WUSN
Encyclopedia
WUSN is an FM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, The station broadcasts on 99.5 MHz and is a country
radio station
owned by CBS Radio
. The station focuses on country music
from the '90s
, along with current product and some classic country
from the '70s and '80s.
In the early 1970s Zenith agreed to sell WEFM to General Cinema Corporation
, which intended to change the station's call letters to WICV (pseudo-Roman numerals
for 99.5) and institute a rock format. Objections from listeners delayed the format change until May 1978, at which time General Cinema converted the station to a top 40 format but decided not to change the call sign, branding the operation as 99-"We"-FM. Morning shows were hosted by Dan Walker, the (Illinois) governor of Rock and Roll (formerly of WDHF/WMET 95½) and joined by Willak. Afternoons featured "Cox on the Radio". Other disk jockeys during the top 40 era included John Calhoun and Ken Cocker.
The WEFM call sign is now used on 95.9 FM in nearby Michigan City, Indiana
, which also is imaged as "We-FM."
as WJMK "Magic" 104 in 1984, and WKXK (now WLS-FM)
WUSN was owned for years by First Media after it first debuted in 1982. In 1992, Infinity Broadcasting bought WUSN. CBS bought Infinity in 1997, making WUSN a CBS owned station. WUSN dominates as a country station and is one of the top ranked country
stations anywhere.
WUSN is now considered the largest country
radio station
in the United States (based on listener cume
), although recently this has been in dispute. Since the advent of the Portable People Meter
, WXTU
in Philadelphia (owned by Beasley Broadcast Group) had briefly eclipsed WUSN in cume to become the most listened to country station in the United States. Which station actually has a larger listening audience likely will not be settled until Arbitron
launches PPM service in Chicago.
Country Music Festival on May 26, 2001 at their own expense and "work the crowd" on behalf of the station was leaked to the Chicago Sun-Times
newspaper.
On July 7, 2003, country music
radio personality Cliff Dumas sued Infinity Broadcasting Corporation and WUSN-FM in United States District Court
, seeking monetary damages. Dumas alleged that WUSN management had induced him to resign gainful employment at a New Mexico
radio station to take a job at WUSN which was offered but then never materialized.
Radio & Records magazine
station of the year award . Other nominees included KYGO-FM Denver, WYCD
Detroit, KEEY-FM Minneapolis, WXTU
Philadelphia, and KSON-FM
San Diego.
In 2010, the station won Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Aircheck Awards for Station of the Year for a Major Market; the Lisa Dent and Ramblin’ Ray Show for Major Market Morning Show and Marci Braun (weeknight host/MD) for Major Market MD.
Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Stevens won a Country Music Association
Award for Major Market Personality of the Year at the 44th Annual CMA Awards for the Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Morning Show.
(CT40) on Saturday mornings from 5:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.; CMT Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and American Country Countdown
hosted by Kix Brooks
on Sunday evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
owned by CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
. The station focuses on country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
from the '90s
1990s in music
For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99This article includes trends in popular music in the 1990s....
, along with current product and some classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
from the '70s and '80s.
99.5 WEFM/99-"We" FM
Until 1978, 99.5 was classical WEFM, one of the first US FM stations, and the second station in the United States to broadcast in FM stereo. The station was owned by the Zenith Radio Corporation, now Zenith Electronics Corporation. It started as WWZR in 1940 on 45.1, also as W51C, then on 98.5 when the FM band moved. It changed to 99.5 and WEFM (named for Zenith executive Eugene F. McDonald) during the late 40s, which it was until it was sold. During this time, the only commercials were for Zenith, one each hour, usually directing listeners to their Display Salon on Michigan Avenue, "Where no sales are made."In the early 1970s Zenith agreed to sell WEFM to General Cinema Corporation
General Cinema Corporation
General Cinema was a nationwide chain of movie theaters that operated from 1935 until 2002. The theater chain, in its prime, operated approximately 621 screens, some of which were the first cinemas certified by THX. Its mascot was Popcorn Bob and his Candy Band, which graced the company's policy...
, which intended to change the station's call letters to WICV (pseudo-Roman numerals
Roman numerals
The numeral system of ancient Rome, or Roman numerals, uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to signify values. The numbers 1 to 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:...
for 99.5) and institute a rock format. Objections from listeners delayed the format change until May 1978, at which time General Cinema converted the station to a top 40 format but decided not to change the call sign, branding the operation as 99-"We"-FM. Morning shows were hosted by Dan Walker, the (Illinois) governor of Rock and Roll (formerly of WDHF/WMET 95½) and joined by Willak. Afternoons featured "Cox on the Radio". Other disk jockeys during the top 40 era included John Calhoun and Ken Cocker.
The WEFM call sign is now used on 95.9 FM in nearby Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
, which also is imaged as "We-FM."
