WSSR

Infobox Radio station
name = WSSR


city = Joliet, Illinois
area = Chicagoland
branding = "Star 96.7"
slogan = "Your Music Variety"
airdate =
frequency = 96.7 MHz HD Radio
format = Hot AC
airdate = February 6, 1960
erp = 3,600 watts
haat = 142.0 meters
class = A
facility_id = 62240
coordinates = coord|41|36|1.00|N| 87|58|44.00|W|region:GB_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = NextMedia Group
licensee = NextMedia Licensing LLC
sister_stations = WJOL(AM), WCCQ(FM), WRXQ(FM)
webcast =
website = [http://www.star967.net star967.net]
affiliations = Today's Best Hits (ABC Radio)
Westwood One

WSSR (96.7 FM, "Star 96.7") is a radio station broadcasting a Hot AC format. Licensed to Joliet, Illinois, USA, it serves South and West Suburban Chicago. The station is currently owned by NextMedia Group LLC. Using the slogan Star*96.7, the station plays a mixture of non-rap new pop and pop-rock artists and 80's and 90's music.

History

The station first signed on the air on February 6, 1960 as WJOL-FM, sister station to WJOL-AM. Early on it duplicated the AM station's programming to further the reach. In the late 1970's the call-letters were changed to WLLI, an anagram for Will County, the area for which the station covers. By the mid 1980's, the station referred to itself as "96.7 I-Rock," a format which straddled top 40 music with a rock-edged slant.

In the 1990's the station made an attempt to take on local suburban country powerhouse 98.3 WCCQ. Most observers felt this was a futile move as "Willie 96.7" never even made a dent in WCCQ's establed audience.

After the failed country format, the station was then known as 96.7 Will Rock and played a mixture of classic and modern rock. During this time the station carried the MRN broadcasts of what was then known as the Winston Cup Series. In 2004 the WLLI calls and rock format were scrapped for WSSR and the Star AC format. The Star format had previously aired on WJTW, but the station was sold to Univision and flipped to Spanish language WVIX. Over the years, Star 96.7 has evolved into a hot AC station, dropping artists such as Elton John, Rod Stewart and Celine Dion.

For a time, WLLI and WJOL were owned by former Will County coroner Robert Tezak. Tezak became a millionaire after purchasing the rights to a then unknown card game, "Uno" for $50,000. Uno Broadcasting was a part of Tezak's "International Games" empire. According to published reports, Tezak pleaded guilty October 25, 1993 to charges he arranged a 1987 fire that damaged a bowling alley he owned in Crest Hill, Illinois. He also pleaded guilty to trying to arrange the killings of his former daughter-in-law and a co-defendant to prevent them from providing information against him.

WLLI & WJOL were sold off to Barden Broadcasting in 1993. Barden (who also acquired WJTW-FM) later sold the stations to Northwest suburban Pride Communications. Pride left the broadcast business when it sold off its suburban Chicago stations to NextMedia Group.

Current line up

* Maggie Peterson
* Josh
* Scott Childers
* "The John Tesh Radio Show"
* Rusty
* Saturday Night 90's

External links

* [http://www.star967.net/ Star 96.7 WSSR official website]
*FMQ|WSSR
*FML|WSSR
*FMARB|WSSR