The Righteous Return Of Q101/Chicago
• On Tuesday, May 3, at the stroke of 8pm CT, activity inside the hallways of Cumulus Alternative 101 WKQX/Chicago increased dramatically, as morning talents Brian, Ali & Justin — with an assist from Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo — collectively flipped the giant red rebrand switch on and returned the station its long time and rightful Alternative format brand in Chicago — Q101.
Cue the flashback music: You may recall that in 2011, Emmis sold the 101.1 frequency of the longtime Alternative brand to Merlin Media LLC., which flipped the station to FM News 101.1. Broadcast Barter Radio Networks then purchased the intellectual property of Q101, Chicago’s Alternative and moved the brand to an Internet-only broadcast. In early 2014, Cumulus Media launched an LMA for what was then Rhythmic AC WIQI (i101) and WLUP (97.9 The Loop) and revived the Alternative format as 101 WKQX. Cumulus purchased WKQX outright in 2017.
After several years of negotiations to get the rightful branding of Chicago’s Alternative, Q101 back on the 101.1 frequency, a deal was finally cut two weeks ago to bring the legendary brand back to the airwaves as Q101.
Stepping back to survey this joyful scene, Troy Hanson (left), Cumulus of VP of Programming, Rock Formats & PD of WKQX, said, “This day is the culmination of several years of talks both [VP/Market Manager] Marv Nyren and I held with the now former owners of the brand. It was Marv who ironically sold the IP of Q101 back in 2011. This truly is a special homecoming in many ways for this incredible team of professionals here at WKQX as we take back our heritage and declare ourselves Q101 again! Big thanks to Marv Nyren, EVP/CFO Frank Lopez-Balboa, President/Operations Dave Milner and Chief Content Officer Brian Philips for helping make it happen.”
In celebration of this welcome rebrand, Q101 is giving away passes into an exclusive Q101 listeners-only Private Performance from Coldplay before the band’s two sold-out Soldier Field shows at the end of the month. May you be Caller 9.
