Legendary WLUP "The Loop" Signs Off in Chicago

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, March 7, 2018

WLUP-FM

Cumulus Media has confirmed the sale of the legendary WLUP-FM (The Loop)/Chicago to Christian broadcaster Educational Media Foundation from Merlin Media for $21.5 million. A memo to sent to his staff from VP/Market Manager Marv Nyren obtained by Chicago media reporter Robert Feder said The Loop's current programming will end and it will cease operating The Loop later this week. EMF will place its syndicated "K-Love" format on the station this weekend.

"By now, you may have heard that WLUP-FM has been sold to EMF, Educational Media Foundation, by Merlin Media," the memo read. "This means that we will end WLUP's current programming today, and later this week, we will cease to be operating WLUP-FM." Cumulus had been operating WLUP and sister WKQX under a Local Marketing Agreement (LMA) since January, 2014.

"We're really excited about being able to get into the Chicagoland area," EMF President/CEO Mike Novak told the Chicago Tribune. "We're hopeful that we have some sort of impact on the people of Chicago and that we can provide a positive and encouraging atmosphere in these days of uncertainty."