WLFM-LP
Encyclopedia
WLFM-LP is a local, low-power
television station on channel 6 serving the Chicago
area, licensed to Rochelle, Illinois
even though its signal doesn't reach its city of license. It was previously affiliated with MTV Tr3s
before being used to transmit a smooth jazz
radio format, taking advantage of the fact the 87.75 MHz FM band
Channel 6 can be used to transmit audio on many FM radios. The station transmits from the John Hancock Center
, and the signal is directed southwestward from the Hancock Tower to avoid interfering with the now-silent analog signal of Milwaukee
's WITI. WLFM-LP has applied to the FCC for a Construction Permit to change its transmitting antenna from directional to omnidirectional.
WLFM-LP is owned and operated by Venture Technologies Group, LLC.
's MediaFLO
service expanding to the Chicago area. Its programming once consisted of infomercials, home shopping services and the MTV Tr3s
network.
On March 9, 2009 Venture announced that it signed letters of intent to lease out their channel 6 signals on both WLFM-LP and KSFV-CA in Los Angeles
's San Fernando Valley
, which would pave the way for the launching a dance
format on the stations. Programming was to have begun under that format June 1, 2009, and be patterned after Mega Media's New York City
outlet WNYZ-LP and be branded as Pulse 87
.
In the interim, on April 1, channel 6 switched to an alternative country
music format. One month later, Venture announced it would not pursue the deal with Mega Media, which would later cease operations in October. Channel 6 continued with the alt-country format which was gaining many fans until a format change in Chicago opened a new opportunity.
On May 22, 2009, WNUA
95.5 dropped its smooth jazz format for Spanish contemporary music. That afternoon, channel 6 immediately picked up the abandoned format, becoming an affiliate of the Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network, and adopting the name "87.7 Chicago's Smooth Jazz". Channel 6 originally broadcast still photographs of Chicago and Jazz musicians on its video signal, since all television licensees are still required to transmit video while on air. In the summer of 2011, WLFM began airing traffic maps and a weather scroll on its video signal. WNUA originally broadcast a mainstream jazz channel from Broadcast Architecture on its HD-2 channel of its HD radio
signal, but was quickly discarded after channel 6 switched to smooth jazz, also using a Broadcast Architecture source.
Initially channel 6 broadcast 24/7 with programming from the Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network. However, the station has since added two local weekday hosts, both veterans of WNUA's former smooth jazz format: midday host Rick O'Dell (also the station's program director) and evening personality Loni Taylor. In addition, channel 6 features "Paul Wertico's Wild World of Jazz" with local host Paul Wertico (a professor at Roosevelt University
) on Sunday nights at 9pm, featuring a mix of contemporary and traditional jazz. "The Sounds of Brazil," heard Saturdays at midnight on 87.7 and hosted by radio personality Scott Adams, was also a longtime WNUA staple. For now, the remainder of the broadcast day remains satellite-fed from Broadcast Architecture weekdays, with the morning show co-hosted by Kenny G
and former WVMV-Detroit radio personality Sandy Kovach, the afternoon-drive show hosted by Dave Koz
, and the overnight show hosted by former WJZZ-Atlanta radio personality Maria Lopez. Saturday's lineup features satellite-fed programming from Broadcast Architecture, including the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown hosted by radio personality Allen Kepler, the midday show hosted by Kenny G
, the early afternoon show hosted by Norman Brown
, the late afternoon Dave Koz
Weekend Show, the evening show Dinner Party hosted by former WNUA radio personality Bill Cochran, and the late night show Chillin' with Mindi Abair
. Sunday's lineup features a mix of both local and satellite-fed programming from Broadcast Architecture, starting with the return of two former WNUA Sunday morning programs, Sunrise Soundscapes and The Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch hosted by Rick O'Dell, the satellite-fed afternoon show hosted by Norman Brown
, a newly added local show called 60 Smooth Minutes heard Sunday nights at 6pm, and the evening show Legends of Jazz hosted by musician and former WNUA radio personality Ramsey Lewis
. Channel 6 General Manager Pat Kelley is also a veteran who was fired from WNUA in 2009.
