WGCI-FM

WGCI-FM (107.5 MHz) is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to Chicago, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia (formerly known as Clear Channel Communications until September 2014).

WGCI broadcasts with 3,700 watts (3.7 kilowatts) from atop the Willis Tower in Downtown Chicago, and has studios located in the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue. Like many Clear Channel-owned urban radio stations, it uses the slogan "Chicago's #1 For Hip Hop and R&B".

In 2005, WGCI began broadcasting in IBOC digital radio, using the HD Radio system from iBiquity; an HD2 subchannel currently runs iHeart's TikTok Radio CHR service, exclusively focused on songs popular on the app.HD Radio Guide for Chicago

History WFMQ

The station began broadcasting on December 4, 1958, and held the call sign WFMQ.1964 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1964. p. B-47. Retrieved February 12, 2019. The station was owned by Lester Vihon and broadcast from One North LaSalle with an ERP of 11,000 watts. It initially operated from 4 p.m. to midnight."WFMQ Now Operating on a Weekday Basis", Chicago Tribune. December 7, 1958. WFMQ aired beautiful music, light classical, and classical music, along with show tunes, opera, and jazz programs.O'Connor, Richard. (2009). A Brief History of Beautiful Music Radio, Percy Faith Pages. Retrieved February 12, 2019."FM Station Key", U.S. Radio. Vol. 4, No. 7. July 1960. p. 47. Retrieved February 12, 2019."FM Station Key", U.S. Radio. September 1961. p. 65. Retrieved February 12, 2019.Barry, Edward. "FM Listeners' Choice", Chicago Tribune. December 12, 1959. p. 23.Barry, Edward. "FM Listeners' Choice", Chicago Tribune. February 3, 1962. p. C7. In 1960, the station's ERP was increased to 36,000 watts.

WNUS-FM In 1965, the station sold to Gordon McLendon for $400,000 and its call sign was changed to WNUS-FM."Demand is Heavy For FM Outlets", Billboard. December 5, 1964. p. 28. Retrieved February 12, 2019."Dallas Firm Buys WFMQ, FM Station", Chicago Tribune. November 6, 1964. p. B6. The station adopted an all-news format, simulcasting AM 1390 WNUS."Stations By Format", Billboard. October 16, 1965. p. 62. Retrieved February 12, 2019."Stations By Format", Billboard. November 19, 1966. p. 38. Retrieved February 12, 2019."WINS to Go News Round the Clock", Billboard. March 27, 1965. p. 62. Retrieved February 12, 2019. WNUS was the first all-news station in the United States."WYNR Goes to All-News", Billboard. August 29, 1964. pp. 3, 18. Retrieved February 21, 2019.

In 1968, the station returned to airing a beautiful music format."In and out", Broadcasting. February 26, 1968. p. 5. Retrieved February 12, 2019.

In 1973, the station's transmitter was moved to the Civic Opera Building.

WGCI In February 1975, Globetrotter Communications Inc. purchased 107.5 FM and its sister station 1390 AM for $3,550,000."CCI heads toward top among groups", Broadcasting. March 10, 1975. p. 20. Retrieved February 12, 2019. WVON's programming moved to 1390, ending the simulcast."A sudden shift of ownerships in Chicago radio", Broadcasting. February 10, 1975. p. 73. Retrieved February 12, 2019. The station's call sign was changed to WGCI later that year, and it would air a disco-oriented format.Duston, Anne. "Midwest Becomes Hotbed Of Disco Activity", Billboard. November 1, 1975. p. D-28. Retrieved February 12, 2019."Chi WGCI Music Switch", Billboard. June 26, 1976. p. 27. Retrieved February 12, 2019."Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 37. Retrieved February 12, 2019."All things black and beautiful", Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 37. Retrieved February 12, 2019. The station was branded "Studio 107".

In 1977, Globetrotter Communications was purchased by Combined Communications Corporation."Soul Sauce", Billboard. May 14, 1977. p. 42. Retrieved February 12, 2019. The following year, Combined Communications merged with Gannett Co.Jones, William H. "Gannett Plans to Buy Combined Communications", The Washington Post. May 9, 1978. Retrieved February 12, 2019.

WGCI shifted away from disco in 1980, in favor of a more broad urban contemporary format.Penchansky, Alan. "Chicago WGCI-FM Climbing After Killing Disco Format", Billboard. April 19, 1980. p. 29. Retrieved February 12, 2019.Baker, Cary. "WXOL Chicago Plays the Blues", Billboard. May 16, 1981. p. 27. Retrieved February 12, 2019.Forrest, Rick. "Radio Weathering Deregulation and Audience Fragmentation", Billboard. May 30, 1981. p. BM-10. Retrieved February 12, 2019.

