WRTO (AM)

WRTO (1200 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language sports radio format. Licensed to Chicago, Illinois, it has a Spanish language Sports radio format. It is owned by the Latino Media Network. Under a local marketing agreement (LMA), it is programmed by previous owner TelevisaUnivision's Uforia Audio Network.

Not to be confused with WRTO-FM.

WRTO
Broadcast areaChicago metropolitan area
Frequency1200 kHz
BrandingTUDN Radio Chicago 1200 AM
Programming
Language(s)Spanish
FormatSports
AffiliationsTUDN Radio
Ownership
OwnerLatino Media Network, LLC
OperatorUforia Audio Network
WOJO, WPPN, WVIV-FM
Also part of the Univision Cluster: TV Stations WXFT-TV and WGBO-TV
History
First air date
January 1990 (1990-01)[1]
Former call signs
  • WOPA (1990–1995)
  • WLXX (1995–2003)
  • WVIV (2003)[2]
Technical information[3]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID11196
ClassB
Power
  • 20,000 watts days
  • 4,500 watts nights
Transmitter coordinates
41°42′14″N 87°35′47″W
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
WebsiteOfficial site

By day, WRTO is powered at 20,000 watts. But 1200 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A station WOAI San Antonio. So at night, to avoid interference, WRTO reduces power to 4,500 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times, with a six-tower array. The transmitter is on West 127th Street in Chicago, near the Little Calumet River.[4]

Programming

WRTO features local sports programming as well as shows from the Spanish-language sports network "TUDN Radio," originating at other Uforia Audio Network stations.

WRTO is the flagship station of the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer and the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. It also broadcasts select Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks games in Spanish.[5]

History

Spanish Contemporary and Regional Mexican

The station signed on the air in January 1990 (1990-01). Its original call sign was WOPA.[1] It was owned by CID Broadcasting Inc.[6] In 1993, its format was changed from Regional Mexican to Spanish AC.[7]

In 1995, the station was sold to Heftel Broadcasting for $4.5 million.[8][6] Concurrent with the sale, its call sign was changed to WLXX, and it switched back to a Regional Mexican format branded "La X".[6][9][2][10] On September 20, 1996, the station adopted a tropical music format.[11] On January 12, 2003, the station adopted a Spanish hot AC format branded "Viva", simulcasting 103.1 WXXY.[12] On January 17, 2003, its call sign was changed to WVIV, while its FM sister station's call sign was changed to WVIV-FM.[2]

Spanish Talk and Sports

In October 2003, the station's call sign was changed to WRTO, and it began airing Spanish-language talk programming, which Univision Radio had moved from AM 560 WIND.[13][2] It became a full time Spanish-language news/talk station in February 2004.[14] WRTO became a part of the Univision America talk radio network on July 4, 2012.[15] While the network itself ceased operations in 2015, WRTO aired remnants of Univision America's programming, as well as its local news, sports, and weather. On March 16, 2017, the station switched to a Spanish language all-sports format, as an affiliate of Univision Deportes.[16]

WRTO was one of eighteen radio stations that TelevisaUnivision sold to Latino Media Network in a $60 million deal announced in June 2022, approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that November,[17] and completed on December 30, 2022.[18] Under the terms of the deal, Univision agreed to continue programming the station for up to one year under a local marketing agreement.[17]

References
  1. Feder, Robert. "WLS job should go to Catherine Johns", Chicago Sun-Times. January 10, 1990. p. 31.
  2. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  3. "Facility Technical Data for WRTO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  4. Radio-Locator.com/WRTO-AM
  5. Rosenthal, Phil. "Blackhawks to air 24 games in Spanish", Chicago Tribune. October 16, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  6. Feder, Robert. "New WLXX Goes 'Mexican Country'", Chicago Sun-Times. June 13, 1995. p. 35.
  7. "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 10, No. 34. August 25, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  8. Feder, Robert. "Former Loop Owner Buys Spanish Outlet", Chicago Sun-Times. March 23, 1995. p. 35.
  9. Feder, Robert. "New Spanish Outlet Has Familiar Voices", Chicago Sun-Times. July 20, 1995. p. 39.
  10. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 12, No. 24. June 14, 1995. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  11. Feder, Robert. "Spanish radio outlet picks up tropical beat", Chicago Sun-Times. September 24, 1996. p. 35.
  12. Feder, Robert. "Loose lips earn B96 warning from Arbitron", Chicago Sun-Times. January 14, 2003. p. 45.
  13. Feder, Robert. "Univision Radio stations to shift talk, add music", Chicago Sun-Times. October 16, 2003. p. 61.
  14. Feder, Robert. "All ratings bets are off as sweeps get under way", Chicago Sun-Times. February 5, 2004. p. 61.
  15. Venta, Lance (May 30, 2012). "Univision To Launch National Talk Network". Radio Insight. Retrieved September 2, 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. "WRTO-AM Flips To Univision Deportes 1200 AM", Chicagoland Radio and Media. March 21, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  17. Venta, Lance (November 22, 2022). "FCC Approves Latino Media Network Purchase Of 18 Univision Stations". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  18. "Latino Media Network Completes Purchase Of 18 Radio Stations From Univision". Inside Radio. January 5, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
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