WNTD

WAAF

The station was licensed by the Department of Commerce on April 7, 1922.^[1] The original call sign was WAAF.^[6][1] It was one of the first radio stations in Chicago and was owned by the Chicago Daily Drover's Journal, with its transmitter and studios at the Union Stock Yards.^[6][1][7]

The station originally broadcast at 620 and later 830 kHz.^[8][9] By 1923, the station's frequency had been changed to 1050 kHz.^[10][11] By 1925 the station was broadcasting at 1080 kHz, running 200 watts.^[12][13] By 1927, the station's power had been increased to 500 watts, and the station's frequency was changed to 770 kHz.^[1] In 1928, the station's frequency was changed to 920 kHz.^[1] The station operated during daytime hours only.^[1]

The station's programming was initially devoted to trade news, but in 1929, its programming was broadened.^[7] The station would air a variety of music programs, along with news, live market reports, and a variety of other programs.^[14][15]

The station's transmitter and studios were destroyed in the 1934 Stock Yards fire.^[7][1] The station broadcast live coverage of the fire until smoke and heat forced them to leave the building.^[7] The station's studios were moved to the Palmer House following the fire.^[7][1]

In 1936, the station's power was increased to 1,000 watts.^[1] In 1941, the station's frequency was changed to 950 kHz.^[1] In the 1940s, the station aired orchestral music and popular music.^[6] In 1948, the station's studios were moved to the LaSalle-Wacker Building.^[16][7][1]

In 1955, the station began airing "Juke Box Matinee", hosted by Hal Fredericks, in association with the Recorded Music Service Association and the Chicago Juke Box Operators' Association.^[17][18] The show featured a monthly "Hunch Tune", which would be promoted on the show and featured as the No. 1 selection in juke boxes.^[18][19] The first "Hunch Tune" was "Rollin' Stone" by Eddie Fontaine.^[19]

In 1956, the station adopted a jazz format.^[20] Personalities heard on the station during its jazz years included Marty Faye, Daddy-O Daylie, Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens, and Dick Buckley.^[20][21][22]

WGRT

In 1967, the station was sold to a corporation formed by Ralph Atlass, for $900,000.^[23][1] The station's call sign was changed to WGRT ("W-Great!") and it adopted a soul music format.^[24] Daddy-O Daylie continued as a DJ on WGRT, hosting a morning jazz program.^[25][26] Daylie's jazz program was initially two hours long, but was reduced to an hour and a half, and eventually a half hour in 1971.^[25][26] In 1971, the station's transmitter was moved to the Midland Warehouses on Western Avenue in Chicago.^[1]

WJPC

On May 29, 1973, the station was purchased by Johnson Publishing Company for $1,800,000.^[27][28] On November 1, 1973, the station's call sign was changed to WJPC.^[28] The station aired an urban contemporary format.^[29] Disc jockeys included Tom Joyner and LaDonna Tittle.^[30] Daddy-O Daylie hosted a Sunday jazz program.^[31][30] In 1980, the station began nighttime operations, running 5,000 watts using a directional array.^[1][30] In the late 1980s and early 90s the station simulcast the soft urban contemporary format of its sister station 106.3 WLNR in Lansing, Illinois, and was branded "Soft Touch".^[32][33][34] At noon on July 15, 1992, the station began airing an all-rap format.^[35][36]

106 Jamz

In 1994, Johnson Publishing sold the station, along with 106.3 WJPC-FM, to Broadcasting Partners for $8 million.^[27][37] In June 1994, the station became "106 Jamz", airing an urban contemporary format as a simulcast of WJPC-FM.^[38][39] The station's call sign was changed to WEJM later that year, with its FM simulcast partner taking the call sign WEJM-FM.^[2][40] In spring of 1997, the station was sold to Douglas Broadcasting for $7.5 million.^[27][41][42] In June 1997, its FM sister station left the simulcast, adopting an urban gospel format as 106.3 WYBA.^[43]

One-on-One Sports

On August 28, 1997, WEJM's format was changed to sports, as a One-on-One Sports affiliate.^[44][45] Around this time, the station was purchased by One-on-One for $10 million.^[27][46] In November 1997, the station's call sign was changed to WIDB.^[2] One-On-One was headquartered in suburban Northbrook.^[44] The One-on-One Sports affiliation moved to WJKL on March 1, 1999, though the One-on-One Sports format continued to simulcast on WIDB until May 1999.^[47][48]

WNTD

In 1999, the station was sold to Radio Unica for $16,750,000.^[49] In May 1999, the station began airing a Spanish-language news-talk format as Radio Unica.^{[47][48][50][51]} The station's callsign was changed to WNTD that month.^[2] Personalities heard on Radio Unica included Paul Bouche and Dra. Isabel, among others.^[52][53] Ricardo Brown was news director.^[53][52] In 2004, Multicultural Radio Broadcasting acquired Radio Unica's 15 radio stations for $150 million.^[54][55][56]

WNTD was the original affiliate of Air America Radio in Chicago.^[57] Program hosts included Al Franken, Randi Rhodes, Janeane Garofalo, Rachel Maddow, Lizz Winstead and Chuck D.^[57] The network launched on March 31, 2004.^[57] However, these programs ended after two weeks, on April 14, due to a payment dispute between Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, then owner of WNTD, and Air America Radio.^[58] On April 15, a judge ruled that Air America had fully paid for airtime on WNTD and ordered Multicultural to broadcast Air America on the station.^[59] However, Air America would only continue on the station through the end of the month.^[60] WNTD would return to airing a Spanish language format.^[61][62][63]

In 2007, the station was sold to Sovereign City Radio for $15 million.^[64][65] In October 2007, Relevant Radio began to air from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, while brokered Spanish language programming aired the remainder of the time.^[65]

From August 2009, until August 14, 2010, WNTD carried "Avenue 950", programmed by Sovereign City Radio Services, which featured an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, standards, and adult contemporary from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.^[66][67] Relevant Radio continued to air during the remainder of the station's schedule.^[67] On August 15, 2010, the station began airing Relevant Radio full time.^[67]

In 2014, the station was sold to Starboard Media Foundation, Inc. for $14.4 million.^[68] The transaction was consummated on May 2, 2014.^[69]