WAIT (850

kHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that on ...

) was an AM

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

licensed A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

Crystal Lake, Illinois Crystal Lake is a city in McHenry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Named after a lake southwest of the city's downtown, Crystal Lake is 45 miles northwest of Chicago. The population is 40,269 as of the 2020 Census, a 1.2% decrease from 201 ...

and serving the

Chicago metropolitan area The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hi ...

. It was licensed by the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

(FCC) as a Class D station and broadcast only during daytime hours, signing off at sunset to protect

KOA KOA (short for Kampgrounds of America) is an American franchise of privately owned campgrounds. Having more than 500 locations across the United States and Canada, it is the world's largest system of privately owned campgrounds. It was founded in ...

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, the

clear-channel station A clear-channel station is an AM broadcasting, AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from Interference (communication), interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. The syste ...

on 850 kHz. The station had a highly directional pattern, with nulls to the northeast and southwest, to protect WGVS in

Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expa ...

, and KFUO in

Clayton, Missouri Clayton is a city in and the seat of St. Louis County, Missouri. It borders the independent city of St. Louis. The population was 17,355 at the 2020 census. Organized in 1877, the city was named after Ralph Clayton, who donated the land for the ...

. Because of its northwest suburban location and directional pattern, WAIT could be heard in

Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...

and

Janesville, Wisconsin Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...

in addition to the Chicago

media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...

History

WCLR

The station began broadcasting on October 1, 1965, holding the

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...

WCLR, which stood for "Crystal Lake Radio". The station originally ran 500 watts during daytime hours only. The station was owned by George DeBeer, Lynn Renne, and Art Thorsen. The station aired

easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...

music, along with local news and high school football games.

WIVS

In 1969, the station was purchased by

Mal Bellairs Mal Bellairs (born November 9, 1919 – July 12, 2010) was a well-known Chicago-area radio and television personality during the second half of the 20th century. He was named a National Radio Hall of Fame Regional Pioneer by the Illinois Broadcaste ...

, a WBBM personality, for $350,000.Rowland, Brett.
Longtime local radio broadcaster Mal Bellairs dies at 90
, '' Northwest Herald''. Jul 12, 2010. Retrieved December 31, 2018. Bellairs changed the station's call letters to WIVS, standing for "wives", reflecting the station's programming aimed at housewives. Under Bellairs ownership, the station aired middle of the road (MOR) music, as well as talk, cooking, gardening, and sports programming.
Broadcasting Yearbook 1975
',

Broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution (business), distribution of sound, audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio ...

, 1975. p. C-56. Retrieved January 1, 2019.Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands
, ''

Chicago Tribune Magazine The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television are ...

''. March 4, 1979. p. 34. Retrieved January 1, 2019. In 1981, Bellairs sold the station, along with 105.5

WXRD WXRD (103.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format using the station name X-Rock 103.9. Licensed to Crown Point, Indiana, United States, it serves Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs. The station is currently owne ...

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

, to Katy Communications for $838,000. Mal Bellairs would continue to host a music and talk show on the station until March 11, 1985, when WIVS began airing a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

format using programming fed by the

Satellite Music Network Satellite Music Network was the first satellite delivered network to provide complete live 24-hour-a-day music programming to local stations, under several different formats. History Affiliate stations, mostly in small and medium markets, co ...

. In 1985, WIVS's power was increased from 500 watts to 2,500 watts.

850 becomes WAIT

In April 1986, the original

WAIT Wait or WAIT may refer to: Music * Wait (musician), British town pipers Albums and EPs * ''Wait'' (The Polyphonic Spree EP), by The Polyphonic Spree * ''Wait'' (Emanuel Nice EP), a 2002 EP released by the band Emanuel Nice * ''Wait'' (Stee ...

at 820 kHz, which was best known for its

beautiful music Beautiful music (sometimes abbreviated as BM, B/EZ or BM/EZ for "beautiful music/easy listening") is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in North American radio from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Easy listening, elevator musi ...

format in the 1960s and '70s, changed its call letters to WCZE, branded "Cozy" radio, and began airing a soft adult contemporary format.Boss, Kit.
Radio`s Satellite Networks Beam With Success
, ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

''. July 17, 1986. Retrieved January 2, 2019. In May 1986, 850 picked up the WAIT call letters, while continuing to air its Satellite Music Network fed country music format. In 1988, the station was sold to Crystal Lake Radio, along with 105.5 WXET in Woodstock, for $1.6 million. The new owners replaced the country music format with a

full service Full service or Full Service may refer to: * Full-service radio, a wide range of programming * Full Service Network, a communications company Entertainment * "Full Service", a song by the New Kids on the Block from their album ''The Block'' * F ...

