WYKT
Broadcast areaJoliet, Illinois
Frequency105.5 MHz
Branding105.5 The Ticket
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio
Ownership
OwnerSTARadio Corporation
WKAN, WXNU
History
First air date
September 29, 1980 (as WLMT)[1]
Former call signs
WLMT (1980[2]-1982)[3]
WDND (1982-1995)[3]
Call sign meaning
W Y KaT
Technical information[4]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID36120
ClassA
ERP1,300 watts
HAAT147 meters (482 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°17′11″N 88°14′23″W / 41.28639°N 88.23972°W / 41.28639; -88.23972
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Website1055theticket.com

WYKT (105.5 FM, "The Ticket") is a radio station in northeastern Illinois. It is licensed to Wilmington, Illinois and is a Fox Sports Radio affiliate. It has an effective radiated power of 1,300 watts at 147 meters height above average terrain.[5]

History

The station began broadcasting on September 29, 1980, and held the call sign WLMT.[6] The station was originally owned by Viking Broadcasting Corporation, and had an ERP of 3 kw at an HAAT of 275 feet.[6][2] WLMT initially aired a MOR format,[6] later switching to a top 40 format.[7] In 1982, the station was sold to DBC Broadcasting for $160,000.[8]

On November 1, 1982, the station's call sign was changed to WDND by then-owner Donald T. Burgeson.[3] WDND aired an adult contemporary format.[9][10][11] In 1994, the station was sold to L.B.R. Enterprises for $257,000.[12]

In February 1995, the station's format was changed from adult contemporary to Triple-A.[11] In April 1995, the station's call sign was changed to WYKT.[3] The station was branded "The Kat".[13] In July 1995, the station picked up the WDRE Underground Network at night, while continuing to air its local Triple-A format during the day.[14] In 1998, the station was sold to STARadio Corporation.[15] WYKT would continue airing a Triple-A format until 2003.[16][1]

On August 18, 2003, WYKT adopted an oldies format branded as "The Pickle", playing music from 1964 to 1983.[17][18][19] In October 2007, WYKT began airing a Top 40 format and was branded as "My 105.5".[20] "My 105.5" carried American Top 40, along with local personalities.[20] In September 2009, the station switched to a classic rock format, and was again branded "The Kat", with the slogan "The Southland's Rock and Roll Animal".[21][22] The station's format would gradually shift to active rock.[21]

On July 10, 2014, the station's format was switched to sports, as "105.5 The Ticket".[21] "The Ticket" was initially a CBS Sports Radio affiliate,[21][23] but by 2018, it would become an affiliate of Fox Sports Radio.[24]

References

  1. 1 2 Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2002-2003, Broadcasting & Cable, 2002. p. D-148. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  2. 1 2 History Cards for WYKT, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WYKT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. ↑ "WYKT-FM 105.5 MHz - Wilmington, IL". Radio-locator.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1981, Broadcasting & Cable, 1981. p. C-75. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  7. ↑ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1982, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1982. p. C-77. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting, February 1, 1982. p. 90. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  9. ↑ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1984. p. B-85. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  10. ↑ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 12 No. 8. February 22, 1995. p. 1. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Transactions", Radio & Records, October 28, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  13. ↑ "WYKT -The Kat - 105.5FM". WYKT. Archived from the original on February 8, 1999. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 30. July 29, 1995. p. 114. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Proposed Station Transfers", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 15 No. 22. June 3, 1998. p. 6. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  16. ↑ The M-Street Radio Directory. 2002-2003. p. 203. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Oldies radio parties like it's '79 but not '99", Daily Journal, November 3, 2003. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  18. ↑ "The Pickle". WYKT. Archived from the original on August 30, 2004. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  19. ↑ The M-Street Radio Directory. 2004-2005. p. 208. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  20. 1 2 "MY 105.5!". WYKT. Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  21. 1 2 3 4 "Rocker 'The Kat 105.5' To Flip To All-Sports '105.5 The Ticket'", Chicagoland Radio and Media, June 19, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  22. ↑ "The Kat 105.5 - The Southland's Rock and Roll Animal". WYKT. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Shows - 105.5 The Ticket". STARadio Corp. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Shows - 105.5 The Ticket". STARadio Corp. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
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