WVIV-FM
Encyclopedia
WVIV-FM and WVIX are a Spanish
radio
simulcast
in Chicago, Illinois. They are part of the family of Univisión Radio, a division of Univisión Communications
. Studios are located at 625 North Michigan, right in the heart of downtown Chicago.
and hard rock music and specialized in playing bands that the major commercial stations in Chicago would not touch. The show was sponsored by Jam Productions, a Chicago concert promoter.
In April 1991, WFYR 103.5 FM (now WKSC) abruptly switched from adult contemporary music to album rock as WWBZ "The Blaze," featuring a more commercial approach to the hard-rock format on a stronger, full-market signals. "The Blaze" quickly took off, and Jam Productions withdrew its support for the heavy-metal programming on WVVX. RPM continued for a short while longer on WVVX and then moved to WYSY in Aurora before being cancelled altogether.
In 1997, WVVX was sold to Big City Radio along with co-channel WJDK 103.1 in Morris, IL (now WCSJ). WVVX changed its calls to WXXY, and WJDK to WYXX. Big City debuted a Rhythmic Oldies
format known as "Chicago's Heart and Soul." Despite the talents of Chicago radio veterans such as Fred Winston (afternoons), Dona Mullen (middays), and Robert Murphy (mornings), "Heart and Soul" suffered from poor signals without full coverage of the Chicago market, and floundered in the ratings.
In 1998, 103.1 FM found itself once again upstaged by 103.5 FM when Chancellor Media (now part of Clear Channel Communications
) changed 103.5 from WRCX "Rock 103.5" to "Jammin' Oldies" as WUBT "103.5 The Beat." On August 6, 1999, WXXY/WYXX became "The '80s Channel," consulted by Zapoleon Media Strategies' Steve Davis. Unlike most subsequent all-'80s stations which focused chiefly on new wave and rock, "The '80s Channel" featured a broad spectrum of 1980s hit music, including pop and dance hits, with period jingles from JAM Productions.
Then, in late 2000, ABC Radio debuted an '80s-based format on 94.7 FM with WZZN "The Zone" (now WLS-FM), and "The '80s Channel"'s days were numbered. WXXY/WYXX became "Viva 103.1" with a Spanish contemporary format in January 2001. 103.1 FM in Morris eventually dropped out of the simulcast in 2004 to refocus on its home base of Grundy County as WCSJ-FM; around that same time, 103.1 FM in Highland Park (now WVIV) purchased adult-contemporary station WJTW 93.5 in Joliet and converted it to WVIX as a simulcast of WVIV.
In Chicago, Spanish rock and pop used to be the main feature of the former Viva 93.5 and 103.1. In July of 2005, WVIV/WVIX flipped formats to Hispanic urban
as "La Kalle", which featured not only Spanish hip hop, but also reggaeton
and bachata, a type of tropical dance music. (La calle means "the street," though Univision spells it with a slangy "K.")
On Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at Midnight, the WVIV/WVIX simulcast rebranded itself as "Recuerdo 103.1/93.5". The format changed from Latino Urban to Spanish Oldies.
On July 1, 2011, the WVIV/WVIX simulcast changed their format back to Hurban, branded as "La Kalle 103.1/93.5" after the format moved from WPPN
106.7 FM, which flipped to Spanish AC as "Pasion 106.7".
Saturday
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
radio
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...
simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
in Chicago, Illinois. They are part of the family of Univisión Radio, a division of Univisión Communications
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
. Studios are located at 625 North Michigan, right in the heart of downtown Chicago.
103.1 and 93.5 FM History
The 103.1 FM frequency was previously home to WEEF-FM and WVVX. In the 1980s and early 1990s, WVVX was a brokered station with Spanish-language programming during the day and switched at night to "RPM (Real Precious Metal)," a show that became a cult favorite among Chicago-area fans of heavy metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and hard rock music and specialized in playing bands that the major commercial stations in Chicago would not touch. The show was sponsored by Jam Productions, a Chicago concert promoter.
