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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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WSSR
WSSR (96.7 FM, "Star 96-7") is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Joliet, Illinois, United States, it serves South and West Suburban Chicago. The station is owned by Alpha Media, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC. WSSR's studios are located in Crest Hill, and its transmitter is in Homer Glen, Illinois. Using the slogan Star 96-7, the station features a playlist of new pop and pop-rock artists, 2000s and 1990s music.

History

WJOL-FM

The station first signed on the air on February 6, 1960, as WJOL-FM, sister station to AM 1340 WJOL. The station shared its studios and transmitter site with the AM in Joliet, where it broadcast with an ERP of 1,000 watts at a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 125 feet. Initially, WJOL-FM simulcast the programming of the AM part of the day, but aired beautiful music, classical music, and standards separate from the AM station during evening hours and weekends. The station was owned by Joseph Novy and Jerome Cerny.

By 1964, its programming was separate from its AM sister station, and the station was one of the first in the area to broadcast in stereo. That year, WJOL-AM-FM were sold to Publishing Enterprises, owned by Jack Harris and family, for $560,000. A year later, its ERP was increased to 3,000 watts and its HAAT was increased to 300 feet.

WLLI-FM

In 1974, the station's call letters were changed to WLLI, an anagram for Will County, the primary county in its coverage area, and it aired a country music format. Later that decade, the station switched to a MOR format, and then a top 40 format. By 1980, WLLI had returned to a MOR format.

In 1984, the station switched to a top 40/CHR format. In 1987, the station was sold to Joliet Broadcasting. It would shift to an adult rock format in early 1988, and was branded "96.7 I-Rock".

In early 1995, WLLI was sold to Barden Broadcasting, which changed the station's format to hot AC. On January 22, 1996, the station adopted a country format.

Will Rock

96.7 Will Rock's logo

In January 1997, WLLI adopted a rock format, and was branded "96.7 Will Rock Rocks!". Lonny Tyler was morning host and program director. During this time the station carried the Motor Racing Network broadcasts of what was then known as the Winston Cup Series.

In 1998, the station was sold to Pride Communications. In 2000, the station was sold to NextMedia Group.

Star 96.7

On February 2, 2004, while playing "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses, the song started slowing down, until the song was cut halfway through. After 15 seconds of dead air and a minute of stunting with radio sounds, this led to the launch of the station's new adult contemporary format as "Star 96.7". The first song to air under the new branding and format is "Lucky Star" by Madonna. The "Star" branded adult contemporary format had previously aired on 93.5 WJTW, but the station was sold to HBC and flipped to a Spanish language format, as WVIX. On February 9, 2004, its call sign was changed to WSSR.

In 2008, WSSR moved its transmitting antenna from Joliet (where it was co-located on WJOL's tower) to a 350-foot tower located at 159th Street & Cedar Road in Homer Glen. The move solidified the stations signal coverage in the I-88 and I-355 corridor as well as the southwest suburbs.

WSSR and NextMedia's 32 other radio stations were sold to Digity, LLC for $85 million; the transaction was consummated on February 10, 2014. Effective February 25, 2016, Digity, LLC and its 124 radio stations were acquired by Alpha Media for $264 million.

Scott Childers joined WSSR in 2008 as afternoon drive host, and became program director in 2012. In April 2019, Childers was replaced in his weekday afternoon and evening shift by Eddie Volkman.

HD programming

WSSR transmits in HD Radio and provides a multicast (extra) channel, which carries sister station, WJOL-AM 1340 on HD 2. The main HD channel, HD 1 simulcasts the over-the-air (analog) channel.

References

  1. ^ 1961-62 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1961-1962. p. B-54. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  2. ^ History Cards for WSSR, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  3. ^ Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  4. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WSSR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. ^ "FM Station Key", U.S. Radio. Vol. 4, No. 7. July 1960. p. 47. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  6. ^ "FM Station Key", U.S. Radio. September 1961. p. 65. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  7. ^ "Changing hands", Broadcasting. May 11, 1964. p. 87. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  8. ^ "Ownership changes", Broadcasting. May 11, 1964. p. 96. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  9. ^ 1964 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1964. p. B-50. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  10. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1975, Broadcasting, 1975. p. C-58. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  11. ^ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988/Spring-Summer 1989. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  12. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977, Broadcasting, 1977. p. C-64. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  13. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1978, Broadcasting, 1978. p. C-66. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  14. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1980, Broadcasting, 1980. p. C-69. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  15. ^ Bornstein, Rollye. "Vox Jox", Billboard. December 22, 1984. p. 21. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  16. ^ "Transactions", Radio & Records. April 24, 1987. p. 12. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  17. ^ Public Notice Comment – BALH-19870414HW, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  18. ^ "WLLI FM 96.7", Radio Chicago, Spring 1991. p. 54. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  19. ^ The Broadcasting Yearbook 1991, Broadcasting & Cable, 1978. p. B-102. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  20. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 12, No. 13. March 29, 1995. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  21. ^ Public Notice Comment – BALH-19950104GH, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  22. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. January 30, 1995. p. 44. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  23. ^ Taylor, Chuck. "Vox Jox", Billboard. January 20, 1996. p. 81. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  24. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 2 . January 15, 1997. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  25. ^ "96.7 Will Rock". WLLI. Archived from the original on March 4, 2000. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  26. ^ "Jox Box". WLLI. Archived from the original on March 4, 2000. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  27. ^ "Lonny Tyler Sits in All 75,000 Seats!", Chicagoland Speedway. June 18, 2001. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  28. ^ "Special Report", Broadcasting & Cable. February 2, 1998. p. 47. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  29. ^ Mannion, Annemarie. "Voice of Joliet May Grow Quiet", Chicago Tribune. February 5, 1998. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  30. ^ "Combos", Broadcasting & Cable. July 9, 2000. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  31. ^ Kirk, Jim. "Suburban Radio Signals Scooped Up By Colorado's NextMedia Group", Chicago Tribune. July 4, 2000. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  32. ^ "Chicago Media Headlines". DJHeadlines.com. February 3, 2004. Archived from the original on November 2, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  33. ^ "The format flip of WLLI-FM 96.7 'Will Rock' to WSSR-FM 'Star 96-7'". DJHeadlines.com. February 2, 2004. Archived from the original on June 17, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  34. ^ WSSR Transmitter Site Map, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  35. ^ Application Search Details – BLH-20080402AAF, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  36. ^ "NextMedia Radio Stations Now Owned And Operated By Digity", Chicagoland Radio and Media. February 10, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  37. ^ "Alpha Media Closes Purchase of Digity Radio Stations!", Alpha Media. February 25, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  38. ^ "With Digity, Alpha Is Now Fourth-Largest Radio Co.", InsideRadio. February 26, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  39. ^ "Scott Childers Promoted To PD of WSSR-FM", Chicagoland Radio and Media. January 19, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  40. ^ "Scott Childers Exits PD/Afternoons At WSSR (Star 96.7)/Joliet, IL", All Access Music Group. April 12, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  41. ^ "Eddie Volkman Joins WSSR (Star 96.7)/Joliet", All Access Music Group. April 15, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  42. ^ http://www.hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=3 Archived October 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine HD Radio Guide for Chicago
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