WRTE signed on in 1970 as WCYC, owned by the Boys Clubs of Chicago on 88.7 MHz. In 1988, the station's frequency was changed to 90.5 MHz. The Boys and Girls Clubs sold the radio station to the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum in 1997, renaming the station WRTE. In the final years of the National Museum of Mexican Art's ownership of the station, it underwent many hardships, including erratic staff changes, fundraising challenges and more. In the spring of 2011 the frequency was put up for sale, and on June 22, 2012 it was announced that Chicago Public Media had purchased WRTE. On December 31, 2012, Chicago Public Media took control of the purchase of the frequency and began to simulcast its Vocalo programming broadcast from Navy Pier in downtown Chicago. Vocalo was to eventually open a community bureau in Little Village/Pilsen, where it can conduct community training and remote broadcast. Along with these changes Vocalo would add Spanish-language programming to its regular programming on Sundays with support from existing community programmers and in partnership with several Spanish-language community media partners. On July 31, 2012, Chicago Public Media applied to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to move WRTE's transmitter site from 2801 S. Ridgeway in Chicago, to University Hall on the East campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. On September 28, 2012, the FCC granted Chicago Public Media a construction permit to move the station's transmitter site to its new location. On October 12, 2012, Chicago Public Media applied with the FCC change the station's frequency to 90.7 MHz FM. On November 15, 2012 the FCC granted a construction permit for the move to 90.7 MHz. The effective radiated power decreased to 6 watts and the HAAT increased to 107.3 meters, and on February 11, 2013 WRTE 90.7 FM made the move from 90.5 airing a Vocalo.org/89.5FM WBEW simulcast to the city of Chicago. In late 2015, WRTE began simulcasting Glen Ellyn jazz station WDCB, strengthening the western suburban station's coverage in the city of Chicago. Vocalo programming is now heard in downtown Chicago on a translator at 91.1 FM, fed via WBEZ-HD2. WRTE broadcasts in the HD Radio format.
