WBCT
Encyclopedia
WBCT is a radio station
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
with a country music
format.
The station has had a country music format since July 24, 1992. WBCT's transmitter is at the WWMT Tower in Gun Lake (Michigan)
. The antenna is approximately 800 feet (243.8 m) up the 1100 feet (335.3 m) structure. The station's signal Can Be Heard As Far East As Ann Arbor, Michigan
, As Far South As Rome City, Indiana
, And As Far North As Reed City, Michigan
, providing a coverage area of 25000 square miles (64,749.7 km²) over 20 counties in Michigan. This makes the transmitter one of the most powerful in North America.
). In 1960, the station broke away from the simulcast and went to playing classical music. That same year, the station increased its power to 500,000 watts. This was under the ownership of John Fetzer
, who also previously owned WKZO-TV (now WWMT
), WWTV-FM (now WJZQ
) in Cadillac, Michigan
, and the Detroit Tigers
. WJEF also owned and operated a Muzak
franchise on a subcarrier.
In the mid-1960s, the station, now known as WJFM, switched to a MOR/news/talk/sports format, and in 1967 became more music-intensive, adopting the moniker "The Modern Sound," which Fetzer reportedly soon did away with because he felt the station played too much "rock and roll." From then on and through much of the 1970s, apart from an automated country format in 1971-1972, WJFM was primarily a Beautiful Music
station. Despite its strong signal, the station usually hovered near the bottom of the ratings during this time.
format change in 1984. The change on the airwaves not only included the play selection, but most of the staff either quit or was let go. With the Grand Rapids area flooded with CHR stations at the time, with WGRD, WSNX
and WKLQ all playing Top 40 music, WJFM's CHR format lasted only two years before the station went back to Soft AC as "The New Joy FM." The "Joy" format also proved a failure, and in 1988 WJFM became a Classic Hits
station. Ratings for the Classic Hits format were initially very good but soon dropped off, and in 1990 the station evolved to Classic rock
.
. Sure enough, on July 24, 1992 the classic rock format was dropped for country and WJFM became WBCT as "B93". Lee Cory was the original program director, and Neal Dionne and Reese Rickards were the original B-93 morning show hosts. B-93 wasted little time in becoming a consistently top five-ranked station in the Grand Rapids market. Despite recent competition in the format from Citadel's "Thunder Country" WTNR, B93 remains consistently one of the top-rated stations in West Michigan.[1]
Grand Rapids Winter 2011 Arbitron Ratings: #1 (7.9)
Kalamazoo Spring 2011 Ratings: #4 (5.7)
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
with a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format.
The station has had a country music format since July 24, 1992. WBCT's transmitter is at the WWMT Tower in Gun Lake (Michigan)
Gun Lake (Michigan)
Gun Lake is a lake in the U.S. state of Michigan, located mostly in Barry County with the southwestern tip extending into Allegan County. Along most of the lake are numerous summer homes, cottages, and permanent residences. The Yankee Springs Recreation Area is based on northeastern portions of the...
. The antenna is approximately 800 feet (243.8 m) up the 1100 feet (335.3 m) structure. The station's signal Can Be Heard As Far East As Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, As Far South As Rome City, Indiana
Rome City, Indiana
Rome City is a town in Orange Township, Noble County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,615 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rome City is located at ....
, And As Far North As Reed City, Michigan
Reed City, Michigan
Reed City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,430. It is the county seat of Osceola County.It is the home town of author Timothy James Bazzett.-Geography:...
, providing a coverage area of 25000 square miles (64,749.7 km²) over 20 counties in Michigan. This makes the transmitter one of the most powerful in North America.
WJEF-FM/The Modern Sound
The station began operations in 1951 as WJEF-FM, simulcasting the programming of WJEF-AM 1230 (now WTKGWTKG
WTKG is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, and now owned by Clear Channel Communications, it first began broadcasting under the WION call sign...
). In 1960, the station broke away from the simulcast and went to playing classical music. That same year, the station increased its power to 500,000 watts. This was under the ownership of John Fetzer
John Fetzer
John Earl Fetzer was a radio and television executive who was best known as the owner of the Detroit Tigers from 1961 through the early 1980s.- Biography :...
