WCHI-FM
| Broadcast area | Chicago, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 95.5 MHz |
| Branding | WNUA 95.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Smooth Jazz |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| History | |
First air date | August 3, 1987 |
Call sign meaning | New (NU) Age |
| Technical information | |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 8,300 watts |
| Links | |
| Website | www.wnua.com |
WNUA (95.5 MHz) is a smooth jazz radio station located in Chicago, Illinois, owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications. It is among the format's top-rated radio stations.
History
The station began operation in 1959. Metromedia would buy the station by the late 60's. Like other Metromedia FM stations 95.5 FM took a progressive rock format. Their call letters were known as WMET. In the 70's they evolved to more of an AOR format. Ratings were good into the early 80's.
Metromedia would buy Field Communications' TV station WFLD 32 in 1983. In March of 1986 though Metromedia sold all their TV stations including WFLD TV and restructured and became Metropolitan Broadcasting. They at that time sold WMET to Flint radio Associates. By then ratings were low and WMET's rock format became a mid-tempo AC for a short while. Then the calls were briefly changed to WRXR, which was a Classic Rock/Hits format (similar to today's 97.1 The Drive).
In the fall of 1986 a New Age Music show was added in evenings from 7 p.m. to Midnight. Shortly after WRXR was sold to Pyramid Broadcasting. The New Age music was added in overnights by the Spring of 1987.
In the fall 1987, the station was renamed WNUA began broadcasting as a New Age station full time, which is believed to be the source of the call letters. Initially they only played New Age music but by the Winter of 1988 they added contemporary jazz music before 7 p.m. during the day. The station at that point was still all instrumental.
By the Summer of 1988 the station added four vocals per hour during the day. The vocalists were R & B artists, soft hits by rock artists, and a few AC cuts. By 1989 the station was about half vocals and half instrumentals during the day and still all new age instrumentals at night.
By 1990, the station began to grow and attract many listeners. Smooth Jazz and a couple vocalists per hour at nights were also added. During the day vocals were pulled back to about 1/3. New Age music was being played less than before. As a Smooth Jazz station, WNUA has become a major pioneer in the format, spawning imitators in other cities, such as KMYT in Temecula, California, KKSF in San Francisco, California, WSJT in Tampa, Florida, WZJZ in Fort Myers, Florida, and WSMJ in Baltimore, Maryland. All five of the aforementioned stations use the same on-air jingles as WNUA, which mention the call letters first and the frequency second (sung as "WNUA 95.5," "KMYT 94.5," "KKSF 103.7," "WSJT 94.1," "WZJZ 107.1," and "WSMJ 104.3"). Some former smooth jazz stations, such as WJJZ (106.1 FM) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also used these jingles; the new WJJZ (97.5 FM), also in Philadelphia, is expected to do the same. KYOT (95.5 FM) in Phoenix, Arizona, sometimes uses the jingles as well, but its identity is never sung.
In 1994 Pyramid sold WNUA to Shamrock Broadcasting which would merge with Chancellor in 1995 and merge with Evergreen in 1997. WNUA was then owned by Chancellor which restructured as AMFM inc in 1999. In 2000 AMFM inc merged with Clear Channel Communications making WNUA a Clear Channel station.
WNUA is the home of the Ramsey Lewis morning show, and it's also where he records his syndicated show, Legends of Jazz (which showcases the music of instrumentalists Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson and Miles Davis, as well as vocalists Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday and Ella Fitzgerald) for distribution to other Smooth Jazz stations across the nation. This two-hour show is targeted at listeners who prefer the "real" jazz music of years past, as opposed to the station's usual "smooth jazz" offering.
WNUA won R&R Smooth Jazz Station of the Year, 1998-2005, and is a recipient of the Marconi Award for Smooth Jazz Station of the Year, 2004.
WNUA broadcasts in HD and their WNUA-HD 2 station is straight ahead jazz, featuring the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, and other traditional jazz greats. Both stations can be streamed through the station's website at www.wnua.com.
Full time on air staff includes: Ramsey Lewis, Karen Williams, Rick O'Dell, Danae Alexander, Anne Ashe, Bill Cochran, and Scott Adams. Part time on air staff includes: Domingo Castillo.
Program Director: Darren Davis
Music Director: Rick O'Dell