US*99
In the early 1981, WEFM briefly flipped to a Soft Vocals format. In 1982, WEFM flipped to WUSN ("US*99") and took on (and outlasted) four country music competitors in Chicago: 670 WMAQ, 1160 WJJD (flipped to Music of Your Life in 1982), WJEZ 104.3 (formerly WJJD-FM) which flipped to oldiesOldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
as WJMK "Magic" 104 in 1984, and WKXK (now WLS-FM)
WUSN was owned for years by First Media after it first debuted in 1982. In 1992, Infinity Broadcasting bought WUSN. CBS bought Infinity in 1997, making WUSN a CBS owned station. WUSN dominates as a country station and is one of the top ranked country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
stations anywhere.
WUSN is now considered the largest country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in the United States (based on listener cume
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
), although recently this has been in dispute. Since the advent of the Portable People Meter
Portable People Meter
The Portable People Meter is a system developed by Arbitron to measure how many people are listening to individual radio stations and television stations, including cable TV. The PPM is worn like a pager, and detects hidden audio tones within a station or network's audio stream, logging each...
, WXTU
WXTU
WXTU is a Country music formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. It is the largest country radio station in the United States based on listener cume . The station plays a variety of country music, including current hits, as well as older hits...
in Philadelphia (owned by Beasley Broadcast Group) had briefly eclipsed WUSN in cume to become the most listened to country station in the United States. Which station actually has a larger listening audience likely will not be settled until Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
launches PPM service in Chicago.
Controversy
On April 13, 2001 a memo from WUSN management demanding that all on-air employees of WUSN-FM attend the George StraitGeorge Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
Country Music Festival on May 26, 2001 at their own expense and "work the crowd" on behalf of the station was leaked to the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
newspaper.
On July 7, 2003, country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
radio personality Cliff Dumas sued Infinity Broadcasting Corporation and WUSN-FM in United States District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
, seeking monetary damages. Dumas alleged that WUSN management had induced him to resign gainful employment at a New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
radio station to take a job at WUSN which was offered but then never materialized.
Awards
In 2007, the station was nominated for the top 25 markets country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
Radio & Records magazine
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
station of the year award . Other nominees included KYGO-FM Denver, WYCD
WYCD
WYCD is a radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is the only country music station in the Detroit area. WYCD's offices and studios are located on Woodward Heights . near Interstate 75 in Ferndale, Michigan...
Detroit, KEEY-FM Minneapolis, WXTU
WXTU
WXTU is a Country music formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. It is the largest country radio station in the United States based on listener cume . The station plays a variety of country music, including current hits, as well as older hits...
Philadelphia, and KSON-FM
KSON-FM
KSON is a radio station licensed to serve San Diego, California, USA. The station, founded in 1964, is owned by Lincoln Financial Media and the broadcast license is held by Lincoln Financial Media Company of California....
San Diego.
In 2010, the station won Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Aircheck Awards for Station of the Year for a Major Market; the Lisa Dent and Ramblin’ Ray Show for Major Market Morning Show and Marci Braun (weeknight host/MD) for Major Market MD.
Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Stevens won a Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
Award for Major Market Personality of the Year at the 44th Annual CMA Awards for the Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Morning Show.
Airstaff
The current lineup (as of September 2010) is as follows- Morning Show (5 a.m - 10 a.m): The Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Morning Show with Lisa Dent,Ramblin' Ray Stevens, Lisa Kosty, Bonnie Green (News/Traffic), Chris Reese (Not sure) and Megan Glaros (Weather).
- Mid-Days (10 a.m - 3 p.m): Trish Biondo
- Afternoon Drive (3 p.m - 7 p.m): Drew Walker, Gina Ferraro (Traffic) and Robin Robinson (News)
- Nighttime (7 p.m - 12 a.m): Marci Braun
- Overnights (12 a.m - 5 a.m): Chris Reese
- Weekend's/Fill-ins: Craig Asbach, Deena Blake, Mark D., Jay Stone, Bruce Summers and Laura Taylor
- Program Director: Buddy Scott
- Music Director: Marci Braun
- Station Voice: John Willyard
Syndicated Content
In addition to WUSN's local programming, the station airs the following syndicated countdown shows, Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40
Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 is an American country music radio countdown show hosted by former American Country Countdown host Bob Kingsley. The show is produced by Kingsley's KCCS Productions and distributed by Dial Global. It uses the Mediabase Country Singles chart as its source...
(CT40) on Saturday mornings from 5:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.; CMT Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and American Country Countdown
American Country Countdown
American Country Countdown, also known as ACC or American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks, is an internationally syndicated radio program which counts down the top 30 country songs of the previous week, from No. 30 to No. 1, according to the Mediabase country chart...
hosted by Kix Brooks
Kix Brooks
Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks III , is an American country music artist, best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn.-Early life:...
on Sunday evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.