WHPK

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WHPK
Broadcast area	Chicago, IL
Slogan	"Pride of the South Side"
First air date	1946
Frequency	88.5 (MHz)
Format	College radio
ERP	100 watts
Owner	University of Chicago
Website	whpk.uchicago.edu

WHPK (88.5 FM) is a radio station based in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, this frequency is also used by several local high schools in the Chicago metropolitan area.

The University of Chicago owns the station's FCC license. WHPK is an all-volunteer community radio station with both student and non-student volunteers (called station members), who are mostly on-air deejays and other program hosts and substitutes. Programming blocks are divided into formats: classical, dance, folk, jazz, public affairs, rap, and rock formats — along with a few specialty shows outside any of the formats. WHPK's station manager and program director are elected by the station's student members and must be students themselves. The station's broadcast engineer is paid by the university.

WHPK broadcasts at 100 watts. Its studios and tower are both located on the University of Chicago campus.

WHPK's slogan is "The Pride of the South Side." The call letters stand for "Woodlawn-Hyde Park-Kenwood," the Chicago neighborhoods around the university.

[edit] History

WHPK is the successor to the university's earlier carrier-current station, WUCB, which was founded in 1946 by students who had gained experience with radio serving in World War II. In 1959, WUCB's studios were relocated from Burton-Judson Courts on 60th Street to Mitchell Tower in the Reynolds Club building on the southwest corner of 57th Street and University Avenue, a space that had previously been home to the university's Radio Office. WHPK's antenna is located on the roof of Pierce Tower, a University of Chicago dormitory on 55th street and University Avenue. It's transmitter room is on the tenth floor of Pierce Tower, in Shorey House.

WHPK came into being in 1968 when the campus secret Society of the Owl and Serpent disbanded and donated its funds and Reynolds Club office space to a student radio group. WHPK also assumed the adjacent WUCB studios. WHPK started broadcasting as a 10-watt FM station at 88.3 MHz on March 22, 1968. [1] In 1985, WHPK upgraded to a 100-watt transmitter and moved to the current frequency of 88.5 MHz.

[edit] Notable radio personalities

DJ JP Chill has had a rap and hip hop show on WHPK since 1986. It was one of the earliest rap shows in the country. WHPK's first rap show was hosted by Ken Wissoker and Patrick Moxey. JP Chill's show was added shortly thereafter.

Erika, the Sultan's Favorite does an hour long show every Thursday 6-7 p.m. CST, playing music of the Middle East.

The host of the long-running Saturday night Blues Excursion, Arkansas Red, has received mainstream media attention for his eccentric mix of blues and gospel records (that he often sings over), phone calls from listeners and on-air attacks on other blues DJs.

WHPK is also the home of Jazz in Flight which is hosted by husband and wife team: Re-known drummer,instructor & founder/bandleader of ZIMPROV- Zimbabu Hamilton and Phoenix Hamilton- the Ladybird of Song. The show focuses on the evolution of Jazz that took place in the 70's,& the progression that has occurred since. The Jazz in Flight radio show now airs twice on Sunday at 4amC & again at 8pmC on Jazz Syndicate Radio. The show is a rebroadcast of previously aired shows and is unedited.

[edit] External links

• WHPK's Website