WAYG
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| City of license | WAYG: Grand Rapids, MI WAYK: Kalamazoo, MI WAYO: Benton Harbor, Michigan |
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| Branding | WaY fm |
| Slogan | Commercial Free Hits WaY FM |
| Frequency | WAYG: 89.9 MHz WAYK: 88.3 MHz WAYO: 89.9 MHz |
| First air date | WAYG: circa 196x WAYK: February 3, 1997 WAYO: April 5, 2010 |
| Format | Contemporary Christian |
| Power | WAYG: 4,900 watts WAYK: 10,000 watts WAYO: 250 watts |
| Class | WAYG: A WAYK: B1 WAYO: A |
| Callsign meaning | WAYG: Way FM Grand Rapids WAYK: Way FM Kalamazoo WAYO: Way FM Benton Harbor |
| Former callsigns | WAYG: WBYW (6/1/91-10/23/98) WEHB (?-6/1/91) WAYK: none WAYO: none |
| Owner | Cornerstone University |
| Website | http://www.way.fm/ |
WAYG, WAYK and WAYO are FM radio stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kalamazoo and Benton Harbor, Michigan. At dial position 89.9 FM in Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor and at 88.3 FM in Kalamazoo, the station's moniker is "Commercial Free Hits WaYfm." WaYfm is a Christian CHR/Top 40 station.
WaYfm is not to be confused with WAY-FM Network, the nationally syndicated Christian CHR network. Ironically, WaYfm's competitor station in the Grand Rapids market, the commercial WJQK 99.3 FM, airs some programming from the national WAY-FM network, notably the afternoon drive show "Total Axxess."
WAYG, WAYK and WAYO are owned and operated by Cornerstone University, which also owns and runs three other radio entities: 91.3 WCSG (formatted as Christian AC), Mission Network News, and His Kids Radio.
WaYFM targets teens, young adults, and young families with modern music wrapped in a Christian worldview. Popular artists include Switchfoot, The Fray, Relient K, GRITS, Hawk Nelson, tobyMac, BarlowGirl, Daughtry, Casting Crowns, Family Force 5, Stacie Orrico, Skillet, and other various hip hop, pop, rock, and punk acts.
[edit] History
WaYfm started in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1996 when Cornerstone purchased a construction permit from Grand Valley State University for 88.3 FM in Kalamazoo. After deciding on the Christian CHR format, the management of the station opted to use CHRSN's programming until local listenership and financial support allowed them to program locally.
88.3 WAYK signed on at 5pm on February 3, 1997, to serve Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. A signal was added at 89.9 in Grand Rapids in late 1998, originating not too far from Cornerstone University.
WAYG's signal is challenged in the Grand Rapids metro, as the local station, WTHS, Hope College, in Holland, Michigan, exists on the same frequency (89.9). Despite not being able to adequately cover half of the market, recent Arbitron ratings for WAYG place the station at #2 among all stations in the market with teens, and tied for 3rd place among females 12-24 (the station's core audience). The FCC recently approved a proposal that will move the Grand Rapids signal to a frequency of 89.7 and boost the power to 6,000 watts from the previous 4,000. This move will substantially increase the ability for listeners to pick up the station in the previously underserved western portion of the market and allow the signal to penetrate into eastern Muskegon and Ottawa counties for the first time, as well. The 89.9 frequency had been used by WEHB (East Hills Broadcasters) for a number of years, broadcasting from a tower on the Aquinas College, with studios in the East Hills Neighborhood of Grand Rapids. WEHB later moved to the original Blodgett Hospital on Cherry Street. WEHB was an eclectic locally programmed station, with an emphasis on jazz. The station broadcast circa 1977-1991, becoming "World Music" WBYW from 1991-1998 from a new tower atop the Plainfield Water Tower on East Beltline Ave in northeast Grand Rapids.
WAYK's signal covers the entire Kalamazoo market quite well, and extends as far southwest as Benton Harbor and as far northeast as Olivet. In the Kalamazoo metro, WAYK consistently pulls strong ratings among teens (#2), young adults, and even persons and women 25-49 (usually placing in the top 5 or top 3 in these demos).
WAYO's signal covers the Benton Harbor, Michigan and Saint Joseph, Michigan areas and brings the WaYFM signal to the South-Western corner of the state.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- WaYFM Website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WAYG
- Radio-Locator information on WAYG
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WAYG
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WAYK
- Radio-Locator information on WAYK
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WAYK
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WAYO
- Radio-Locator information on WAYO
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WAYO
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