WVIV-FM

WVIV-FM and WVIX (Maxima 103.1 / 93.5) are a Spanish radio simulcast in Chicago, Illinois. They are part of the family of Univisión Radio, a division of Univisión Communications. Studios are located at 625 North Michigan, right in the heart of downtown Chicago.

103.1 and 93.5 FM History[edit]

The 103.1 FM frequency was previously home to WEEF-FM and WVVX. In the 1980s and early 1990s, WVVX was a brokered station with Spanish-language programming during the day and switched at night to "RPM (Real Precious Metal)," a show that became a cult favorite among Chicago-area fans of heavy metal and hard rock music and specialized in playing bands that the major commercial stations in Chicago would not touch. The show was sponsored by Jam Productions, a Chicago concert promoter.

In April 1991, WFYR 103.5 FM (now WKSC) abruptly switched from adult contemporary music to album rock as WWBZ "The Blaze," featuring a more commercial approach to the hard-rock format on a stronger, full-market signals. "The Blaze" quickly took off, and Jam Productions withdrew its support for the heavy-metal programming on WVVX. RPM continued for a short while longer on WVVX and then moved to WYSY in Aurora before being cancelled altogether.

In 1997, WVVX was sold to Big City Radio along with co-channel WJDK 103.1 in Morris, IL (now WCSJ). WVVX changed its calls to WXXY, and WJDK to WYXX. Big City debuted a Rhythmic Oldies format known as "Chicago's Heart and Soul." Despite the talents of Chicago radio veterans such as Fred Winston (afternoons), Dona Mullen (middays), and Robert Murphy (mornings), "Heart and Soul" suffered from poor signals without full coverage of the Chicago market, and floundered in the ratings.

In 1998, 103.1 FM found itself once again upstaged by 103.5 FM when Chancellor Media (now part of Clear Channel Communications) changed 103.5 from WRCX "Rock 103.5" to "Jammin' Oldies" as WUBT "103.5 The Beat." On August 6, 1999, WXXY/WYXX became "The '80s Channel," consulted by Zapoleon Media Strategies' Steve Davis. Unlike most subsequent all-'80s stations which focused chiefly on new wave and rock, "The '80s Channel" featured a broad spectrum of 1980s hit music, including pop and dance hits, with period jingles from JAM Productions.

Then, in late 2000, ABC Radio debuted an '80s-based format on 94.7 FM with WZZN "The Zone" (now WLS-FM), and "The '80s Channel"'s days were numbered. WXXY/WYXX became "Viva 103.1" with a Spanish contemporary format in January 2001. 103.1 FM in Morris eventually dropped out of the simulcast in 2004 to refocus on its home base of Grundy County as WCSJ-FM; around that same time, 103.1 FM in Highland Park (now WVIV) purchased adult-contemporary station WJTW 93.5 in Joliet and converted it to WVIX as a simulcast of WVIV.

In Chicago, Spanish rock and pop used to be the main feature of the former Viva 93.5 and 103.1. In July 2005, WVIV/WVIX flipped formats to Hispanic urban as "La Kalle", which featured not only Spanish hip hop, but also reggaeton and bachata, a type of tropical dance music. (La calle means "the street," though Univision spells it with a slangy "K.")

On Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at Midnight, the WVIV/WVIX simulcast rebranded itself as "Recuerdo 103.1/93.5". The format changed from Latino Urban to Spanish Oldies.

On July 1, 2011, the WVIV/WVIX simulcast changed their format back to Hurban, branded as "La Kalle 103.1/93.5" after the format moved from WPPN 106.7 FM, which flipped to Spanish AC as "Pasion 106.7".

On December 12, 2011 the WVIV/WVIX simulcast rebranded as "Maxima 103.1/93.5".

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WVIV
• Radio-Locator information on WVIV
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WVIV
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WVIX
• Radio-Locator information on WVIX
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WVIX