In 1983, WVON flipped its callsign to WGCI to match its FM partner, and 107.5's call sign was changed to WGCI-FM."Call letters", Broadcasting. October 17, 1983. p. 82. Retrieved February 12, 2019.

In the mid-1980s, Tom Joyner, was simultaneously working for both a morning show at K-104 KKDA-FM in Dallas, Texas, and an afternoon show at WGCI."'Hello, Dallas, Hello, Chicago, It's Tom Joyner Here, Live and in Person'", People. January 20, 1986. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Instead of choosing between the two, Joyner chose to take both jobs, and for years he commuted daily by plane between the two cities, earning the nicknames "The Fly Jock" and "The Hardest Working Man in Radio".Harris-Taylor, Marlene. "'Hardest working man in radio' visits Toledo", The Blade. September 24, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Doug Banks was morning drive host on WGCI from 1986 until 1993, when he was replaced by Tom Joyner's syndicated morning show.Moyer, Justin Wm. "Doug Banks, Chicago radio legend, dead at 57", The Washington Post. April 12, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2019.Stark, Phyllis; Boehlert, Eric; Borzillo, Carrie. "Vox Jox", Billboard. July 10, 1993. p. 67. Retrieved February 13, 2019. In 1997, comedian George Wallace co-hosted WGCI's morning show with Jeanne Sparrow.Johnson, Allan. "WGCI-FM Gets New Morning Show Co-Host", Chicago Tribune. June 11, 1997. Retrieved February 13, 2019.Townsend, Audarshia. "WGCI's Morning Man Is Shown the Door", Chicago Tribune. January 1, 1998. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

In 1997, Gannett sold both WGCI-FM and WGCI 1390 to Chancellor Media.Jones, Tim. "Evergreen Switching Stations", Chicago Tribune. April 11, 1997. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Chancellor merged with Capstar and restructured as AMFM, Inc. in 1999, and in 2000, merged with Clear Channel Communications."Chancellor to Become AMFM Inc.", AdAge. May 20, 1999. Retrieved February 13, 2019."Clear Channel-AMFM Merger Gets Approval", Associated Press. Los Angeles Times. August 30, 2000. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

In 2001, the station's transmitter was moved to the Sears Tower."Federal Communications Commission FM Broadcast Station Construction Permit", fcc.gov. December 1, 1998. Retrieved February 13, 2019.Public Notice Comment – BPH-19980827IC, fcc.gov. Retrieved February 13, 2019.Application Search Details – BLH-20010413AAL, fcc.gov. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

In 2006 WGCI won a Marconi Award for Best Radio Station for Hip-Hop and R&B.

The Crazy Howard McGee Show was replaced by the Steve Harvey Morning Show on August 1, 2007.Rosenthal, Phil. "WGCI looks to future with Steve Harvey", Chicago Tribune. August 12, 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Harvey had previously hosted mornings on WGCI from 1996 to 1997."Newsline...", Billboard. April 5, 1997. p. 77. Retrieved February 13, 2019. In March 2009, Harvey moved to WVAZ, replacing Tom Joyner.Rosenthal, Phil. "Joyner's job, fans jolted one Clear Channel morn", Chicago Tribune. March 27, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2019. On April 1, "The Morning Riot" debuted starring Tony Sculfield, Leon Rogers and Nina Chantele.Rosenthal, Phil. "'Morning Riot' to be a scream at WGCI", Chicago Tribune. March 26, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Nina also did middays at Clear Channel sister station WKSC-FM."iHeartMedia Annual December Firings Begin; WGCI and WKSC Staffers Gone", Chicagoland Radio and Media. December 1, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2019. In January 2015, WGCI began airing a new morning show hosted by Leon Rogers, Kyle Santillian and Kendra G.Venta, Lance. WGCI Launches New Morning Show", RadioInsight. January 27, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Both Santillian and Kendra G left the station in 2023 and were replaced by former night DJ and comedian Zach Boog with Leon Rogers remaining on the morning show along with producer Ryan Lee.Venta, Lance. "Kyle Santillian Departs WGCI Morning Show", RadioInsight. February 13, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2026.Venta, Lance. "Kendra G Departs WGCI Morning Show", RadioInsight. May 24, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2026.

WGCI-FM formerly simulcast on XM Satellite Radio channel 241.Venta, Lance. "SiriusXM Adjusting Lineup: Z100/KIIS-FM Come to Sirius", RadioInsight. October 15, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2019. Station owner Clear Channel sold off its ownership stake in Sirius XM Radio during the second quarter of fiscal year 2013.Venta, Lance. "Clear Channel Sells SiriusXM Stake; Stations to Leave Service", RadioInsight. August 2, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2019. As a result of the sale, nine of Clear Channel's eleven XM stations, including the simulcast of WGCI FM, ceased broadcast over XM Satellite Radio on October 18, 2013.

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