WUSN is an FM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, The station broadcasts on 99.5 MHz and is a country radio station owned by CBS Radio. The station focuses on country music from the '90s, along with current product and some classic country from the '70s and '80s.

[edit] History

[edit] 99.5 WEFM/99-"We" FM

Until 1978, 99.5 was classical WEFM, the second station in the United States to broadcast in FM stereo. The station signed on June 1, 1961, when it was owned by the Zenith Radio Corporation, now Zenith Electronics Corporation. In May 1978, WEFM (after many years of litigation) was bought by General Cinema Corporation and converted to a top 40 format. In the mid to late 1970s, the station was essentially a top 40 station with the moniker 99-"We"-FM (WEFM). Morning shows were hosted by Dan Walker, the (Illinois) governor of Rock and Roll (formerly of WDHF/WMET 95 1/2) and joined by Willak. Afternoons featured "Cox on the Radio". Other disk jockeys during the top 40 era included John Calhoun and Ken Cocker.

The WEFM call sign is now used on 95.9 FM in nearby Michigan City, Indiana, which also is imaged as "We-FM."

[edit] US*99

In the early 1981, WEFM briefly flipped to a Soft Vocals format. In 1982, WEFM flipped to WUSN ("US*99") and took on (and outlasted) four country music competitors in Chicago: 670 WMAQ, 1160 WJJD (flipped to Music of Your Life in 1982), WJEZ 104.3 (formerly WJJD-FM) which flipped to oldies as WJMK "Magic" 104 in 1984, and WKXK (now WLS-FM)

WUSN was owned for years by First Media after it first debuted in 1982. In 1992, Infinity Broadcasting bought WUSN. CBS bought Infinity in 1997, making WUSN a CBS owned station. WUSN dominates as a country station and is one of the top ranked country stations anywhere.

WUSN may be considered the largest country radio station in the United States (based on listener cume), although recently this has been in dispute. Since the advent of the Portable People Meter, WXTU in Philadelphia (owned by Beasley Broadcast Group) has eclipsed WUSN in cume to become the most listened to country station in the United States. Which station actually has a larger listening audience likely will not be settled until Arbitron launches PPM service in Chicago.

[edit] Controversy

On April 13, 2001 a memo from WUSN management demanding that all on-air employees of WUSN-FM attend the George Strait Country Music Festival on May 26, 2001 at their own expense^[1] and "work the crowd" on behalf of the station was leaked to the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper.^[2]

On July 7, 2003, country music radio personality Cliff Dumas sued Infinity Broadcasting Corporation and WUSN-FM in United States District Court, seeking monetary damages. Dumas alleged that WUSN management had induced him to resign gainful employment at a New Mexico radio station to take a job at WUSN which was offered but then never materialized.^[3]

[edit] Awards

In 2007, the station was nominated for the top 25 markets country music Radio & Records magazine station of the year award . Other nominees included KYGO-FM Denver, WYCD Detroit, KEEY-FM Minneapolis, WXTU Philadelphia, and KSON-FM San Diego.^[4]

[edit] Airstaff

The current lineup (as of December 2008) Starting out the day on the morning drive from 5am-10am is The Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Morning Show with Lisa Dent, Ramblin' Ray Stevens, Lisa Kosty, Bonnie Green (News) and Chris Reese. Next is Trish Biondo on middays from 10am-3pm. Holding down the afternoon drive from 3pm-7pm is Drew Walker with Marti Jones (Traffic). Wrapping up the day on nights from 7pm-12am is Marci Braun.

Weekend's/Fill-ins include Craig Asbach, Deena Blake, Mark D. and Paige Spangler.

[edit] References

US99.5 Airstaff

[edit] External links

• Official Website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WUSN
• Radio Locator information on WUSN
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WUSN