WKIF

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92.7 FM WKIF in Kankakee, Illinois (formerly WBRO) is a full time CNN Headline News with Local Traffic and Weather. WKIF also broadcasts Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, Notre Dame Football and other sporting events. WKIF is owned by Newsweb Corporation

[edit] History

The station went on the air in January 1986 under the call letters of WMHG with a country format. Later the callsign was changed to WLRT, then to WBRO.

In November 1998, the local owners sold WBRO off to Big City Radio, the long standing country format was axed, and the station was paired with WCBR (now WKIE) in Arlington Heights, Illinois and launched their new official format, CHR as "92.7 KISS FM." with the first song being "Kiss" by Prince. This would be Chicago's first true CHR station in many years and proved to be quite successful, even with the two stations' weak signals.

In early 1999, the calls were changed to WKIE and WKIF. In summer 1999 Big City purchased a third station, WDEK 92.5 in Dekalb, IL, which had a locally programmed CHR format at the time and created a trimulcast with WKIE and WKIF. Not long after, the moniker was adjusted to "92 KISS FM"

On January 12, 2001, Clear Channel flipped it's full-signal WUBT from rhythmic oldies to CHR as WKSC "Kiss 103.5". At that time, they issued a cease and desist order to Big City Radio insisting they stop using the "Kiss FM" moniker. "92 KISS-FM" continued until January 26, 2001 when the three signals became "Energy 92-7&5", with a format consisting entirely of dance music. The airstaff and voiceover talent Sean Caldwell remained intact.

Energy gained lots of attention via the internet and gained a relatively devoted following in the Chicago area and worldwide via its webcast. Considering their niche format and signal limitations, Energy did was competitive in the ratings and in revenues.

In late 2002, Big City Radio, which had overextended itself in obtaining radio stations, declared bankruptcy and began liquidating its properties. WKIE, WKIF and WDEK were sold to Spanish Broadcasting System and WXXY/WYXX (which had a Mexican music format) to the Hispanic Broadcasting Company. On January 5, 2003, Energy became "Onda 92".

Onda 92 was never successful in the ratings, and SBS had their own financial problems, so in June 2004 the company sold WKIE, WKIF and WDEK to Newsweb Corporation. At midnight on November 22, 2004, WKIE and WDEK went to simulcast WRZA and became Nine FM, while WKIF was broken off the trimulcast and became CNN Headline News for the Kankakee, Illinois area.