WWDV
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| City | Zion, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Kenosha County, Wisconsin, Racine County, Wisconsin, Lake County, Illinois |
| Branding | The Drive |
| Slogan | The Soundtrack of Our Lives |
| Frequency | 96.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) 96.9-2 FM (WWDV-2 - Deep Tracks) |
| First air date | November 4, 1962 (as WAXO) |
| Format | Classic rock (WDRV simulcast) |
| ERP | 50,000 watts (horizontal) 38,000 watts (vertical) |
| HAAT | 148 meters (486 feet) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 49547 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 42°30′36″N 87°53′11″W / 42.51000°N 87.88639°W |
| Callsign meaning | WW The DriVe |
| Former callsigns | WTNX until 1/2/2003 WNIZ-FM until 2/21/2001 WKZN-FM until 7/22/1983 WKZN until 2/29/1980 |
| Owner |
Hubbard Broadcasting (Chicago FCC License Sub, LLC) |
| Sister stations | WDRV, WSHE-FM, WTMX |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wdrv.com |
WWDV (96.9 FM) is a radio station in Zion, Illinois, known as "The Drive". The station is currently owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, and simulcasts with WDRV (97.1 FM). "The Drive" programs a broad-based classic rock format called "Timeless Rock" (similar to the early days of WLUP-FM).
WAXO first signed on the air at 96.9 FM on November 4, 1962; the first voice heard was that of Paul Weyrich. The station's effective radiated power then was 3,500 Watts, broadcasting from a transmitter and 143-foot (44 m) tower at 6400 67th Street and studios in the Isermann Building at 616 56th Street in downtown Kenosha, WI. In 1966, WAXO built new AM-FM studios at the transmitter/tower location, and moved operations there. The building is now a medical facility, though the WAXO tower supports remain on the grounds.
WAXO was Kenosha's second modern-day radio station after WLIP and was billed as "The new voice of a new and greater Kenosha". WAXO's first station manager was longtime broadcaster Roy Ambrose of Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Paul Weyrich was the first program director and Don Jensen was the first news director. Subsequent station managers included Richard Blaha and Darrell Gorr. In a late-1968 promotional stunt, WAXO announcer Gary Anderson held a record for constant on-air broadcast duties by performing an air shift of 96.9 hours.
Service Broadcasting Corporation owned WAXO between 1962 and June 14, 1969. Arnold Johnson was president, Dr. Robert Heller was executive vice-president, and John E. Malloy Esq. was secretary-treasurer.
The company had always intended to operate an AM radio station, and there was an available AM frequency allocation at 1500 kilohertz. However, there were competing interests for the AM license, most notably from neighboring Zion, Illinois, which had lost its 50,000 Watt radio station in a 1930s fire. After lengthy testimony the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to grant the AM 1500 license to the Zion-Benton Broadcasting Company of Zion (principals: Billie Bicket and family), and the station became WZBN, signing on the air on September 19, 1967. After that, Service Broadcasting decided to sell WAXO, and competition developed for the licensed 96.9 FM frequency from broadcasting interests in both Zion, IL and Racine, WI. The owners of WZBN in Zion were the successful applicants, and paid $250,000 for WAXO. Within weeks a lightning strike destroyed the transmitter and WAXO's new owners were granted permission for an increase in power to 10,000 Watts horizontal and 8,100 Watts vertical and a new 500-foot (150 m) antenna tower at Dexter's Corner, Wisconsin.
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Wikipedia