What Pride Radio Is—and How Chicago Listeners Can Find It

Pride Radio is a music network built around LGBTQ+ audiences, with a Chicago connection through WKSC-FM’s digital HD2 signal at 103.5 FM. The service combines an always-on stream of upbeat Top 40 music, remixes and electronic dance music with an online portal designed to support interaction and user-generated content.

The network began in 2006 under Clear Channel Communications’ Format Lab. Michael Albl conceived the format, which was distributed through HD2 and HD3 digital subchannels as well as the company’s online radio platform. Clear Channel’s radio division later became known as iHeartMedia. Pride Radio is now among the music channels offered through the iHeartRadio app.

For Chicago listeners, the listed local outlet is WKSC-FM HD2. HD Radio subchannels operate alongside a station’s primary broadcast signal, giving stations a way to offer additional programming through compatible digital receivers. The source material identifies WKSC-FM HD2 as carrying Pride Radio; it does not provide a separate schedule or describe the network’s availability on the station’s main analog signal.

Pride Radio’s programming is presented as a continuous, 24-hour service. Its music mix centers on current Top 40 selections, dance tracks and remixed versions, with the format directed toward LGBTQ+ listeners. The network’s stated aims include entertainment, information and connection, making it more than a music feed in its overall design.

The associated online portal adds a participatory element. Alongside the stream, it hosts content created by users, positioning the site as an interactive hub rather than only a place to listen. In May 2013, the service added a full-time lineup of personalities, expanding its presentation beyond automated or music-only programming.

For a Chicago audience, Pride Radio sits at the intersection of local digital broadcasting and a national LGBTQ+-oriented media network. Its presence on WKSC-FM’s HD2 channel gives the city a terrestrial access point, while the online stream and iHeartRadio app extend the service beyond the reach of any one station. The available information does not identify specific Chicago hosts, local shows or community events, so the network is best understood here as a Chicago-accessible platform within a broader U.S. distribution system.

Source and reuse information This automatically generated backgrounder adapts text from “Pride Radio” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_Radio The adapted text is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license (CC BY-SA 4.0): https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. The source article’s linked references are provided below where available. This story has not been independently reviewed or fact-checked.

Further links listed by the Wikipedia page (not independently checked): - https://www.iheart.com/live/3949/?autoplay=true - https://prideradio.iheart.com/content/2018-02-05-listen-to-pride-radio-on-these-great-stations/ - https://prideradio.iheart.com/ - https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Pride+Radio%22&acc=on&wc=on - https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Pride+Radio%22 - https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Pride+Radio%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1 Image rights Photograph description: 98.9 XRT Radio Station Creator: Richie Diesterheft from Santa Barbara, CA, USA. License: CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). Original image page: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3A98.9_XRT_Radio_Station_(9185647864).jpg. The image was resized for display; no other changes were made.