City |
WVIV-FM: Highland Park, Illinois WVIX: Joliet, Illinois |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Highland Park/Joliet/Chicago |
Branding | 93.5 & 103.1 Latino Mix |
Frequency |
WVIV-FM: 103.1 MHz WVIX: 93.5 MHz |
First air date |
WVIV-FM: 1963 (as WEEF-FM) WVIX: 1960 (as WAJP) |
Format | Spanish CHR Rhythmic |
Audience share | 0.9 (Holiday 2016, Nielsen Audio[1]) |
ERP |
WVIV-FM: 6,000 watts WVIX: 6,000 watts |
HAAT |
WVIV-FM: 100 meters WVIX: 100 meters |
Class |
WVIV-FM: A WVIX: A |
Facility ID |
WVIV-FM: 74177 WVIX: 48449 |
Transmitter coordinates |
WVIV-FM: 42°8′14.00″N 87°58′57.00″W / 42.1372222°N 87.9825000°W WVIX: 41°36′39.00″N 88°0′33.00″W / 41.6108333°N 88.0091667°W |
Callsign meaning |
WVIV-FM: W VIVa (previous branding) WVIX: W VIva X |
Former callsigns |
WVIV-FM: WEEF-FM (1963-1973) WVVX-FM (1973-1977) WVVX (1977-1998) WXXY-FM (1998-2003) WVIX: WAJP (1960-1985) WJTW (1985-2003) |
Owner |
Univision Radio (Univision Radio License Corporation) |
Sister stations |
Radio: WOJO, WPPN, WRTO-AM TV: WXFT, WGBO |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | 935chicago.univision.com |
WVIV-FM and WVIX (93.5 & 103.1 Latino Mix) are a Spanish radio simulcast in Chicago, Illinois. They are part of the family of Univisión Radio, a division of Univisión Communications. The station's studios are located at 625 North Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. WVIV's transmitter is in Arlington Heights while WVIX's is in Homer Glen.
The 103.1 FM frequency was previously home to WEEF-FM and WVVX. In the 1980s and early 1990s, WVVX was a brokered station with Spanish-language programming during the day and switched at night to "RPM (Real Precious Metal)," a show that became a cult favorite among Chicago-area fans of heavy metal and hard rock music and specialized in playing bands that the major commercial stations in Chicago would not touch. The show was sponsored by Jam Productions, a Chicago concert promoter.
In April 1991, WFYR 103.5 FM (now WKSC) abruptly switched from adult contemporary music to album rock as WWBZ "The Blaze," featuring a more commercial approach to the hard-rock format on a stronger, full-market signals. "The Blaze" quickly took off, and Jam Productions withdrew its support for the heavy-metal programming on WVVX. RPM continued for a short while longer on WVVX and then moved to WYSY in Aurora before being cancelled altogether.
In 1997, WVVX was sold to Big City Radio along with co-channel WJDK 103.1 in Morris, IL (now WCSJ). WVVX changed its calls to WXXY, and WJDK to WYXX. Big City debuted a Rhythmic Oldies format known as "Chicago's Heart and Soul." Despite the talents of Chicago radio veterans such as Fred Winston (afternoons), Dona Mullen (middays), and Robert Murphy (mornings), "Heart and Soul" suffered from poor signals without full coverage of the Chicago market, and floundered in the ratings.
In 1998, 103.1 FM found itself once again upstaged by 103.5 FM when Chancellor Media (now part of iHeartMedia) changed 103.5 from WRCX "Rock 103.5" to "Jammin' Oldies" as WUBT "103.5 The Beat." On August 6, 1999, WXXY/WYXX became "The Eighties Channel," consulted by Zapoleon Media Strategies' Steve Davis. Unlike most subsequent all-1980s stations which focused chiefly on new wave and rock, "The Eighties Channel" featured a broad spectrum of 1980s hit music, including pop and dance hits, with period jingles from JAM Productions.