Vocalo is heading back onto the FM dial with a fresh weekly live call-in request show hosted by DJ Nudia Hernandez. The new program, Vocalo Hotline, is scheduled to debut May 29 at 8 p.m. and will air on both Vocalo 91.1 FM and WBEZ 91.5 FM. Station leaders are pitching the show as a key part of a broader refresh meant to rebuild Vocalo’s presence after a sweeping 2024 restructuring nearly sidelined the station.
Hotline format and digital push
Set up as a one-hour call-in request show, Vocalo Hotline will blend listener requests, artist interviews, and a curated playlist that cuts across pop, hip hop, R&B, house, dance, and independent music. The program is being built to live simultaneously on radio, video, and social platforms in an effort to capture real-time audience interaction, according to WBEZ.
Near shutdown to turnaround
During the 2024 budget cuts, Chicago Public Media seriously considered switching off Vocalo’s FM signal before ultimately keeping the broadcast alive. An April 3, 2024, staff letter stated that "the radio music broadcast will be phased out by May 1st," and the organization cut multiple positions as part of the restructuring, according to Chicago Public Media.
Small team, steady digital reach
Although the signal survived, Vocalo’s newsroom was trimmed from five staffers to two: DJ Nudia Hernandez and digital producer Morgan Ciocca. That left a lean crew to keep the on-air product going, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The station now reports about 15,200 weekly listeners and a newsletter audience of roughly 34,000 subscribers, numbers leaders cite as evidence that Vocalo’s digital reach has remained comparatively strong even as the staff has shrunk.
Philanthropy reopens the door
A multi-year grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is helping to bankroll the new programming push. The foundation’s grantee profile notes that awards to Chicago Public Media include support for preserving the 91.1 FM signal and expanding digital and community engagement. MacArthur’s grant listings indicate targeted support intended to revitalize Vocalo’s operations and help make new shows like the Hotline possible, according to the MacArthur Foundation.
What this means for Chicago music
Vocalo has long served as a proving ground for Chicago artists, and local coverage credits the station with helping raise the profiles of acts such as Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Supporters say that if the Hotline can convert Vocalo’s digital following into renewed FM listenership and stronger turnout for live events, it could restore a small but important promotional engine for neighborhood artists and local promoters.
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