As of July 2009, channel 6 is also simulcast on a subchannel of WCHU-LD (33.2, mapped to virtual channel
61.2 via PSIP
). In June 2011, WLFM became available on Comcast
digital cable as channel 877.
As of October 2010, WLFM-LP has tweaked its format to "Smooth Adult Contemporary" (again using a Broadcast Architecture source). The format is a mix of mainstream and urban adult contemporary tracks with a few smooth jazz instrumentals per hour. As a result, Chicago is once again without a true smooth jazz station, although the new format still incorporates a fair amount of smooth jazz. Otherwise, the Smooth Jazz Network is now available online for fans of the old format.
In Autumn 2011 the station added streaming audio to its website - available at the following link:
Webcast = Listen Live
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
television station on channel 6 serving the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area, licensed to Rochelle, Illinois
Rochelle, Illinois
Rochelle is a city in Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,574 at the 2010 census, up from 9,424 at the 2000 census. Rochelle is about west of Chicago and south of Rockford...
even though its signal doesn't reach its city of license. It was previously affiliated with MTV Tr3s
MTV Tr3s
Tr3s is an American cable, satellite and over-the-air network that prides itself as a bi-cultural entertainment destination. It is rooted in the fusion of Latin America and American music, cultures, and languages, bringing the biggest names in pop, urban, and rock music...
before being used to transmit a smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
radio format, taking advantage of the fact the 87.75 MHz FM band
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
Channel 6 can be used to transmit audio on many FM radios. The station transmits from the John Hancock Center
John Hancock Center
John Hancock Center at 875 North Michigan Avenue in the Streeterville area of Chicago, Illinois, is a 100-story, 1,127-foot tall skyscraper, constructed under the supervision of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, with chief designer Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur Khan...
, and the signal is directed southwestward from the Hancock Tower to avoid interfering with the now-silent analog signal of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
's WITI. WLFM-LP has applied to the FCC for a Construction Permit to change its transmitting antenna from directional to omnidirectional.
WLFM-LP is owned and operated by Venture Technologies Group, LLC.
Station History
When WLFM first signed on the air in 2003, it used to broadcast on channel 55, but moved to channel 6 because of QualcommQualcomm
Qualcomm is an American global telecommunication corporation that designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecommunications products and services based on its code division multiple access technology and other technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, USA...
's MediaFLO
MediaFLO
MediaFLO is a technology developed by Qualcomm for transmitting audio, video and data to portable devices such as mobile phones and personal televisions, used for mobile television...
service expanding to the Chicago area. Its programming once consisted of infomercials, home shopping services and the MTV Tr3s
MTV Tr3s
Tr3s is an American cable, satellite and over-the-air network that prides itself as a bi-cultural entertainment destination. It is rooted in the fusion of Latin America and American music, cultures, and languages, bringing the biggest names in pop, urban, and rock music...
network.
On March 9, 2009 Venture announced that it signed letters of intent to lease out their channel 6 signals on both WLFM-LP and KSFV-CA in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
's San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, which would pave the way for the launching a dance
Dance radio
Dance radio is a format that consists of current and recent dance/electronic music.While the format is popular in Europe and Asia, it has yet to make an impact in North America, although there are several Top 40 and Rhythmic radio stations which include current Dance product in their playlists...
format on the stations. Programming was to have begun under that format June 1, 2009, and be patterned after Mega Media's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
outlet WNYZ-LP and be branded as Pulse 87
Pulse 87
Pulse 87 is an American television franchise that operated as a radio branding. The brand was formerly owned and operated by Mega Media. As of February 2010, the format was resurrected as an online internet station under new management following the bankruptcy and liquidation of its former...
.
In the interim, on April 1, channel 6 switched to an alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
music format. One month later, Venture announced it would not pursue the deal with Mega Media, which would later cease operations in October. Channel 6 continued with the alt-country format which was gaining many fans until a format change in Chicago opened a new opportunity.
On May 22, 2009, WNUA
WNUA
WNUA is a Spanish Pop radio station located in Chicago, Illinois, owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications and branded as Mega 95.5.-History:...
