WYHI (99.9 FM) is a

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 to

Park Forest, Illinois Park Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, with a small southern portion in Will County, Illinois, United States. The village was originally designed as a planned community for veterans returning from World War II. ...

, south of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, with its transmitter located south of

Peotone, Illinois Peotone () is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,142 at the 2010 census, an increase from 3,385 in 2000. The city is about south of Chicago. The village is home to the Peotone High School Blue Devils. History ...

. WYHI is an owned and operated affiliate of the

Bible Broadcasting Network The Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) is a listener-supported global Conservative Christian radio network staffed and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded in 1971 by Lowell Davey, who was the network's president until his de ...

History

WKAK

From its launch in 1962 until 1975, the station had 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 ...

WKAK.History Cards for WYHI
fcc.gov. Retrieved July 8, 2018. The station was originally owned by Kenneth Baker, Willis Maltby, and Claude Baker. The station began broadcasting January 5, 1962, and was originally licensed to

Kankakee, Illinois Kankakee is a city in and the county seat of Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. As of 2020, the city's population was 24,052. Kankakee is a principal city of the Kankakee-Bourbonnais-Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area. It serves as an ...

, with its transmitter located 2.9 miles north of the city limits, and it had an ERP of 6.6 kw at an

HAAT Haat or hat, even haat bazaar, is an open-air market that serves as a trading venue for local people in rural areas and towns of Indian subcontinent, especially in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Haat bazaars are conducted on a regular ba ...

of 210 feet. It was the only FM station in Kankakee at the time. In the 1960s, the station aired an

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 ...

format, though in 1969 it began adding

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

selections in the evening. By 1972, the majority of the station's playlist was popular music, with standards comprising a quarter of the station's playlist.Changing Formats
, ''

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 ...

'', June 26, 1972. p. 31. Retrieved July 8, 2018. In June 1972, the station's format was changed to

country & western 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, old ...

. In late 1974, Claude Baker and Luella Feller sold the station to Harry Fitzgerald, Howard Dybedock, and Benedict Cerven, Sr. for $132,315.

WBYG

On April 7, 1975, the station's call sign was changed to WBYG, and the station was branded "The Big One".Ghrist, John R. (1996). ''Valley Voices: A Radio History''. Crossroads Communications. p. 293-298. As WBYG, the station began airing an

adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...

format. In 1979, the station's transmitter was moved to

, along the

Kankakee County Kankakee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 113,449. Its county seat is Kankakee. Kankakee County comprises the Kankakee, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. History St ...

Will County Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...

border, and its ERP and HAAT were increased to 50kw and 500 feet respectively. By 1979, WBYG would begin airing an

album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the 1970s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock. Album-oriente ...

format, with

top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...

music from 6 to 9 AM. The station continued airing an album-oriented rock format into the 1980s.Milner Buys WBYG
, ''

Radio & Records ''Radio & Records'' (''R&R'') was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister ...

'', January 20, 1984. p. 3. Retrieved July 10, 2018. In early 1984, Harry Fitzgerald, Howard Dybedock, and Ben Cerven sold the station to Gene Milner Broadcasting for $1.2 million.

The Bus

On February 15, 1985, the station's call sign was changed to WBSW. The station was branded as "The Bus"."Pilot Alert: Beware of Flying Bus", ''

The Southern Illinoisan ''The Southern Illinoisan'' is a daily newspaper based in Carbondale, Illinois, known locally as "The Southern." As of October 2014, it has a daily circulation of 21,270, and a Sunday circulation of 26,958. It is one of the major regional newspa ...

''. June 17, 1985. p. 3.
Chicagoland Radio Waves
', MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
Chicago Radio Guide
', Vol. 1, Issue 1. May 1985. Retrieved August 9, 2018. The Bus initially aired a contemporary album rock format. Shortly after the station's launch, a 20 foot long bus shaped balloon used to advertise the station broke loose from its tethers and floated away, prompting the

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

to issue a warning to pilots. Soon thereafter, the Bus would go on to air a CHR format.Radio Station Index by Format
, ''Radio Chicago'', Spring 1991. p. 2. Retrieved July 9, 2018. The station's call sign was changed to WBUS on April 1, 1987. The station aired ''

Casey's Top 40 ''Casey's Top 40'' was a syndicated radio music program that was distributed by the Westwood One radio network. The show was a vehicle for former '' American Top 40'' host and co-creator Casey Kasem and ran for over nine years. Like Kasem's prior ...

'' on Sunday mornings,WBUS FM 99.9
, ''Radio Chicago'', Fall 1990. p. 49. Retrieved July 14, 2018. and aired dance mixes at night.WBUS FM 99.9
, ''Radio Chicago'', Winter 1991. p. 49. Retrieved July 11, 2018. The Bus lasted until 1996, when Milner Broadcasting sold the station to Z-Spanish Network for $7 million. "The Bus" branding would return to a CHR station in the area in 1998, on 100.7 WBVS in

Coal City, Illinois Coal City is a village in Grundy and Will Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is considered a fringe town of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 5,587 at the 2010 census. Its school district serves an area with over 11,000 r ...

