WRTE

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

Jazz music public radio station in Chicago

title: "WRTE" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["jazz-radio-stations-in-the-united-states", "radio-stations-established-in-1970", "1970-establishments-in-illinois", "radio-stations-in-chicago"] description: "Jazz music public radio station in Chicago" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRTE" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Jazz music public radio station in Chicago ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]

FieldValue
nameWRTE
cityChicago, Illinois
aboveSimulcasts WDCB, Glen Ellyn
areaChicago metropolitan area
countryUS
frequency90.7 MHz
formatJazz, variety
erp6 watts
airdate1970
haat107.3 m
classD
facility_id10794
coordinates
callsign_meaningStation was known as Radio Arte
former_frequencies
former_callsignsWCYC (1970–1997)
ownerChicago Public Media
affiliationsPRX
licensing_authorityFCC
sister_stationsWBEZ
webcast
website
::

| name = WRTE | city = Chicago, Illinois | above = Simulcasts WDCB, Glen Ellyn | area = Chicago metropolitan area | country = US | frequency = 90.7 MHz | format = Jazz, variety | erp = 6 watts | airdate = 1970 | haat = 107.3 m | class = D | facility_id = 10794 | coordinates = | callsign_meaning = Station was known as Radio Arte | former_frequencies = | former_callsigns = WCYC (1970–1997) | owner = Chicago Public Media | affiliations = PRX | licensing_authority = FCC | sister_stations = WBEZ | webcast = | website =

WRTE (90.7 FM) is an American radio station broadcasting a jazz / variety format. It is licensed to Chicago, Illinois, United States, and serves the city of Chicago. The station is owned by Chicago Public Media. WRTE broadcasts in the HD Radio format.

History

WCYC

WRTE signed on in 1970 as WCYC, owned by the Boys Clubs of Chicago on 88.7 MHz. In 1988, the station's frequency was changed to 90.5 MHz. The station aired an urban contemporary format and was staffed by teenage volunteers. DJs were not allowed to say their last names, nicknames, or street names on the air, after a volunteer DJ was shot by someone who was waiting for them outside of the studio. Some of WCYC's volunteers went on to work as DJs at WGCI-FM. The station also carried The Lutheran Hour.

Radio Arte

The Boys and Girls Clubs sold the radio station to the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum (now National Museum of Mexican Art) in 1996, and its call sign was changed to WRTE on July 1, 1997. It was branded "Radio Arte", and aired a bilingual format, with Spanish and English language programming, as well as Spanish-language rock. In the final years of the National Museum of Mexican Art's ownership of the station, it underwent fundraising challenges, and in the spring of 2011 the station was put up for sale.

Chicago Public Media ownership

On June 22, 2012, it was announced that Chicago Public Media would purchase WRTE for $350,000 cash, plus program announcements over four years, valued at $100,000. The sale was consummated on December 31, 2012. On July 31, 2012, Chicago Public Media applied to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move WRTE's transmitter site from 2801 S. Ridgeway in Chicago, to University Hall on the East campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. On September 28, 2012, the FCC granted Chicago Public Media a construction permit to move the station's transmitter site to its new location. On October 12, 2012, Chicago Public Media applied with the FCC change the station's frequency to 90.7 MHz FM. On November 15, 2012 the FCC granted a construction permit for the move to 90.7 MHz. The effective radiated power decreased to 6 watts and the HAAT increased to 107.3 meters. On February 11, 2013 WRTE moved to 90.7 FM, and it began simulcasting WBEW's "Vocalo" programming.

In May 2016, an agreement was finalized for WRTE to simulcast Glen Ellyn jazz station WDCB, strengthening the western suburban station's coverage in the city of Chicago, and ending the Vocalo simulcast.

References

References

  1. [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=69972 History Cards for WRTE], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  2. "WRTE Facility Record". United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division.
  3. "HD Radio station guide for Chicago, IL".
  4. [https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/comment.pl?Application_id=51255&File_number=BPED-19830110AD Public Notice Comment], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  5. [https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/comment.pl?Application_id=109361&File_number=BLED-19880209KH Public Notice Comment], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  6. "Hanging Out: Teens are making waves—radio waves—at WCYC in the heart of gang land", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. May 18, 1988. Section 7, p. 4.
  7. "[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-03-24-8903290615-story.html Chicago Area Radio Stations]", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. March 24, 1989. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  8. "Entertainment", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. September 24, 1988.
  9. "[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-07-24-8801170121-story.html 'Lutheran Hour' Speaker Retiring This Year]", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. July 24, 1988. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  10. "[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1996-07.pdf Proposed Station Transfers]", ''The M Street Journal''. Vol. 13, No. 27. July 3, 1996. p. 5. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  11. Storch, Charles. "[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-12-05-0612050232-story.html 'National' status; Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum name change elevates it to a new league]", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. December 5, 2006. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  12. "[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=10794&Callsign=WRTE10794 Call Sign History]", fcc.gov. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  13. Eng, Monica. "Radio WRTE Broadcasting a Positive Image to Young Latinos", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. January 4, 1999.
  14. Mitchell, Chip. "[https://www.wbez.org/stories/museum-to-sell-radio-arte-license-building/73260e20-a72d-43aa-9490-e52eab9ff939 Museum to sell Radio Arte license, building]", [[WBEZ]]. May 18, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  15. "[https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/museum-to-sell-radio-arte-license-building Museum to Sell Radio Arte License, Building]", [[Illinois Public Media]]. May 18, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  16. "[https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/107432/chicago-public-media-buys-wrte-chicago Chicago Public Media Buys WRTE/Chicago]", ''All Access Music Group''. June 22, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  17. Marek, Lynee. "[https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120622/NEWS06/120629928/chicago-public-media-buys-latino-radio-station-wrte-fm Chicago Public Media buys Latino radio station WRTE-FM]", ''[[Crain's Chicago Business]]''. June 22, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  18. [http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1513050 Application Search Details: BALED-20120621ABV], fcc.gov. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  19. [https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101510002&formid=340&fac_num=10794 APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR RESERVED CHANNEL NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BROADCAST STATION] fcc.gov. July 31, 2012. Accessed September 26, 2012
  20. [http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1510002 Application Search Details] fcc.gov. Accessed November 2, 2012
  21. [https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101520211&formid=340&fac_num=10794 APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR RESERVED CHANNEL NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BROADCAST STATION] fcc.gov. Accessed November 2, 2012
  22. (February 14, 2013). "Vocalo 89.5 FM y 90.7 FM transmitirá en español". [[Chicago Tribune]].
  23. [[Robert Feder
  24. (May 17, 2016). "WDCB Expands Frequency to Reach Greater Audience". [[Yahoo!]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

jazz-radio-stations-in-the-united-statesradio-stations-established-in-19701970-establishments-in-illinoisradio-stations-in-chicago