95.5 dropped its smooth jazz format for Spanish contemporary music. That afternoon, channel 6 immediately picked up the abandoned format, becoming an affiliate of the Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network, and adopting the name "87.7 Chicago's Smooth Jazz". Channel 6 originally broadcast still photographs of Chicago and Jazz musicians on its video signal, since all television licensees are still required to transmit video while on air. In the summer of 2011, WLFM began airing traffic maps and a weather scroll on its video signal. WNUA originally broadcast a mainstream jazz channel from Broadcast Architecture on its HD-2 channel of its HD radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
signal, but was quickly discarded after channel 6 switched to smooth jazz, also using a Broadcast Architecture source.
Initially channel 6 broadcast 24/7 with programming from the Broadcast Architecture Smooth Jazz Network. However, the station has since added two local weekday hosts, both veterans of WNUA's former smooth jazz format: midday host Rick O'Dell (also the station's program director) and evening personality Loni Taylor. In addition, channel 6 features "Paul Wertico's Wild World of Jazz" with local host Paul Wertico (a professor at Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
) on Sunday nights at 9pm, featuring a mix of contemporary and traditional jazz. "The Sounds of Brazil," heard Saturdays at midnight on 87.7 and hosted by radio personality Scott Adams, was also a longtime WNUA staple. For now, the remainder of the broadcast day remains satellite-fed from Broadcast Architecture weekdays, with the morning show co-hosted by Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick , better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American, adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986...
and former WVMV-Detroit radio personality Sandy Kovach, the afternoon-drive show hosted by Dave Koz
Dave Koz
Dave Koz is an American smooth jazz saxophonist.- Life and career :Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California....
, and the overnight show hosted by former WJZZ-Atlanta radio personality Maria Lopez. Saturday's lineup features satellite-fed programming from Broadcast Architecture, including the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown hosted by radio personality Allen Kepler, the midday show hosted by Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick , better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American, adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986...
, the early afternoon show hosted by Norman Brown
Norman Brown
Norman Brown may refer to:* W. Norman Brown , Indologist and Sanskritist* Norman O. Brown , author* Norman E. Brown, sports editor of the Central Press Association* Norman Brown...
, the late afternoon Dave Koz
Dave Koz
Dave Koz is an American smooth jazz saxophonist.- Life and career :Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California....
Weekend Show, the evening show Dinner Party hosted by former WNUA radio personality Bill Cochran, and the late night show Chillin' with Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair is an American smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 pop music background. Mindi has toured and/or recorded with the Backstreet Boys, Duran Duran, Mandy Moore, Josh Groban, Adam Sandler, Keb' Mo', Lalah Hathaway, Lee Ritenour, Teena Marie, John Tesh, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Butler,...
. Sunday's lineup features a mix of both local and satellite-fed programming from Broadcast Architecture, starting with the return of two former WNUA Sunday morning programs, Sunrise Soundscapes and The Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch hosted by Rick O'Dell, the satellite-fed afternoon show hosted by Norman Brown
Norman Brown
Norman Brown may refer to:* W. Norman Brown , Indologist and Sanskritist* Norman O. Brown , author* Norman E. Brown, sports editor of the Central Press Association* Norman Brown...
, a newly added local show called 60 Smooth Minutes heard Sunday nights at 6pm, and the evening show Legends of Jazz hosted by musician and former WNUA radio personality Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Lewis
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
. Channel 6 General Manager Pat Kelley is also a veteran who was fired from WNUA in 2009.
As of July 2009, channel 6 is also simulcast on a subchannel of WCHU-LD (33.2, mapped to virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
61.2 via PSIP
Program and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
). In June 2011, WLFM became available on Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
digital cable as channel 877.
As of October 2010, WLFM-LP has tweaked its format to "Smooth Adult Contemporary" (again using a Broadcast Architecture source). The format is a mix of mainstream and urban adult contemporary tracks with a few smooth jazz instrumentals per hour. As a result, Chicago is once again without a true smooth jazz station, although the new format still incorporates a fair amount of smooth jazz. Otherwise, the Smooth Jazz Network is now available online for fans of the old format.
In Autumn 2011 the station added streaming audio to its website - available at the following link:
Webcast = Listen Live