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WLIT-FM (93.9 , "93.9 Lite FM") is a radio station in , . Owned by , it broadcasts an adult contemporary format. Its studios are located at the complex in the , while the station transmitter is on top of the .


History

WEBH
This station signed on the air as WEBH-FM on April 7, 1958; History Cards for WLIT-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2018. the call letters stood for the Edgewater Beach Hotel, the location of its original studios and transmitter site.Holland, Marsha. " Radio Broadcasting at the Edgewater Beach Hotel after 1928 - Part 2", Edgewater Scrapbook. Vol. 28, No. 1. Winter 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2018. The station was owned by the Buddy Black Broadcasting Co.

WEBH-FM aired music, along with popular on weekday evenings, a classical music block on Sundays afternoons, and Sunday morning . In 1968, the station's transmitter was moved to Riverside Plaza, and its studios were moved to the Congress Plaza Hotel."The Sound: Music and radio: for young listeners", . February 20, 1968. Section 2, p. 15. In 1969, the station was sold to Rich Communications Corp. for $325,000.


WWEL
In January 1970, the station's call sign was changed to WWEL. WWEL broadcast a format. 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting. 1971. p. B-62. Retrieved September 8, 2018. The EL in WWEL's call sign was chosen to describe its Easy Listening format. In 1971, the station's transmitter was moved to the John Hancock Center, and it was sold to Sudbrink Broadcasting. Federal Communications Commission Reports: Decisions, Reports, and Orders of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. Volume 30. United States Government Publishing Office. June 25 to August 19, 1971. p. 978. Retrieved December 17, 2019. The station's studios were moved to the John Hancock Center the following year.


WLAK
In February 1972, the station's call sign was changed to WLAK. This time the call letters referred to where Chicago is the largest port. WLAK adopted the format produced and distributed by Stereo Radio Productions, as did the other Sudbrink FM stations. WLAK did well in the ratings throughout the 1970s, and was the top rated FM station in 1975.Duncan, James H. " Chicago: 12+ Metro Share", An American Radio Trilogy 1975 to 2004. Volume 1: The Markets. Duncan's American Radio. Retrieved December 17, 2019.Lazarus, George. "WLAK gets FM rating peak", . May 20, 1975. p. C11.Deeb, Gary. "Good news for FMers in Arbitron ratings", . March 15, 1978. p. A8.

In 1974, the station's transmitter and studios were moved to the . In 1978, WLAK was sold to Storer Broadcasting for $4.25 million. That December, Storer announced that it would exit radio to focus on its television stations and cable systems. While the company's other radio stations were sold in 1979, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations of the time required Storer to retain WLAK for three years. Storer sold WLAK to Viacom International for $8 million in 1981.

In March 1982, WLAK's format began to shift towards soft adult contemporary.Zorn, Eric. "Love is in the air — and it's on WLAK", . May 21, 1984. pp F1, F2. More soft vocals were added to the , while the share of instrumentals was reduced." It's Beautiful: Bonneville's Verdery Trying New Approach to Vocal Music", Billboard. February 19, 1983. pp. 15, 62. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Core artists included , , , and softer selections by . On August 8, 1983, it completed its transition to soft AC.Zorn, Eric. "Love is in the air at 'new' WLAK", . August 6, 1983. p. 11. The instrumentals were cut entirely, and the station was branded as "Love Songs"." Love Is 'On' The Air", Radio & Records. March 9, 1984. p. 41. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Chicago Radio Guide. Vol. 1, No. 1. May 1985. p. 3. Retrieved September 10, 2018. It featured from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, from artists such as , , and . Later, its slogan was "Songs to Sing Along With," as it continued to air a soft AC format. Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved September 10, 2018.


WLIT-FM
WLAK changed call letters on January 16, 1989, to WLIT-FM, and rebranded as "Lite FM", using the slogan "Lite Favorites". Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2018. Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Spring-Summer 1989. Retrieved September 10, 2018." WLIT FM 93.9", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 42. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Viacom sold its radio stations to Chancellor Broadcasting in 1997.Peers, Martin. " Viacom Radio Signs Off", Variety. February 18, 1997. Retrieved September 10, 2018. In 1999, Chancellor restructured as AMFM Inc. Chancellor to Become AMFM Inc.", . May 20, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2018. In 2000, WLIT's ownership changed to Clear Channel Communications after Clear Channel's merger with AMFM. Consent to Transfer, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2018." Clear Channel-AMFM Merger Gets Approval", . Los Angeles Times. August 30, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

Over time, the station evolved to a mainstream adult contemporary format. WLIT became Chicago's only adult contemporary station on August 1, 2011, when former rival 105.9 flipped to a of 780 WBBM. This marked the first time in years Chicago only had one AC radio station.

