Sovereign Communications
Encyclopedia
Sovereign Communications, LLC is an American radio broadcasting company which owns 15 radio stations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
, with offices in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
. The company is owned and operated by William C. Gleich and Tim Sabean.
After a February 2010 purchase of 11 stations from Northern Star Broadcasting, the company holds "something close to a local monopoly" on radio stations in the Sault Ste. Marie region. The transaction was publicly valued at $3,425,000 in cash. Several employees, both on-air and management, lost their jobs as a result of the purchase. As well, 97.9 WIHC out of Newberry, Michigan
went dark that same month after not being purchased from Northern Star in the deal.
In May 2007, the company started the WSOO Scholarship, available to a student at Lake Superior State University
with a "demonstrated interest and involvement in communication". To qualify for the scholarship, the student must a resident of the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan and preference is given to applicants who graduated from a Chippewa County
high school. The WSOO scholarship covers "full tuition and required fees" at the university for one year.
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
, with offices in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
. The company is owned and operated by William C. Gleich and Tim Sabean.
After a February 2010 purchase of 11 stations from Northern Star Broadcasting, the company holds "something close to a local monopoly" on radio stations in the Sault Ste. Marie region. The transaction was publicly valued at $3,425,000 in cash. Several employees, both on-air and management, lost their jobs as a result of the purchase. As well, 97.9 WIHC out of Newberry, Michigan
Newberry, Michigan
Newberry is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Luce County. Located within McMillan Township at its very southern end, it shares some administrative responsibilities with the surrounding township. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census.The village was named in...
went dark that same month after not being purchased from Northern Star in the deal.
In May 2007, the company started the WSOO Scholarship, available to a student at Lake Superior State University
Lake Superior State University
Lake Superior State University is a small public university in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is Michigan's smallest public university with an enrollment around 3,000 students. Due to its proximity to the border, notably the twin city of Sault Ste...
with a "demonstrated interest and involvement in communication". To qualify for the scholarship, the student must a resident of the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan and preference is given to applicants who graduated from a Chippewa County
Chippewa County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge* Hiawatha National Forest * Whitefish Point Unit of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
high school. The WSOO scholarship covers "full tuition and required fees" at the university for one year.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
- 99.5 WYSSWYSSWYSS is a radio station broadcasting at 99.5 FM in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Branded as "99.5 Yes FM," the station has had a Top 40 format since 1985. Programming on Yes FM includes American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40, Romeo's Playhouse and Open House Party...
Contemporary Hits - 101.3 WSUEWSUEWSUE is a radio station in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, broadcasting at 101.3 FM. The station broadcasts an active rock format with the brand name Rock 101. Prior to adopting the rock format, WSUE had country and adult-contemporary music formats...
Rock - 105.5 WMKD Country
- 1230 WSOOWSOOWSOO is a radio station in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The station airs a gold-based Soft Adult Contemporary format during daytime hours, featuring music from the 1960s through the 2000s, and features sports talk programming from ESPN Radio at night....
Full service - 1400 WKNWWKNWWKNW is a news/talk radio station broadcasting at 1400 kHz on the AM dial serving Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. According to past editions of the Broadcasting Yearbook, the station went on the air as WKNW in August of 1990, and has had a talk radio format...
News/Talk
Marquette, MI
- 92.3 WJPDWJPDWJPD is a radio station licensed to Ishpeming, Michigan broadcasting a country music format.-Programming:The station carries Premiere Radio Network's syndicated 'Big D & Bubba', every weekday morning from 6am to 10am. Following Big D & Bubba is Mid-Days with Steve Cassidy, airing Monday-Saturday...
Country - 94.1 WUPKWUPKWUPK and WIMK are a pair of radio stations based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
Rock - 99.5 WNGEWNGEWNGE is a radio station licensed to Negaunee, Michigan, broadcasting an oldies format. The station first went on the air in July 2001. The station transmits its signal from an antenna with a height of 430 feet with an effective radiated power of 3,600 watts located atop a hill in Marquette...
Oldies - 1320 WDMJWDMJWDMJ and WIAN , The Talk of Marquette, are a pair of radio stations broadcasting a news-talk format.- Sources :**-External links:...
News/Talk
Iron Mountain, MI
- 93.1 WIMK Rock
- 94.3 WZNLWZNLWZNL is a radio station licensed to Norway, Michigan, USA, and serving the Norway, Iron Mountain, and Kingsford areas of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The station broadcasts a hot adult contemporary music format. The station is currently owned by Northern Star Broadcasting, with a sale pending to...
Hot Adult Contemporary - 1450 WMIQWMIQWMIQ is an AM radio station located in Iron Mountain, Michigan. WMIQ is the Detroit Lions radio affiliate for Iron Mountain and the surrounding areas....
Talk