format, with

oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music (broadly characterized as classic rock and pop rock) from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as we ...

music comprising approximately 70% of its schedule, with the remainder devoted to programming of local interest, along with

old time radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the early ...

and ethnic programs on weekends.WAIT AM 850
, ''Radio Chicago''. Fall 1989. p. 8. Retrieved January 2, 2019. On January 1, 1990, the station adopted a

format. In 1991, the station was sold to Pride Communications, along with 105.5 WAIT-FM, for $2.2 million. In autumn 1991, the station's former owner, Mal Bellairs, returned to the station, and began serving as an announcer.Kening, Dan.
Still Crystal Clear Mal Bellairs Has Maintained A Mellow Spot
, ''

''. September 13, 1992. Retrieved January 1, 2019.

Adult standards years

In late December 1992, WAIT adopted an adult standards format.Unmacht, Robert.
Format Changes
, ''The M Street Journal''. Vol. 10, No. 1. January 6, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved January 3, 2019.Station Formats
, ''Chicago Airwaves''. p. 13-15. August 1993. Retrieved January 3, 2019. The station initially aired ABC Radio's satellite-fed adult standards format Stardust, which featured longtime Chicago area radio personality

Eddie Hubbard Charles Edward "Eddie" Hubbard (August 29, 1917 – March 26, 2007) was an American easy-listening/MOR disc jockey and radio personality in Chicago, at such radio stations as WIND and WGN. At WGN he co-hosted a popular show with Jack Brickhouse ...

. On November 26, 1994, the station switched to

Westwood One Westwood One is an American radio network There are two types of radio network currently in use around the world: the one-to-many (simplex communication) broadcast network commonly used for public information and mass-media entertainment, and ...

's satellite-fed adult standards format called "AM Only" (now

America's Best Music America's Best Music is the on-air branding of a soft oldies and adult standards 24-hour radio network, formerly known as AM Only. The service is syndicated by Westwood One, a subsidiary of Cumulus Media. It was one of the original Transtar Ra ...

).Borden, Jeff.
Oldies, Goodies at this station are listeners
, ''

Crain's Chicago Business ''Crain's Chicago Business'' is a weekly business newspaper in Chicago, IL. It is owned by Detroit-based Crain Communications, a privately held publishing company with more than 30 magazines, including ''Advertising Age'', ''Modern Healthcare'' ...

''. April 5, 1999. Retrieved January 3, 2019. WAIT enjoyed ratings success as an adult standards station, making it into the top 10 among Chicago area stations and taking a 3.3 audience share in April 1996.Reich, Howard.
WAIT Soars In The Ratings Relying On The Golden Oldies
, ''

''. May 23, 1996. Retrieved January 3, 2019. At least part of the ratings increase could be attributed to longtime adult standards station 1160 WJJD switching to a news/talk format. On May 5, 1996,

Clark Weber Clark Weber was an Americans, American radio personality in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. He also ran his own radio advertising consultancy, Clark Weber Associates. In July 2008 he published a book, ''Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio: The Fun Years ...

began hosting a Friday morning talk show on WAIT, and on February 20, 1999, longtime WGN 720 talk show host

Wally Phillips Walter Phillips (July 7, 1925 – March 26, 2008) was an American radio personality best known for hosting WGN's morning radio show from Chicago for 21 years from January 1965 until July 1986, and was number one in the morning slot from 19 ...

began hosting a two-hour Saturday morning talk show. In October 2000,

NextMedia Group NextMedia Group was an out-of-home media company headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. NextMedia owns and operates 33 AM and FM stations, 5,700 outdoor advertising display across several regions and markets, as well as an interactive divi ...

purchased Pride Communications' nine radio stations, including WAIT, for approximately $57 million.

Chicagoland's Voice

Although still enjoying relatively good ratings, WAIT switched from adult standards to a

news-talk Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featur ...

format branded "Chicagoland's Voice" on January 28, 2002.Mowatt, Raoul V.
A format switch has WAIT talking about its future
, ''

''. March 11, 2002. Retrieved January 3, 2019. The station carried longtime Chicago area talk show host Libby Collins, as well as syndicated hosts including Bill O'Reilly, Mike Gallagher,

Rusty Humphries Rusty Humphries (born August 29, 1965) is an American broadcaster, conservative political commentator and songwriter. He hosts the ''Rusty Humphries Rebellion'' podcast. Humphries' former nationally syndicated radio show, ''The Rusty Humphries ...

, and

Michael Savage Michael Alan Weiner (born March 31, 1942), known by his professional name Michael Savage, is a far-right author, conspiracy theorist, political commentator, activist, and former radio host. Savage is best known as the host of '' The Savage Na ...