, who also previously owned WKZO-TV (now WWMT
WWMT
WWMT is the CBS-affiliated television station for West Michigan licensed to Kalamazoo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Chief Noonday Road/M-179, northwest of Yankee Springs Township, along the Barry and Allegan County line. The station can also...
), WWTV-FM (now WJZQ
WJZQ
WJZQ 92.9 Cadillac/Traverse City is a 100,000-watt radio station broadcasting a Top 40 format as Z93. It is owned by Ross Biederman's Midwestern Broadcasting, who also owns WTCM-AM/FM and WCCW-AM/FM, all in Traverse City, MI.-WWTV-FM and WKJF-FM:...
) in Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Wexford County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of US 131, M-55 and M-115...
, and the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. WJEF also owned and operated a Muzak
Muzak
Muzak Holdings LLC is a company based in metro Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1934, Muzak Holdings is best known for distribution of background music to retail stores and other companies....
franchise on a subcarrier.
In the mid-1960s, the station, now known as WJFM, switched to a MOR/news/talk/sports format, and in 1967 became more music-intensive, adopting the moniker "The Modern Sound," which Fetzer reportedly soon did away with because he felt the station played too much "rock and roll." From then on and through much of the 1970s, apart from an automated country format in 1971-1972, WJFM was primarily a Beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
station. Despite its strong signal, the station usually hovered near the bottom of the ratings during this time.
Mellow 93/Joy FM/Classic Rock
WJFM changed to an automated Top 40 format in 1977 and then adult contemporary the following year as "Mellow 93", which lasted until the station called in a consultant, who attempted a CHRContemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format change in 1984. The change on the airwaves not only included the play selection, but most of the staff either quit or was let go. With the Grand Rapids area flooded with CHR stations at the time, with WGRD, WSNX
WSNX
WSNX-FM is a radio station located in Clear Channel Communications' Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters. The station has a rhythmic-leaning Top 40 format...
and WKLQ all playing Top 40 music, WJFM's CHR format lasted only two years before the station went back to Soft AC as "The New Joy FM." The "Joy" format also proved a failure, and in 1988 WJFM became a Classic Hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
station. Ratings for the Classic Hits format were initially very good but soon dropped off, and in 1990 the station evolved to Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
.
B-93
In 1992, John Fetzer finally sold the station. In June 1992, Billboard magazine reported that a number of key WJFM staffers, including general manager Joel Schaaf, program director and midday host Sean Stevens, and morning man Jeff France, had left the station, and rumors began swirling to the effect that the classic-rock station would go country to take on incumbent country powerhouse WCUZWBFX
WBFX is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format, serving the Grand Rapids, Michigan market. Its signal is heard as far east as Owosso, Michigan, as far north as Reed City, Michigan, and as far south as Portage, Michigan....
. Sure enough, on July 24, 1992 the classic rock format was dropped for country and WJFM became WBCT as "B93". Lee Cory was the original program director, and Neal Dionne and Reese Rickards were the original B-93 morning show hosts. B-93 wasted little time in becoming a consistently top five-ranked station in the Grand Rapids market. Despite recent competition in the format from Citadel's "Thunder Country" WTNR, B93 remains consistently one of the top-rated stations in West Michigan.[1]
Grand Rapids Winter 2011 Arbitron Ratings: #1 (7.9)
Kalamazoo Spring 2011 Ratings: #4 (5.7)
Airstaff
The current lineup (as of November 29, 2010) is as follows- Morning Show (5 am - 10 am): Neal & Reese with Neal Dionne & Reese Rickards
- Mid-Days (10 am - 2 pm): Britta Rodewel
- Afternoon Drive (2 pm - 7 pm): Dave Conrad
- Nighttime (7 pm - 12 am): Electric Barnyard - Bill "Broadway" Bertshinger
- Overnights (12 am - 5 am): Bobby Bare
- Weekend's/Fill-ins: John The Canuck and Dave Taft
- Program Director: Doug Montgomery
- Station Voice: Jeff Davis