17 Jul Chicago’s Alternative Q101 Moves To Internet

Last Thursday night a piece of Chicago was essentially turned off, well sort of. After almost 20 years of broadcasting in the Windy City, Alternative Rock station Q101 switched over to an autopilot version of itself. This comes less than a month after Merlin Media announced that it had purchased the radio station and plans to turn it into a News/Talk format.

Those devoted listeners who tuned in to Q101 on Thursday heard their favorite DJ’s playing their favorite music and giving saddening goodbyes. The hour before the Local 101 show included multiple DJ’s and personalities sharing their memories of the station and touched on some of their favorite interviews with guests.

At the end of the night it was time for the last Local 101. Host Chris Payne is the man responsible for many local bands first radio airplay. The show went out with a bang lasting an hour longer than the station did. During the second half of the show Payne “legally” had to refer to the station as “this station” because WKQX-FM Q101 was official dead at midnight. Payne also announced his retirement from radio.

Q101 continues to live and broadcast at Q101.com (although it seems to be lacking DJ’s). As for FM 101.1… The station will continue to play an automated shuffle of alternative music until Merlin Media switched it over to a new theme and style.