. Wally Phillips and Clark Weber's talk shows continued. Ratings plummeted after the station's format change, and in the fall of 2003 the station was sold to

Newsweb Corporation Newsweb Corporation is a printer of ethnic and alternative newspapers in the United States, based in Chicago, Illinois. The company also owns several radio stations in the Chicago area. Newsweb was founded in 1971 by Chicago entrepreneur, political ...

for $8.25 million.Radio Active
, ''

Airplay Monitor ''Billboard Radio Monitor'' was a weekly music Trade journal, trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes. The magazine was a spinoff of ''Billboard magazine ...

''. November 7, 2003. p. 3. Retrieved January 4, 2019.

Newsweb ownership

In October 2003, Newsweb took ownership of AM 850 WAIT, and the talk format ended on the station.Application Search Details - BAL-20030428ABE
fcc.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2019. The station began airing

brokered programming Brokered programming (also known as time-buy and blocktime) is a form of broadcast content in which the show's producer pays a radio or television station for air time, rather than exchanging programming for pay or the opportunity to play spot comm ...

and the syndicated

AAA AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to: Airports * Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA) * Logan County Airport (Illinois) (FAA airport code AAA) Arts, entertainment, and me ...

program '' World Cafe''. In May 2005, the station adopted a

progressive talk Progressive talk radio is a talk radio format devoted to expressing left-leaning, liberal or progressive viewpoints of news and issues as opposed to conservative talk radio. In the United States, the format has included syndicated and independe ...

format, and its call sign was changed to WCPT. Zorn, Eric.
'Air America' return may not be a good thing
, ''

''. May 2, 2005. Retrieved January 4, 2018. The station was an affiliate of Air America. Hosts heard on the station included

Rachel Maddow Rachel Anne Maddow (, ; born April 1, 1973) is an American television news program host and liberal political commentator. Maddow hosts ''The Rachel Maddow Show'', a weekly television show on MSNBC, and serves as the cable network's special eve ...

Jerry Springer Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show ''Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...

Al Franken Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedian, politician, media personality, and author who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. He gained fame as a writer and performer on the television comed ...

Ed Schultz Edward Andrew Schultz (January 27, 1954 – July 5, 2018) was an American television and radio host, political commentator, news anchor and sports broadcaster. He was the host of ''The Ed Show'', a weekday news talk program on MSNBC from ...

, and

Randi Rhodes Randi is both a given name, and a nickname in the English language, popular in North America and Norway. It is primarily a feminine name, although there is recorded usage of the name by men. It may have originated as a pet form of '' Miranda'' o ...

. The WAIT call letters were moved to 820 AM. On November 26, 2007, the progressive talk format and the WCPT call sign moved to 820 AM, and the WAIT call sign returned to this station.WCPT/Chicago To Move To 820 AM
, ''All Access Music Group''. November 8, 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2019. On February 25, 2009, the station began airing brokered

religious programming Religious broadcasting, sometimes referred to as faith-based broadcasts, is the dissemination of television and/or radio content that intentionally has religious ideas, religious experience, or religious practice as its core focus. In some coun ...

in both Spanish and English as "La Promesa"/"The Promise". The station ceased airing brokered religious programming in July 2019, and began airing a variety of music and later syndicated public affairs talk shows. In August 2019, Newsweb sold WAIT's transmitter site to

McHenry County College McHenry County College (MCC) is a public community college in McHenry County, Illinois. The college serves residents residing in Community College District 528, which covers most of McHenry County and portions of surrounding counties. The colle ...

, and on August 27 the station was taken off the air. Feder, Robert.
Robservations: Weigel Broadcasting turns WCIU into CW26 on Sunday
, RobertFeder.com. August 28, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2019. Newsweb surrendered the station's license on July 15, 2020, and the FCC cancelled the license on July 21. Feder, Robert.
Robservations: Newsweb hands back WAIT's license to FCC
, RobertFeder.com. July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.

References

External links

FCC Station Search Details: DWAIT
(Facility ID: 53504)
FCC History Cards for WAIT
( covering 1962-1980 as WCLR / WIVS) {{Daytime-only radio stations in Illinois

AIT An ait (, like ''eight'') or eyot () is a small island. It is especially used to refer to river islands found on the River Thames and its tributaries in England. Aits are typically formed by the deposit of sediment in the water, which accumu ...

Crystal Lake, Illinois

1965 establishments in Illinois Radio stations established in 1965 Defunct radio stations in the United States Radio stations disestablished in 2020 2020 disestablishments in Illinois