign of WKQX-LP to WGWG-LP.
On February 17, 2014, the Chicago Tribune reported that WKQX-LP would flip to a WGN-produced sports talk format known as "The Game." Jonathon Brandmeier hosted its morning show, while WGN's David Kaplan moved to late-mornings on "The Game." Howard Griffith and Alex Quigley hosted an early afternoon show, with former WMVP personalities Harry Teinowitz and Spike Manton in afternoon drive time, and Mark Carman hosting an evening show. The remaining dayparts featured NBC Sports Radio programming. The Game also served as the alternate station for the Chicago Blackhawks during conflicts with WGN's coverage of Chicago Cubs games, ending the previous agreement with WIND (AM 560).
The arrangement was initially slated to last through September 2015, the FCC's original deadline for converting low-power television stations to digital broadcasting. But in October 2014, the FCC voted to tentatively delay the low-power digital transition.[20][21]
Until sometime in 2014, the FCC database reflected the station's city of license as Rochelle, Illinois, a community in Ogle County located south of Rockford. With the new Tribune LMA, the city of license became Chicago. The station's primary signal does not get far beyond Chicago's western suburbs. The station's signal range remains under restriction due to other Channel 6 stations nearby, WITI in Milwaukee and KWQC-TV in Davenport, Iowa, which had their analog broadcasts on Channel 6 and continue to use that designation for their digital virtual channels.
On November 20, 2014, Robert Feder reported that Tribune would discontinue The Game on December 31, 2014; Jonathon Brandmeier's program, which was simulcast from Tribune's Internet radio station WGN.fm, was also immediately dropped.[22][23] The decision came in response to its low advertising revenue, along with poor ratings. On December 31, 2014, WGWG-LP was changed to an FM simulcast of WGN's talk programming until the end of Tribune's LMA with Venture Technologies Group.[24]
LMA with Weigel Broadcasting
On December 30, 2014, Weigel Broadcasting, which owns WCIU-TV and several other low-power TV stations in Chicago, said it would take over WGWG-LP in February 2015. The station marked Weigel's first venture into the radio industry.[25] Weigel assumed control on February 23, 2015, playing a soft oldies format branded as "MeTV FM." It would serve as a brand extension of its MeTV classic television network, seen locally on another low-power station, WWME-CD. The call letters were changed to WRME-LP.[9][26]
MeTV FM features a broad playlist of approximately 3,500 songs, mostly from 1960 to 1989, in the soft to mid-tempo range. "Light My Fire" by The Doors was noted in 2018 as the hardest rock song on the station's playlist, its inclusion having been extensively debated among station staff.[27] In recent years, the range of records played on WRME has expanded to include those by performers usually considered to be "Album-Oriented Rock" artists.
By May 2017, despite the obstacles posed by its frequency and limited signal, WRME was tied in the Nielsen ratings with its full-power competitors WJMK and WLS-FM at an audience share of 2.7, putting it 14th in the market. Weigel decided to syndicate the branding and format through a partnership with Envision Networks.[28] By February 2018, WRME had risen to 6th in the market and second in middays.[29]
To maintain the visual requirements of maintaining television service, WRME-LP's video signal displayed a screen layout reminiscent of that used by cable radio service Music Choice mixed with The Weather Channel's automated Weatherscan service. On the top of the screen, the current artist/song title is displayed, with the station logo to the right, while below it, a consistently panning map of the Chicago metropolitan area displays the latest expressway travel times and weather radar conditions for several parts of the region. Finally, along the right side of the screen, a visual station identification with the station's calls is in the bottom right corner, along with a display ad for Xfinity and the hour's current featured advertiser.
On July 13, 2021, as a result of the final transition deadline for low-power television stations, WRME-LP converted from analog directly to ATSC 3.0, becoming the first Next Gen TV station in Chicago. Its call sign switched to WRME-LD on July 15 to reflect this change, and took the virtual channel of 33. The lone channel broadcast on the television service is Jewelry Television, mapped to virtual channel 33.1. MeTV FM audio programming continued to be available in analog on 87.7 FM due to a Special Temporary Authority grant from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). On July 20, 2023, an FCC "Report and Order" included this station as one of 13 "FM6" stations allowed to continue to operate an FM radio broadcast, as a "ancillary or supplementary" service.[30]
WGN-TV is an independent television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, it is sister to the company's sole radio property, news/talk/sports station WGN. WGN-TV's studios are located on West Bradley Place in Chicago's North Center community; as such, it is the only major commercial television station in Chicago which bases its main studio outside the Loop. Its transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower in the Loop.
WLFM is a radio station licensed to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
WGN is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a talk radio format. WGN's studios are in the Chicago Loop, while the transmitter is in Elk Grove Village. WGN also features broadcasts of Chicago Blackhawks hockey and Northwestern University football and basketball.
WLS-TV is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, serving as the market's ABC network outlet. It has been owned and operated by the network's ABC Owned Television Stations division since the station's inception. WLS-TV's studios are located on North State Street in the Chicago Loop, and its transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower.
