WKQX
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| Q101 | |
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| Broadcast area | Chicago, Illinois |
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| Branding | Q101 |
| Slogan | "The Alternative" "Everything Alternative, Now On Shuffle" |
| Frequency | 101.1 FM (MHz) 101.1-2 FM (WKQX-2 - Q2 - Next Generation Alternative) (HD Radio) |
| Format | Modern rock |
| Class | B |
| Callsign meaning | W K Q is used in "Q101" branding X stands for Experimental |
| Owner | Emmis |
| Website | WKQX website |
WKQX 101.1 FM is an alternative rock radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area. They are owned by Emmis Communications.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] The NBC years
WKQX was originally WMAQ-FM, co-owned by NBC with WMAQ-AM. WMAQ-FM generally simulcast the AM’s country-western music programming. Eventually WMAQ-FM broke away on it’s own. First playing classical, followed by AOR, then easy listening (WJOI), then to an automated news format (WNIS). The call letters changed to WKQX on New Year's Eve 1976. The new station was christened WKQX. The call letters were chosen because management felt the station sounded "experimental". WKQX positioned itself as an AOR station that was more adventurous than WDAI but more accessible than WXRT. The program director and midday host was Bob Pittman, Bob Heymann served as assistant program director and morning host, and Bob King was the Music Director. Mitch Michaels did afternoon drive and Lorna Ozmon did nights.
The station was an immediate success, debuting with a 3.9 share overall in the January-February Arbitron ratings of Winter 1977. In Spring 1977, Chicago gained another AOR station, WLUP. This meant that there were four FM rock stations competing against each other. After almost two years of battling for ratings, both WDAI and WKQX coincidentally quit playing rock independently of one another at the end of 1978. WDAI became all disco and WKQX became an adult contemporary station playing Top 40 rock hits from the '60s, '70s and '80s, along with current product.
[edit] Emmis Communications purchases WKQX
By the mid-1980s, the station had evolved into a Hot AC format, dropping the '60s music by 1988, and were known on-air as “Q101”. At that point, NBC had divested of all of their radio stations, with Emmis Communications becoming a major benefactor of several of NBC’s FM stations. WKQX was now an Emmis station. Robert Murphy was the successful morning drive host on Q101, competing with the likes of WLUP’s Jonathon Brandmeier. The station's slogan in the mid-late '80's was "Today's Music". By 1989, WKQX evolved into an adult Top 40 station, and by 1991 it had transitioned to a Modern AC format, preceding WTMX.
[edit] Q101 goes alternative
Q101 continued to evolve, and by 1992, WKQX was a pure alternative rock station. They signed Mancow Muller's morning show away from the now-defunct WRCX-FM (Rock 103.5) in 1998, as Mancow began to syndicate the show. The station helped launch the career of Chicago acts Disturbed and Fall Out Boy, particularly through their prominent local music show, Local 101.
Q101's ratings suffered when WZZN (94.7 The Zone) switched to an alternative rock format to go head-to head with them. Former Q101 air talents popped up on "The Zone," including James VanOsdol (who left Q101 for WXRT, and later returned to Q101) and Brian "The Whipping Boy" who had formed a large part of the station's identity in the 90s. WZZN's music programming eventually went in a harder direction to distinguish itself, and Q101 followed suit. While Q101 did not induldge in hard rock and metal to the extent that WZZN did (bands like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Guns 'N Roses were still well off limits), they seemed to focus more on "core" alternative acts such as Nirvana and Alice in Chains to prevent station switching. They also seemed to play a somewhat disproportionate amount of Metallica for an alternative station. Ultimately, these actions decreased the diversity of their playlists.
During the alternative era, Q101 was home to many popular specialty shows that helped to foster the thriving indi-music scene in Chicago. Some of these shows include Zoltar's Industrial Nation, Local 101 with (hosted by Chris Payne and created by James VanOsdol, and Q101 Sonic Boom [Produced by Joey Swanson and Kenny Techstepper).
[edit] Q101 goes "on shuffle"
On April 1, 2005, WKQX went completely "on shuffle." While not a format change per se, it was the largest shift in the station's format since they became an alternative station. Instead of focusing on new music solely, they expanded their playlist to include classic alternative rock from the '80s and '90s, and even '70s artists like Sex Pistols, Bob Marley, and The Clash. The new slogan for the station became “Everything Alternative”. In on-air liners, they even apologized for the hard rock excesses of the past when they competed with WZZN. The "Q101 On Shuffle" approach extended throughout the summer.
As of September 26, 2005, WZZN was no longer a direct competitor, flipping to an oldies format.
The “Summer of Shuffle” returned for Summer 2006. Mancow was dropped by the station on July 14, 2006. Q101 felt they had lost control of their morning slot and desired a more Chicago-oriented show that blended better with their format, in contrast to the syndicated feel of “Mancow’s Morning Madhouse".
The Morning Fix, an innovative ensemble morning show led by Alan Cox (formerly of WXDX in Pittsburgh) debuted on September 18, 2006.[1] The tightly-formatted show includes fixed elements such as news, sports, weather, traffic, interviews, parodies and other bits presented in a manner similar to that of a news radio "clock" approach combined with the approach of popular comedy shows such as 'The Daily Show,' 'The Colbert Report,' and 'Saturday Night Live'. The ensemble cast is a mix of experienced radio personalities, comedy actors and writers.[2]
In the Fall rating period, released in early 2007, the Arbitron Media Research Group reported WKQX-FM/Q101 slipped from a 1.8 share to a 1.2 (M-S, 6A-12M, AQH metro 12+). Some critics attribute their low ratings to the loss of Mancow.
[edit] External links
- Q101
- List of Q101 Countdowns
- Q101 Top 101 Countdowns plus a searchable archive
- Scott Childers on WMAQ History. (Relevant to WMAQ-FM and eventually WKQX)
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1Sale of this station to HITV Operating Company, Inc. is now awaiting FCC approval. |
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