New Chicago Urban WJPC Approved For Spring

J99 Jams Set To Bow In 2015.

URBANMEDIAONE Urban AC WJPC (J99 JAMS)/CHICAGO has received federal approval to broadcast as a new radio station on the South side of the city, according to a report in DNAINFO.COM. The approval to broadcast an FM signal came after 14 years of seeking a license. The CHICAGO INDEPENDENT RADIO PROJECT (CHIRP) also received FCC approval to broadcast their station over a small segment of CHICAGO.

Pending city approval, WJPC plans to broadcast not only music by the likes of TEDDY PENDERGRASS and USHER, but give a voice to local relevant community issues.

"The way we are going to handle things, we are going to be everything for the South and West sides," station Exec. Dir. ANTONIO CHAPPEL said.

The station's call letters pay tribute to JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY, the iconic CHICAGO-based publisher of EBONY magazine.

In 2000, the aspiring broadcaster applied for a low-power FM license as a blues-based station, but was denied. WJPC had since developed an online stream dedicated to Urban AC music and had a website claiming 101.5 as its future frequency.

The station might have to share its frequency with another approved station at MORTON COLLEGE in CICERO. Plans are for that station to broadcast over the frequency from 9a-5p (ET). on weekdays, while WJPC broadcasts during the rest of the week.

CHAPPELL expects his station to get up and running sometime in the spring with the CICERO station starting after that. "This is a big deal, especially in this market," he added.

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