WUSN 99.5 FM: История Чикагской Кантри-Станции

Country music radio station in Chicago

WUSN (99.5 FM) is a country radio station in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Audacy, Inc. and branded as "US✶99", it is based at Two Prudential Plaza in the Loop, and transmits from atop the John Hancock Center with an HD Radio signal.

The station began broadcasting on February 2, 1940, as experimental station W9XEN, licensed to Chicago based radio/television manufacturer Zenith Radio Corporation. In May 1940, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the establishment, effective January 1, 1941, of an FM radio band operating on 40 channels spanning 42–50 MHz. On October 31, 1940, the first fifteen construction permits for commercial FM stations were issued, including one to Zenith for a station in Chicago at 45.1 MHz, which was issued the call sign W51C. It was one of the first FM stations in the United States, and is the country's oldest FM station still in operation. Its transmitter was located atop the Field Building. and the station was assigned new call letters of WWZR. In 1946, the station's call sign was changed to WEFM, which were the initials of Zenith president Eugene F. McDonald. On June 27, 1945, the FCC announced the reassignment of the FM band to 80 channels from 88–106 MHz, which was soon expanded to 100 channels from 88–108 MHz, and WEFM began broadcasting on 98.5 MHz, while temporarily continuing to also broadcast at 45.1 MHz. On June 1, 1961, WEFM became the second station in the United States to broadcast in FM stereo. Few advertisements were aired, and until 1966 the only advertisements were for Zenith products. The station was branded "We FM" and initially broadcast from the studios used by the Zenith classical music format at 120 West Madison street in the Chicago loop. General Cinema moved studios to the 13th floor of the Hancock Center at 875 N. Michigan Ave in 1980, where the transmitter resides on the 93rd floor. In early 1981, the station adopted a MOR format, with programming from the syndicated Schulke II package. The WEFM call sign is now used on 95.9 FM in nearby Michigan City, Indiana, which also is imaged as "We FM."

In 1982, the station was purchased by First Media Corporation for $9.2 million. On February 6, 1982, the station adopted a country music format, branded "US 99", and its call sign was changed to WUSN on February 25, 1982. Within the first week, two mistakes were noticed by listeners and $50,000 was given away. From 1982 to 1985, Don Wade was the station's morning host. Wade was briefly midday host on the station, before moving to WLS. The station's initial country music competitors in Chicago were 670 WMAQ, 104.3 WJEZ, and 1160 WJJD, which switched to the adult standards Music of Your Life format within weeks of "US 99"'s debut. In 1993, Infinity Broadcasting bought WUSN. Infinity was acquired by the parent company of CBS in 1997. On August 8, 2016, WUSN rebranded slightly as "US✶99", dropping the .5 from their moniker and unveiling a new logo and slogan, "Chicago's Hottest Country". The traditional five pointed star, which is a common feature of the logos of American country music radio stations representing the Flag of the United States, was changed in the new version to the six pointed variety represented in the acclaimed Flag of Chicago, with the logo coloring following suit using the flag's light blue and red. The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on the 17th.

In 1967, WEFM won the National Federation of Music Clubs' "Special 4 Star Award" for "outstanding programming devoted to American composers". In 1993, 2006, and 2015, WUSN won the Country Music Association's Major Market Station of the Year award. In 2005, WUSN host Lisa Dent won the Country Music Association's Major Market Personality of the Year award. In 2010 and 2011, the station won Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Aircheck Awards for Station of the Year for a Major Market; the Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Show for Major Market Morning Show and Marci Braun (weeknight host/MD) for Major Market MD. In 2010 and 2015, Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Stevens won the Country Music Association Major Market Personality of the Year for the Lisa Dent and Ramblin' Ray Morning Show. On July 7, 2003, country music radio personality Cliff Dumas sued Infinity Broadcasting Corporation and WUSN in United States District Court, seeking monetary damages. Dumas alleged that station management had induced him to resign gainful employment at a New Mexico radio station to take a job which was offered but then never materialized.