WYCA

For the public body in Yorkshire, see West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
WYCA
City of license Crete, Illinois
Broadcast area South Suburban Chicago
Kankakee, Illinois
Branding "Rejoice 102.3"
Slogan "Chicagoland's FM Gospel Choice"
Frequency 102.3 FM(MHz)
(also on HD Radio)
First air date October 1, 1964
Format Black Gospel
ERP 1,050 watts
HAAT 152 meters (499 ft)
Class A
Facility ID 73700
Callsign meaning W "Y"oung people's "C"hurch of the "A"ir
Former callsigns WTAS (1965-1993)
WEMG (1993-1997)
WYAA (1997-2000)
WVJM (2000-2001)[1][2]
WYCA (2001)
WYBA (2001-2003)[3]
Affiliations none
Owner Crawford Broadcasting Co.
(Dontron, Inc.)
Webcast Listen Live
Website http://www.rejoice102.com

WYCA (102.3 FM) is licensed to Crete, Illinois, south of Chicago, with studios in Hammond, Indiana, and transmitter in Beecher, Illinois, south of Crete. The station is owned by Dontron, Inc., a subsidiary of Crawford Broadcasting Co.

WYCA is formatted as a religious station, primarily Black Gospel. It is the only Black Gospel FM station in the Chicago market. The most popular program of the broadcast day is the "King's Highway" morning show, featuring Gospel Announcer Darryll King. Ms. King has won numerous awards for her work in Black Gospel Radio.[4] The remaining broadcast day is divided between Black Gospel music and various recorded and live broadcasts by local and national gospel ministers. Some program length commercial broadcasts are also aired.

WYCA broadcasts one channel in the HD Radio format.[5]

History

The station began broadcasting on October 1, 1964, as WTAS, and was originally owned by Anthony Santuccis's South Cook Broadcasting Inc.[6] WTAS initially aired a MOR-Pop Standards format.[7][8] The station simulcast much of the local news, talk and community programming of its sister station 1600 WCGO in Chicago Heights, Illinois, until 1992.[9][10] In 1985, the station began airing the Warren Freiberg - Libby Collins Show, which had been heard on 106.3 WLNR in Lansing, Illinois since 1973.[9] In the late 1980s and early '90s the station aired a full service format, airing easy listening and soft rock music, as well as talk programming simulcast with 1600 WCGO.[11][12]

Early Gospel years

In May 1992, WTAS began airing a Gospel music format, simulcasting the programming of 1510 WWHN in Joliet, Illinois.[13][14] In 1993, the station was purchased by Word of Faith Fellowship, Inc.,[15][16] and on October 22, 1993, its callsign was changed to WEMG-FM, with the station continuing to air a Gospel format.[3][17] In 1997, the station was sold to Dontron, Inc.,[18][19] and on October 31, 1997, the station's callsign was changed to WYAA. As WYAA, the station played Gospel Oldies and Christian Jazz, along with brokered religious programming.[20]

Hot 102 & The Groove

On June 1, 2000, the station's callsign was changed to WVJM, and the station adopted an Urban contemporary format as "Hot 102".[21] As an urban contemporary station, WVJM "Hot 102" carried the syndicated Doug Banks show.[21][22] On March 26, 2001, the station's urban contemporary format was moved to longtime gospel station WYCA 92.3 in Hammond, Indiana along with the call letters WVJM.[2][23] The call letters WYCA briefly moved to 102.3, before being moved to WYBA 106.3 in Lansing, Illinois on April 22, 2001, with 102.3 adopting WYBA as its callsign.[3][24] As WYBA, the station initially aired an R&B format as "The Groove".[25][26]

Rejoice 102

The station switched to its current Gospel music format as "Rejoice 102" on February 17, 2003.[26] On September 30, 2003, the station's callsign was changed to WYCA, as 106.3 in Lansing changed its callsign to WSRB and dropped its Gospel format in favor of an Urban AC format.[3][24] With the end of the Gospel format on 106.3, Gospel Announcer Darryll King moved her weekday program from 106.3 to 102.3, though she continues to host a show on 106.3 WSRB on Sundays.[4][27] WYCA is now the lone religious outlet for Crawford in the Chicago area.

References

  1. ↑ Tiny suburban upstart to take on No. 1 WGCI Feder, Robert. Chicago Sun Times. May 17, 2000. Accessed January 8, 2014
  2. 1 2 WYCA leaving religion for urban contemporary Feder, Robert. Chicago Sun Times. February 23, 2001. Accessed January 8, 2014
  3. 1 2 3 4 Call Sign History fcc.gov. Accessed January 5, 2014
  4. 1 2 Darryll King rejoice102.com. Accessed January 30, 2014
  5. ↑ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=25
  6. ↑ New FM Stations Broadcasting. November 25, 1963. (p. 104) Accessed January 7, 2014
  7. ↑ Billboard. "Stations By Format". October 16, 1965. (p. 62-63)
  8. ↑ Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. (p. 35-37) Accessed January 10, 2014
  9. 1 2 The Morning Mom and Pop Talk Show Osinchak, Sue. Radio Chicago. (p. 20-21) Winter 1990. Accessed January 6, 2014
  10. ↑ Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. (p. 35-37) Accessed January 6, 2014
  11. ↑ South on 1-57 (Kankakee Area) Rocheleau, Paul. "Radio On Wheels: A Traveler's Guide to Radio Stations Across the Nation". Western Edition. 1991. (p. 137) Accessed January 10, 2014
  12. ↑ Chicagoland Radio Stations Dialog Magazine. October 1989. (p. 3) Accessed January 10, 2014.
  13. ↑ Radio From The `Bank` Weaver, Maurice. Chicago Tribune. September 15, 1992. Accessed January 7, 2014
  14. ↑ Station Formats Chicago Airwaves. (p. 13) August 1993. Accessed January 7, 2014
  15. ↑ Application Search Details fcc.gov. Accessed January 7, 2014
  16. ↑ Public Notice Comment fcc.gov. Accessed January 7, 2014
  17. ↑ Chicago Area Station Formats Chicago Airwaves. (p. 13) November/December 1993. Accessed January 7, 2014
  18. ↑ Broadcast Actions fcc.gov. September 02, 1997. Accessed January 7, 2014
  19. ↑ Application Search Details fcc.gov. Accessed January 7, 2014
  20. ↑ "The Shepherd's Guide" Eighth Edition. 1998. (p. 120-121)
  21. 1 2 Doug Banks can't wait to take on WGCI Feder, Robert. Chicago Sun Times. June 20, 2000. Accessed January 8, 2014
  22. ↑ Disc jockey back for battle Feder, Robert. Chicago Sun Times. July 6, 2000. Accessed January 8, 2014
  23. ↑ Alan PD As WVJM/Chicago Signal Moves Radio & Records. March 21, 2001. (p. 5) Accessed January 8, 2014
  24. 1 2 Call Sign History fcc.gov. Accessed January 8, 2014
  25. ↑ Station to station Knopper, Steve. Chicago Tribune. April 14, 2002. Accessed January 8, 2014
  26. 1 2 Tuesday, 02.18.03 DJHeadlines.com. February 18, 2003. Accessed January 8, 2014
  27. ↑ Tuesday, 09.30.03 DJHeadlines.com. September 30, 2003. Accessed January 8, 2014

External links

Coordinates: 41°19′34″N 87°37′16″W / 41.326°N 87.621°W / 41.326; -87.621

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