On June 17, 2013, at 9 am, Clear Channel re-launched WLIT as "93.9 My FM" and retired the Lite FM brand in Chicago after 24 years. The first song on "My FM" was "Teenage Dream" by . The station's playlist was adjusted to be more current/recurrent-based.

On December 1, 2017, during its annual programming, WLIT returned to the Lite FM branding. The station also dropped its carriage of the syndicated evening show, replacing it with the syndicated call-in and dedications show Delilah.

In December 2018, reported that WLIT planned to flip to a soft adult contemporary format. It would begin using the slogan "Relaxing Favorites" after the conclusion of its Christmas programming.

WLIT has been constantly ranked number one in Chicago, according to [[Nielsen Audio]].
     

On May 16, 2025, WLIT dropped its “Relaxing Favorites” slogan in favor for “More Music, More Variety”, returning to its previous AC format.


HD programming
In February 2006, WLIT began broadcasting in . WLIT's HD2 subchannel was originally a simulcast of the now-defunct "Real Oldies" AM 1690 WRLL (now ). It later changed to a mix of and 1970s/1980s called "Flashback". In August 2009, the format changed again, this time to a gold-based AC format known as "Chicago's Classic Lite", and later branded as "Delilah"." Listen To Delilah 24/7!", WLIT. Retrieved September 10, 2018.http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=4 HD Radio Guide for Chicago

On February 1, 2016, WLIT's HD2 adopted a format branded "Poder 97.5" (Power 97.5), which was rebroadcast at 97.5 MHz through W248BB.Villafañe, Veronica. " iHeart Chicago's 97.5 FM drops ESPN Deportes", Media Moves. November 24, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2018." Poder 97.5 Revamps Line-Up", Chicagoland Radio and Media. January 24, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2018. On May 6, 2019, WLIT-HD2 dropped the "Poder 97.5" Regional Mexican format and switched to iHeart's "The Breeze" soft adult contemporary format. The 97.5 translator flipped to Christian contemporary music, as an affiliate of . As of December 2019, K-Love broke away from the WCKL-FM simulcast and started simulcasting Air1 from WCKL-HD2." Poder 97.5 Chicago Ceases Operations", RadioInsight. May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019. In early 2022, the HD2 subchannel ceased operations.


Christmas music
From November through Christmas Day every year, WLIT switches to all , resuming its regular branding and AC format on December 26. It is traditionally one of the earlier stations to adopt an all-Christmas format, traditionally doing so between November 1 and November 5, compared to the November 10 standard iHeart uses for most of its other stations. Its Christmas mix, featuring approximately 250 songs, weighs heavily toward standards, especially in early November, so as to give listeners a greater emphasis on the familiar.


Personalities
In December 2000, the station began airing the nationally syndicated Delilah program on weekday evenings." Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 17 No. 50. December 13, 2000. p. 2. Retrieved September 10, 2018. It is produced by Premiere Networks, which is co-owned with WLIT. WLIT cancelled Delilah's program in November 2007, but it returned in October 2008." Delilah Loses Son; Then Loses WLIT-FM", Chicagoland Radio and Media. March 13, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Delilah's program was taken off WLIT again in March 2012, but was brought back in December 2017, after the station returned to its "Lite FM" branding." Delilah Joins Chicago's Reprised 'Lite FM.'", Inside Radio. December 8, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Delilah is currently heard Sunday through Friday evenings.

WLIT also carries the Weekend Show from co-owned Los Angeles on Saturday mornings. As with Delilah, Ellen K is syndicated by Premiere Networks.

joined WLIT as morning host in 2001, remaining until 2006, but returning 14 months later.. " Melissa Forman out at WLIT-FM -- again", . August 13, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2018.Feder, Robert. " Melissa Forman going 'home again' to Lite FM morning show", Robert Feder. May 21, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Forman was again let go in 2009, and began co-hosting "You & Me This Morning" on , but was again hired as morning host on WLIT in May 2018. Melissa Forman Returns To WLIT (93.9 Lite FM)/Chicago", All Access Music Group. May 21, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

WLIT's midday DJ is Robin Rock, Mick Lee is heard in afternoon and Theresa Lucas overnight.


External links

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