WCPY (92.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to Arlington Heights, Illinois, and serving the Chicago area. WCPY airs a Polish language format during the daytime, as "Polski FM", while airing a Dance Hits format at night known as "Dance Factory FM". During at 5am Sundays this station aired as Viewpoints Radio and Radio Health Journal. Studios are located on Chicago's Northwest Side.
The station is owned by Newsweb Corporation. WCPY transmits on a tower with WPPN and WPNA-FM in nearby Buffalo Grove at 1,800 watts.
History
WNWC
The station began broadcasting on March 10, 1960, holding the call sign WNWC ("North West Communities"). In July 1961, the station was purchased by Bob Atcher and Thomas Hogan. WNWC would air a wide variety of non-rock music. It aired four hours of country music a day before increasing it to 12 hours a day in November 1963. In 1965, Lester Vihon purchased the station for $110,000. By 1966, it was airing hard rock evenings. The station was off the air temporarily in June 1966, after a tornado toppled its tower. In early 1968, the station was sold to auto dealer Walter Mack for $150,000.
WEXI
In April 1968, the station's call sign was changed to WEXI, and was branded "Stereo Excitement". WEXI aired easy listening music during the day and a progressive rock format overnight. Shortly thereafter, it adopted a top 40 format. In November 1970, the station adopted a beautiful music format, with the slogan "Spreading Clean Air over Chicagoland".
WWMM
In autumn 1972, the station was sold to Community Broadcasters for $230,000, and its call sign was changed to WWMM. WWMM aired contemporary middle of the road music, along with some talk programs. Among the shows on WWMM in this period was "Love in the Afternoon", a sex talk program hosted by Jonathan Kingsley. By 1976, the station had adopted a jazz format. In 1976, the station was sold to Northwest Community Broadcasting for $500,000. By 1977, WWMM was airing a MOR-adult contemporary format, with the slogan "Radio for the Great Northwest".
WTCO
In spring of 1981, the station was sold to Radio Communications Group and its call sign was changed to WTCO. WTCO aired a country music format. In 1982, the station was sold to Darrell Peters Productions for $550,000.
WSEX
Darrell Peters Productions applied to change the station's call sign to WSEX on September 26, 1982, but the application was rejected. An application to reconsider was submitted, and the call sign change was approved on January 24, 1983. WSEX aired an adult contemporary format called "Love Songs & More". In January 1986, the station adopted a "Top 10" format, playing songs that had reached the top 10 within the past five years.
WCBR-FM
The station became "Chicago's Bear", and its call sign was changed to WCBR-FM on January 9, 1989. WCBR-FM aired an adult album alternative format. As the 90's progressed, it began to air brokered programming nights and weekends. WCBR-FM also aired Chicago Wolves hockey.
In 1998, the station was sold to Big City Radio for $17 million. Many of the brokered programs that were on WCBR-FM moved to 94.3 WJKL in Elgin. Purchased by Big City Radio at the same time was 92.7 WLRA in Kankakee. When Big City Radio took control of the two stations, they stunted with a simulcast of their Los Angeles sister station 107.1 KLYY, which aired a modern rock format. WLRA's call sign was changed to WBRO shortly thereafter.
92 Kiss FM (WKIE-FM)
On November 14, 1998, at Noon, WCBR and WBRO launched their new official format, CHR as "92.7 Kiss FM", with the first song being "Kiss" by Prince. This would be Chicago's first true CHR station in many years and proved to be quite successful, even with the two stations' weak signals. In late December 1998, the station's call sign was changed to WKIE, while WBRO's call sign was changed to WKIF. Big City Radio also purchased WDEK 92.5 in DeKalb, Illinois, which was airing a locally programmed CHR format at the time, and switched it to a simulcast of WKIE and WKIF in early 1999. Not long after, the moniker was adjusted to "92 Kiss FM". Melissa Forman hosted mornings on 92 Kiss FM, before moving to 93.9 WLIT-FM in 2001.