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 and radio stations throughout the United States, as well as full- or partial-ownership of cable television and national digital subchannel networks.
WCIU-TV is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, affiliated with The CW. It is the flagship television property of locally based Weigel Broadcasting, which has owned the station since its inception, and is sister to two low-power stations: independent outlet WMEU-CD and MeTV/Heroes & Icons flagship WWME-CD. The stations share studios on Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood; WCIU-TV's transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower in the Chicago Loop.
WMAQ-TV 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 ; it is also sister to regional sports network NBC Sports Chicago. WMAQ-TV and WSNS-TV share studios at the NBC Tower on North Columbus Drive in the city's Streeterville neighborhood; both stations are broadcast from the same transmitter atop the Willis Tower in the Chicago Loop.
WBBM – branded Newsradio 780 WBBM – is a commercial all-news AM radio station licensed to serve Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Audacy, Inc., its studios are located at Two Prudential Plaza in the Chicago Loop, while the station transmitter—diplexed with sister station WSCR—resides in the nearby suburb of Bloomingdale.
WCKL is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, featuring a Christian contemporary format via the K-Love network. Owned and operated by Educational Media Foundation (EMF), WCKL serves the Chicago metro area with a transmitter located atop the John Hancock Center.
WKQX is a commercial radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, featuring an alternative rock format known as "Q101". Owned by Cumulus Media, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area. WKQX's studios are located in the NBC Tower, while the station transmits from atop the John Hancock Center. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WKQX broadcasts over two HD Radio channels.
WMYX-FM is a commercial radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US. Calling itself "99-1 The Mix", it was the first station in the U.S. to use the "Mix" moniker. WMYX-FM has been airing roughly the same hot adult contemporary radio format since late 1981. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc., along with sister stations WXSS-FM and WSSP. WMYX's studios and transmitter are co-located in Hales Corners. The playlist consists of current hits and recent hits from the 2000s and 2010s. WMYX is responsible for the activation of the Milwaukee metropolitan area Emergency Alert System.
WWME-CD is a low-power, Class A television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, which serves as the flagship station of multicast networks MeTV and Heroes & Icons. It is owned by locally based Weigel Broadcasting alongside fellow Weigel flagship properties, CW affiliate WCIU-TV and independent station WMEU-CD. The stations share studios on Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood, while WWME-CD's transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower on South Wacker Drive in the Chicago Loop.
Weigel Broadcasting Co. is an American television broadcasting company based in Chicago, Illinois, alongside its flagship station WCIU-TV, at 26 North Halsted Street in the Greektown neighborhood. It currently owns 25 television stations, seven digital over-the-air television networks, and one radio station.
WTCL-LD is a low-power television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with Telemundo. It is owned by Gray Television alongside two full-power sister stations: Shaker Heights–licensed CBS affiliate WOIO and Lorain–licensed CW affiliate WUAB ; WTCL-LD also functions as an ultra high frequency (UHF) repeater for WOIO. The stations share studios at Reserve Square in downtown Cleveland; WTCL-LD's transmitter is located in suburban Parma. WTCL-LD's visibility is extended to the southern part of the Cleveland market via Canton–licensed WOHZ-CD, which has a transmitter located northeast of Canton.
MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television programs from the 1930s through the 1990s.
KNIK-LD is a low-power television station in Anchorage, Alaska, United States, which is currently silent. The station was one of very few low-power television stations that operated predominantly as a radio station by way of the fact that many FM radio receivers can tune in a VHF channel 6 television audio carrier at 87.75 MHz. This technique is made more potent due to a formerly unforeseen interpretation of deregulatory language in FCC low-power television station regulations:
Sec. 73.653 Operation of TV aural and visual transmitters.
The aural and visual transmitters may be operated independently of each other or, if operated simultaneously, may be used with different and unrelated program material.
WCHI-FM (95.5 MHz) is a mainstream rock formatted radio station located in Chicago, Illinois, owned and operated by iHeartMedia. WCHI-FM has studios located at the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago, and it broadcasts from a 5.3 kW transmitter based atop John Hancock Center.
This is a review of low-power television stations (LPTV) in the United States, transmitting on VHF channel 6, which also operate as radio stations capable of being picked up by many standard FM receivers. These stations are colloquially known as "Franken FMs", a reference to Frankenstein's monster, because TV stations functioning as radio stations had not been envisioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC commonly refers to these stations as "FM6" operations. All of these FM transmissions are authorized for operation on a center frequency of 87.75 MHz.
WKQX is a Chicago, Illinois, radio station that held the call sign WKQX from 1977 to 2011, and again since 2014.
Q101 Chicago is a former commercial internet radio station based in Chicago, Illinois, that operated from June 2011 to April 2022. Owned by Broadcast Barter Radio Networks, the station streamed a modern rock format promoted as a "continuation" of "Q101," the intellectual property and related trademarks of Chicago-licensed terrestrial radio station WKQX between 1992 and 2011. While this station reverted to a modern rock format in 2014 following a subsequent ownership change, it opted to brand instead as "101WKQX".
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