From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WWDV
Broadcast area	Southeast Wisconsin, Extreme Northeast Illinois
Branding	The Drive
Slogan	"Timeless Rock, True Variety" "The Soundtrack of Our Lives"
First air date	January 1, 2003
Frequency	96.9 FM (MHz) 96.9-2 FM (WWDV-2 - The Drive's Deep Tracks) (HD Radio)
Format	Classic rock/hits
ERP	50,000 watts
Callsign meaning	WW The Drive
Owner	Bonneville International
Website	WDRV/WWDV website

WWDV (96.9 FM "The Drive") is a radio station in Zion, Illinois. The station is currently owned by Bonneville International, and simulcasts with WDRV (97.1 FM). "The Drive" programs a classic rock/hits format called "Timeless Rock" (similar to the early days of WLUP).

Contents 1 History 2 WDRV 97.1 FM 3 See also 4 External links

The station began as WAXO in 1962 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 1969, the station changed call letters to WKZN for "Kenosha Zion Newport" or "KZ97." as the station was nicknamed for a period. The station moved to Zion in the early 1970s and shared studios and programming with then sister AM 1500 WKZN (later WRJR and now WPJX). The transmitter and tower, however, remains to this day at Dexter's Corner, Wisconsin south of Kenosha and a few miles north of the Illinois/Wisconsin stateline. In 1983, the station was purchased by the owners of classical music-formatted WNIB, becoming WNIZ, a simulcast targeting the communities north of Chicago.

For many years, 96.9 FM simulcast the programming of WNIB as WNIZ. When WNIB became WDRV in 2001, WNIZ became a simulcast of WDRV's sister station, WTMX. Call letters for 96.9 were changed to WTNX. This simulcast did very little for WTMX's ratings, and management felt it would be more appropriate to be paired up with its neighbor at 97.1. On January 1, 2003, 96.9 became the north metro frequency for "The Drive", and the call letters were changed to WWDV.

In September of 2006, WWDV's HD-2 station signed on simmulcasting with WDRV HD-2 featuring Deep Tracks.

The 97.1 frequency signed on as WNIB (NIB=Northern Illinois Broadcasting, original owner) in 1957, playing classical music. Later, the company purchased the station at 96.9 FM in Zion, changing the call letters to WNIZ and serving as a simulcast for communities north of Chicago. The stations were sold in 2000 to Bonneville International.

WNIB then became WDRV "The Drive" on April 2, 2001. Many of The Drive's personalities have had long histories at other Chicago radio stations. The on-air staff includes morning host Steve Downes (the voice of the Master Chief in the Halo video games), Bob Stroud (middays), Phil Manicki (afternoons), Christine Moran (evenings), and Greg Easterling (overnights). Current weekend personalities include Jeff Clyberg, Dave Harris, Carla Leonardo, Allie Ellison, Seaver, Jenny Page and Kathy Voltmer. On Sunday mornings Bob Stroud hosts his famous Rock 'N Roll Roots show, which debuted in 1980 at WMET. Steve Downes' nationally syndicated show, The Classics, is aired every Sunday night.

• WDRV
• WAXO

• "The Drive" website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WWDV