In April 1991, WFYR 103.5 FM (now WKSC) abruptly switched from adult contemporary music to album rock as WWBZ "The Blaze," featuring a more commercial approach to the hard-rock format on a stronger, full-market signals. "The Blaze" quickly took off, and Jam Productions withdrew its support for the heavy-metal programming on WVVX. RPM continued for a short while longer on WVVX and then moved to WYSY in Aurora before being cancelled altogether.
In 1997, WVVX was sold to Big City Radio along with co-channel WJDK 103.1 in Morris, IL (now WCSJ). WVVX changed its calls to WXXY, and WJDK to WYXX. Big City debuted a Rhythmic Oldies
Rhythmic oldies
Rhythmic Oldies is a radio format that concentrates on the rhythmic, disco or dance genres of music. Playlists may span from the 1970s through the early 1990s...
format known as "Chicago's Heart and Soul." Despite the talents of Chicago radio veterans such as Fred Winston (afternoons), Dona Mullen (middays), and Robert Murphy (mornings), "Heart and Soul" suffered from poor signals without full coverage of the Chicago market, and floundered in the ratings.
In 1998, 103.1 FM found itself once again upstaged by 103.5 FM when Chancellor Media (now part of Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
) changed 103.5 from WRCX "Rock 103.5" to "Jammin' Oldies" as WUBT "103.5 The Beat." On August 6, 1999, WXXY/WYXX became "The '80s Channel," consulted by Zapoleon Media Strategies' Steve Davis. Unlike most subsequent all-'80s stations which focused chiefly on new wave and rock, "The '80s Channel" featured a broad spectrum of 1980s hit music, including pop and dance hits, with period jingles from JAM Productions.
Then, in late 2000, ABC Radio debuted an '80s-based format on 94.7 FM with WZZN "The Zone" (now WLS-FM), and "The '80s Channel"'s days were numbered. WXXY/WYXX became "Viva 103.1" with a Spanish contemporary format in January 2001. 103.1 FM in Morris eventually dropped out of the simulcast in 2004 to refocus on its home base of Grundy County as WCSJ-FM; around that same time, 103.1 FM in Highland Park (now WVIV) purchased adult-contemporary station WJTW 93.5 in Joliet and converted it to WVIX as a simulcast of WVIV.
In Chicago, Spanish rock and pop used to be the main feature of the former Viva 93.5 and 103.1. In July of 2005, WVIV/WVIX flipped formats to Hispanic urban
Hispanic Urban
Hispanic urban is a relatively new radio format that includes Spanish-language hip hop and reggaeton. An example of a radio station with this format is WMGE....
as "La Kalle", which featured not only Spanish hip hop, but also reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
and bachata, a type of tropical dance music. (La calle means "the street," though Univision spells it with a slangy "K.")
On Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at Midnight, the WVIV/WVIX simulcast rebranded itself as "Recuerdo 103.1/93.5". The format changed from Latino Urban to Spanish Oldies.
On July 1, 2011, the WVIV/WVIX simulcast changed their format back to Hurban, branded as "La Kalle 103.1/93.5" after the format moved from WPPN
WPPN
WPPN is an FM radio station licensed to Des Plaines, Illinois that targets the Chicago metropolitan area. WPPN broadcasts on 106.7 MHz with a Spanish AC format....
106.7 FM, which flipped to Spanish AC as "Pasion 106.7".
Current on-air lineup
Monday to Friday- 5 - 11 AM - Buenos Días Recuerdo con Jaime y Ricardo
- 3 - 6 PM - Henry González
- 6 PM - 1 AM - Alfredo Contigo
- 1 AM - 5 AM - Mario Fernando Pessina
Saturday
- 5 - 11 AM - Buenos Días Recuerdo con Jaime y Ricardo
- 12 - 5 AM - Mario Fernando Pessina