WZSR (105.5 FM, "Star 105.5") is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Woodstock, Illinois, United States, it serves Chicago's northwest suburbs. The station is owned by Connoisseur Media. WZSR's studios are located behind McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.
History WSTK The station began broadcasting on April 1, 1968, and held the call sign WSTK. It was owned by Angelo Joseph Salvi.Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 142-147. WSTK initially aired middle of the road (MOR) and country music.1969 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1969. p. D-57. Retrieved March 20, 2019. By 1971, the station was airing a country music format full time. The station was taken silent in late 1973.
WXRD In March 1974, the station was sold to Mal Bellairs for $95,000 and returned to the air, with its call sign changed to WXRD."Ownership changes", Broadcasting. December 17, 1973. p. 66. Retrieved March 20, 2019. WXRD simulcast AM 850 WIVS in the morning and aired a progressive rock format branded "The Crossroads" the remainder of the day."News & Notes: ESPN 1000; Pete McMurray; Dick Biondi; Bob Stern; Kevin Manno; Tribune Media; Tronc; Gregory Pratt; More", Chicagoland Radio and Media. March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2019.Broadcasting Yearbook 1975, Broadcasting, 1975. p. C-61. Retrieved March 20, 2019. By 1980, the station had switched to a MOR format.Broadcasting Yearbook 1980, Broadcasting, 1980. p. C-73. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
In 1981, Bellairs sold the station, along with AM 850 WIVS, to Katy Communications of Elgin for $838,000."Changing Hands", Broadcasting. August 10, 1981. p. 62. Retrieved March 20, 2019. WXRD was refer as "X-105" ("The Star Station") in the early 1980s. On October 18, 1982, WXRD became an affiliate of the Satellite Music Network. The station then during the same time flipped to Top 40, despite its Satellite Music Network adult contemporary programming being used in its programming lineup, retaining its X-105 name.Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1983. p. B-79. Retrieved March 20, 2019. WXRD was also an affiliate of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem during its short Top 40 run."American Top 40 1983 03 12 List", Internet Archive. Retrieved March 20, 2019. In early 1984, the station immediately switched to an adult contemporary format, using the Satellite Music Network's StarStation format.Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1984. p. B-85. Retrieved March 20, 2019.Standard Rate & Data Service - March 1, 1985, SRDS, 1985. p. 282. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
WXET On April 7, 1984, the station's call sign was changed to WXET. WXET aired an adult contemporary format and was branded "Lite Hits 105.5".Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1985. p. B-88. Retrieved March 20, 2019.Chicago Radio Guide. Vol. 1, No. 1. May 1985. Retrieved March 20, 2019.Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved March 20, 2019. As both WXRD and WXET from 1982 until 1988, the station also carried selected Chicago White Sox baseball games."Calendar", Chicago Tribune. September 10, 1984. Section 4, p. 23. On March 3, 1988, the station was sold to Crystal Lake Radio, along with AM 850 WAIT, for $1.6 million."Ownership Changes", Broadcasting & Cable. March 21, 1988. p. 70. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
WAIT-FM On November 14, 1988, the station's call sign was changed to WAIT-FM. WAIT-FM simulcast AM 850 WAIT mornings, while adult rock from the 1970s and 1980s aired the rest of the day."WAIT FM 105.5", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 30. Retrieved March 20, 2019.Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Spring-Summer 1989. Retrieved March 20, 2019."Chicago Area Radio Stations", Chicago Tribune. March 24, 1989. Retrieved March 20, 2019. In June 1990, the station adopted a CHR format, airing programming from Satellite Music Network's "The Heat" network.Feder, Robert. "Catherine Johns' talk program will start tonight on WLS-AM", Chicago Sun-Times. June 11, 1990. p. 27. In March 1991, it adopted a classic rock format, which also aired programming from the Satellite Music Network for only 6 months."Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 10. March 11, 1991. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2020.Feder, Robert. "WFMT chief resigns for 'personal reasons'", Chicago Sun-Times. May 6, 1991. p. 31. Later that year, the station was sold to Pride Communications, along with AM 850 WAIT, for $2.2 million.Lauer, Paula. "Worth the WAIT: After over a year of negotiations...", Chicago Tribune. September 22, 1991. Retrieved March 20, 2019."Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. p. 62-63. June 24, 1991. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
Star 105.5 On August 29, 1991, the station dropped its short lived classic rock format and returned to its adult contemporary format, and it was branded "Star 105.5"."Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 37. September 16, 1991. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2020.Kening, Dan. "Talk O' the Towns", Chicago Tribune. November 3, 1991. Retrieved March 20, 2019. On October 4, 1991, the station's call sign was changed to WZSR.
In October 2000, NextMedia Group purchased Pride Communications' nine radio stations, including WZSR, for approximately $57 million.Kirk, Jim. "Suburban Radio Signals Scooped Up By Colorado's Nextmedia Group", Chicago Tribune. July 04, 2000. Retrieved March 20, 2019."Combos", Broadcasting & Cable. July 9, 2000. Retrieved March 20, 2019. In 2014, the station was sold to Matrix Broadcasting LLC.Feder, Robert. "NextMedia buyer embraces local approach", RobertFeder.com. October 10, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2019.Public Notice Comment – BALH-20131024AMW, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 9, 2019.Application Search Details – BALH-20131024AMW, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
In April 2019, WZSR was sold to Alpha Media due to Matrix Broadcasting's bankruptcy back in March 2018.Venta, Lance. "Alpha Matrix Sell Pair In Suburban Chicago", Radio Insight. February 11, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019."Deal To Transfer WYSO/Dayton From Antioch College To Independent Ownership Filed With FCC", All Access Music Group. April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019. Alpha Media merged with Connoisseur Media on September 4, 2025.
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