First air date October 1, 1964 HAAT 152 meters (499 ft) Facility ID 73700 City of license Crete Owner Crawford Broadcasting | ERP 1,050 watts Class A Frequency 102.3 MHz Format Urban contemporary gospel Branding Rejoice 102.3 | |
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Broadcast area South Suburban Chicago
Kankakee, Illinois Area Chicago metropolitan area, Kankakee Slogan Chicagoland's FM Gospel Choice | ||
Word for life broadcast with pastor d wyca rejoice 102 3 fm
WYCA (102.3 FM) is licensed to Crete, Illinois, south of Chicago, with studios in Hammond, Indiana, and transmitter in Beecher, Illinois, south of Crete. The station is owned by Dontron, Inc., a subsidiary of Crawford Broadcasting Co.
Contents
- Word for life broadcast with pastor d wyca rejoice 102 3 fm
- Interview with ms geraldine smith wyca rejoice 102 3 fm
- History
- Early Gospel years
- Hot 102 The Groove
- Rejoice 102
- References
WYCA is formatted as a religious station, primarily Black Gospel. It is the only Black Gospel FM station in the Chicago market. The most popular program of the broadcast day is the "King's Highway" morning show, featuring Gospel Announcer Darryll King. Ms. King has won numerous awards for her work in Black Gospel Radio. The remaining broadcast day is divided between Black Gospel music and various recorded and live broadcasts by local and national gospel ministers. Some program length commercial broadcasts are also aired.
WYCA broadcasts one channel in the HD Radio format.
Interview with ms geraldine smith wyca rejoice 102 3 fm
History
The station began broadcasting on October 1, 1964, as WTAS, and was originally owned by Anthony Santuccis's South Cook Broadcasting Inc. WTAS initially aired a MOR-Pop Standards format. The station simulcast much of the local news, talk and community programming of its sister station 1600 WCGO in Chicago Heights, Illinois, until 1992. In 1985, the station began airing the Warren Freiberg - Libby Collins Show, which had been heard on 106.3 WLNR in Lansing, Illinois since 1973. In the late 1980s and early '90s the station aired a full service format, airing easy listening and soft rock music, as well as talk programming simulcast with 1600 WCGO.
Early Gospel years
In May 1992, WTAS began airing a Gospel music format, simulcasting the programming of 1510 WWHN in Joliet, Illinois. In 1993, the station was purchased by Word of Faith Fellowship, Inc., and on October 22, 1993, its callsign was changed to WEMG-FM, with the station continuing to air a Gospel format. In 1997, the station was sold to Dontron, Inc., and on October 31, 1997, the station's callsign was changed to WYAA. As WYAA, the station played Gospel Oldies and Christian Jazz, along with brokered religious programming.
Hot 102 & The Groove
On June 1, 2000, the station's callsign was changed to WVJM, and the station adopted an Urban contemporary format as "Hot 102". As an urban contemporary station, WVJM "Hot 102" carried the syndicated Doug Banks show. On March 26, 2001, the station's urban contemporary format was moved to longtime gospel station WYCA 92.3 in Hammond, Indiana along with the call letters WVJM. The call letters WYCA briefly moved to 102.3, before being moved to WYBA 106.3 in Lansing, Illinois on April 22, 2001, with 102.3 adopting WYBA as its callsign. As WYBA, the station initially aired an R&B format as "The Groove".
Rejoice 102
The station switched to its current Gospel music format as "Rejoice 102" on February 17, 2003. On September 30, 2003, the station's callsign was changed to WYCA, as 106.3 in Lansing changed its callsign to WSRB and dropped its Gospel format in favor of an Urban AC format. With the end of the Gospel format on 106.3, Gospel Announcer Darryll King moved her weekday program from 106.3 to 102.3, though she continues to host a show on 106.3 WSRB on Sundays. WYCA is now the lone religious outlet for Crawford in the Chicago area.