WDRV

WDRV (97.1 FM "The Drive") is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois. The station is currently owned by Bonneville International, and simulcasts on WWDV (96.9 FM). "The Drive" programs a classic rock/hits format called "Timeless Rock" (similar to the early days of WLUP). WDRV now broadcasts in HD digital radio, with its normal format located at 97.1 HD1, while it airs "Deep Tracks" (deeper album cuts) on 97.1 HD2, as well as streaming both of these on the Internet at wdrv.com.

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), Kathy Voltmer with morning news and traffic, Bob Stroud (middays), Bobby Skafish (afternoons), Phil Manicki (evenings), and Greg Easterling (overnights). Current weekend personalities include Ryan Arnold, Allie Ellison, Jim Foster, Carla Leonardo, Steve Seaver and Marc Vernon.

On Saturday nights, The Deep End with Nick Michaels is aired. 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.

For many years, this station simulcast the programming of WNIB as WNIZ. When WNIB became WDRV, WNIZ became a simulcast of WDRV's sister station, WTMX. Call letters for 96.9 became 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.

• WWDV
• WAXO

• "The Drive" website
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• WDRV in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
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• WWDV in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

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