WAIT (850 kHz) was an AM radio station licensed to Crystal Lake, Illinois, and serving the Chicago metropolitan area.
[6] The station had a highly directional pattern, with nulls to the northeast and southwest, to protect WGVS in Muskegon, Michigan, and KFUO in Clayton, Missouri.
Because of its northwest suburban location and directional pattern, WAIT could be heard in Rockford, Illinois, and Janesville, Wisconsin, in addition to the Chicago media market.
[7] The station began broadcasting on October 1, 1965, holding the call sign WCLR, which stood for "Crystal Lake Radio".
[1][9] Under Bellairs ownership, the station aired middle of the road (MOR) music, as well as talk, cooking, gardening, and sports programming.
[36][37][38][39] In October 2000, NextMedia Group purchased Pride Communications' nine radio stations, including WAIT, for approximately $57 million.
[40][41][42] Although still enjoying relatively good ratings, WAIT switched from adult standards to a news-talk format branded "Chicagoland's Voice" on January 28, 2002.
[53][54] Hosts heard on the station included Rachel Maddow, Jerry Springer, Al Franken, Ed Schultz, and Randi Rhodes.