WKKD (AM)

WKKD 1580 AM was a radio station licensed to Aurora, Illinois. The station was originally owned by Russell G. Salter and began broadcasting in September 1960.^[3] The station initially ran 250 watts during daytime hours only with a directional pattern towards Aurora.^[4]

The station began simulcasting on 95.9 WKKD-FM in March 1961.^[3] The stations initially aired a full service format that focused heavily on Country music.^[5][6][7][8] In 1966, veteran Chicago weathercaster Tom Skilling began his career at WKKD, while he attended High School in Aurora.^[9]

By the early 1970s the simulcast had ended with WKKD-FM adopting a Beautiful music format. AM 1580's callsign was changed to WFVR, standing for "Fox Valley Radio", and it continued to air the country music format.^[4] WFVR's format was later changed to Adult Contemporary-MOR.^[10]

In the early 1980s the station's callsign was changed back to WKKD and it again simulcast WKKD-FM. On October 3, 1986, the station was granted a construction permit to broadcast during nighttime hours.^[11] By the late 1980s the simulcast had ended, and WKKD AM had begun airing an oldies format.^[12][13] In the early 1990s WKKD-FM began simulcasting the oldies format of WKKD AM, and the stations became known as "Pure Gold 96"^[14] In March 1995, 1580 left the simulcast and began airing the Real Country country music format.^[15] On July 1, 1996, the station adopted a Spanish language Tejano music format as "Viva 1580".^[16][17] In 1997, the station's format changed to CNN Headline News.^[18] In 2000, Salter Communications, the family run company started by the station's original owner Russell Salter, sold WKKD AM & FM to RadioWorks Inc. of Rockford, Illinois.^[19][20] In 2001, the station was sold to NextMedia Group,^[21] and it became known as "The Voice of the Fox Valley".^[22]

On January 1, 2002, the station was sold to Kovas Communications, and it began simulcasting the ethnic programming of WONX.^[23] On January 31, 2005, the station adopted a "Health Radio" format, airing talk shows related to health, wellness and fitness.^[24] This format would later be simulcast on 1600 WMCW. In 2007, Kovas Communications applied with the FCC to move WKKD to Silvis, Illinois.^[25] In February 2008, the station was granted a construction permit to move WKKD to Silvis, Illinois, and increase its power to 1,000 watts during the day and 1,400 watts at night.^[26] In 2009, the station was taken off the air and Kovas Communications surrendered the station's license to the FCC.^[27] WKKD's license was surrendered, along with 1600 WMCW's and 1600 WCGO's, in order to enable 1590 WONX (now WCGO) to increase its daytime power from 3,500 watts to 7,000 watts.^[28]

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