Spanish language formats

Z-Spanish Network launched a

regional Mexican Regional Mexican is a Latin music radio format encompassing the musical genres from the different parts of rural Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Genres include banda, country en español, Duranguense, grupero, mariachi, New Mexico ...

format on the station, branded "La Zeta". On September 23, 1996, the station's call sign was changed to WRZA. In 2000, Z-Spanish Network was acquired by

Entravision Communications Entravision Communications Corporation is an American media company based in Santa Monica, California. Entravision primarily caters to the Spanish-speaking Hispanic community and owns television and radio stations and outdoor media, in several of ...

. On December 29, 2000, the station changed to a Spanish CHR format branded "Super Estrella", which was simulcast on sister station WZCH 103.9 in

Dundee, Illinois West Dundee is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,686 as of the 2020 US Census. It is considered a far northwest Chicago suburb. West Dundee lies across the Fox River from East Dundee and Carpentersville. ...

.Jacobson, Adam.
Entravision Exits Windy City
, ''

'', January 23, 2004. p. 4. Retrieved July 10, 2018. In May 2001, the station's city of license was changed from

. In 2004, Entravision Communications sold the station, along with 750 AM

WNDZ WNDZ (750 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a brokered programming format. Licensed to Portage, Indiana, United States, it serves the Chicago area. The station is owned by Newsweb Corporation. WNDZ operates as a daytime-only station. History ...

, 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 $24 million.Lazaroff, Leon.
Democratic donor plans to purchase 3 stations
, ''

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 27, 2004. Retrieved July 10, 2018.

Nine FM and Dance Factory

In June 2004, Newsweb launched an adult hits format on the station, branded as "

Nine FM Nine FM was the branding of several adult hits radio stations in the Chicago area, DeKalb, Illinois, and Kankakee, Illinois owned by media company Newsweb Corp. These stations included; * WRZA 99.9, Park Forest, Illinois Park Forest is a vil ...

", with the slogan "We Play Anything".Devine, Cathy (2005-2006).
The Radio Book
'. p. 202. Retrieved July 10, 2018.Kampert, Patrick.
Nine FM rolls out 'anything' format on 3 frequencies
, ''

'', December 02, 2004. Retrieved July 10, 2018. After Newsweb purchased other

rimshot A rimshot is a percussion technique used to produce an accented snare drum backbeat. The sound is produced by simultaneously hitting the rim and head of a drum with a drum stick. The sound and various techniques The sound of rimshots can be ...

stations, Nine FM's programming expanded to WKIE (92.7 FM) in the north suburbs and WDEK (92.5 FM) west of the Chicago area on November 29, 2004. Sky Daniels was the original program director for Nine FM. When he left in 2005, he was replaced by Matt DuBiel. In 2006, Chris Chudzik began leasing air time for a

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...

show called Dance Factory.Dance Factory
Nine FM. Internet Archive. Archived June 14, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2018. Feder, Robert.
'Nine FM' filling void with club-style music every night of the week
, ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...

'', May 10, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2018. Initially airing overnight on Saturdays, the program was expanded to seven nights a week on May 14, 2007. Dance Factory continued to air overnight until Newsweb sold the station, even as the station's daytime format changed.

Progressive talk

Newsweb Corporation dropped the Nine FM programming on all three signals Monday, October 20, 2008, and replaced it with a simulcast of sister station WCPT 820's

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 ...

programming from 5 A.M. until 9 P.M.Nine FM/Chicago To Simulcast WCPT Talk
, All Access Music Group. October 17, 2008. Retrieve July 10, 2018. Rosenthal, Phil.
'Nine FM' consolidates -- who's left?
, ''

'', October 18, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2018. The Nine FM format moved to WKIF 92.7 in Kankakee. The station's call sign was changed to WCPQ on October 27, 2008.

Polski FM

On June 2, 2014, WCPQ and

WCPY WCPY (92.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to Arlington Heights, Illinois, and serving the Chicago area. WCPY airs a Polish language format during the daytime, as "Polski FM", while airing a Dance Hits format at night known as "Dance Factory FM ...

broke away from the Progressive Talk simulcast and changed their format to

Polish-language Polish (Polish: ''język polski'', , ''polszczyzna'' or simply ''polski'', ) is a West Slavic languages, West Slavic language of the Lechitic languages, Lechitic group written in the Latin script. It is spoken primarily in Poland and serves as t ...

news, talk and music, branded as "Polski FM".Venta, Lance.
Chicago Liberal Talker To Shift FM Signals To Brokered Polish
, ''Radio Insight''. May 5, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2018. After the station's sale to Bible Broadcasting Network, Polski FM briefly moved to

WMFN WMFN (640 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station broadcasting a All-news radio, black-oriented news radio format, format. The station is owned by Birach Broadcasting. Licensed to Peotone, Illinois and currently serving Chicago, it first began br ...

AM 640.

Bible Broadcasting Network

On March 20, 2018, it was announced that Newsweb would sell WCPQ to

for $5,099,000. The sale was consummated on May 31, 2018, at which point the new owners changed the station's call sign to WYHI. The station joined the Bible Broadcasting Network on June 12, 2018.WYHI – Park Forest / Chicago - 99.9 FM

. Retrieved July 11, 2018.

References

External links

* {{coord, 41.301109, -87.826395, display=title

YHI In Gamilaraay mythology), Yhi (sometimes also rendered Yarai/Yaay) is a female creator spirit and personification of the sun. She chases Bahloo (the moon) across the sky; supernovas are said to happen when she catches up to him. According to a c ...

Radio stations established in 1962 1962 establishments in Illinois Bible Broadcasting Network