WBNZ
Encyclopedia
WOUF is a radio station
in Beulah, Michigan
, broadcasting an active rock
format. The station, which began broadcasting in 1979, is owned by Traverse City broadcaster Roy E. Henderson under the "Fort Bend Broadcasting" banner and has long been the primary local station for the Frankfort area and Benzie County
. It is simulcast on WCUZ 100.1 FM licensed to Bear Lake, Michigan
.
WOUF's coverage area does not extend far east of Traverse City and Cadillac
to protect co-channel WATZ-FM in Alpena
, but the station can be heard across Lake Michigan in parts of northeastern Wisconsin. The station is simulcast on the HD-4 subchannel of country-formatted sister station 101.9 WLDR
.
, which aired some kind of adult contemporary or Hot AC music format for many years (and continues to do so on 92.3 FM). WBNZ was also heavily involved in the Frankfort/Benzie County community, with local news and high-school sports coverage.
In July 2009, WBNZ moved to 92.3 (formerly WOUF 92.1) and the 99.3 allotment became WOUF 99.3 The Wolf, which airs a Mainstream Rock format mixing New and Classic Rock. The station's competition includes Northern Radio's Classic Rocker WKLT
(which Henderson founded but sold off in the 1980s
) and Northern Star Broadcasting's classic rock WGFN
"The Bear" and mainstream rocker WJZJ
("Real Rock"). WOUF retained its city of license of Beulah with the move to 99.3, and WBNZ retained its city of license of Frankfort with the move to 92.3.
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 Beulah, Michigan
Beulah, Michigan
Beulah is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Benzie County. The population was 363 at the 2000 census. It is located in Benzonia Township at the southeast end of Crystal Lake, about one mile north of Benzonia on U.S. Route 31...
, broadcasting an active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
format. The station, which began broadcasting in 1979, is owned by Traverse City broadcaster Roy E. Henderson under the "Fort Bend Broadcasting" banner and has long been the primary local station for the Frankfort area and Benzie County
Benzie County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 15,998 people, 6,500 households, and 4,595 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 10,312 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
. It is simulcast on WCUZ 100.1 FM licensed to Bear Lake, Michigan
Bear Lake, Michigan
Bear Lake is a village in Manistee County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 318. The village is located within Bear Lake Township.-Geography:...
.
WOUF's coverage area does not extend far east of Traverse City and Cadillac
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...
to protect co-channel WATZ-FM in Alpena
Alpena, Michigan
Alpena is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alpena County. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located in the city. The population was 10,483 at the 2010 census...
, but the station can be heard across Lake Michigan in parts of northeastern Wisconsin. The station is simulcast on the HD-4 subchannel of country-formatted sister station 101.9 WLDR
WLDR
WLDR-FM 101.9 Traverse City, MI, simulcast on WARD 750 Petoskey, MI, is a station that airs a country music format as "Sunny Country 101.9". The stations are owned by broadcaster Roy Henderson, who is WLDR's third owner in its 40-year history....
.
History
WOUF was previously WBNZWBNZ
WOUF is a radio station in Beulah, Michigan, broadcasting an active rock format. The station, which began broadcasting in 1979, is owned by Traverse City broadcaster Roy E. Henderson under the "Fort Bend Broadcasting" banner and has long been the primary local station for the Frankfort area and...
, which aired some kind of adult contemporary or Hot AC music format for many years (and continues to do so on 92.3 FM). WBNZ was also heavily involved in the Frankfort/Benzie County community, with local news and high-school sports coverage.
In July 2009, WBNZ moved to 92.3 (formerly WOUF 92.1) and the 99.3 allotment became WOUF 99.3 The Wolf, which airs a Mainstream Rock format mixing New and Classic Rock. The station's competition includes Northern Radio's Classic Rocker WKLT
WKLT
WKLT 97.5 Kalkaska and WKLZ-FM 98.9 Petoskey are mainstream rock stations simulcasting as "KLT The Rock Station". The station serves the Traverse City-Petoskey radio market. It can Be Heard as far North as Sault Ste Marie, Ontario...
(which Henderson founded but sold off in the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
) and Northern Star Broadcasting's classic rock WGFN
WGFN
WGFN is one of four radio stations in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan that simulcast a classic rock format, with The Bob & Tom Show & Nights with Alice Cooper, called "The Bear"...
"The Bear" and mainstream rocker WJZJ
WJZJ
WJZJ in Glen Arbor, Michigan is an American radio station, which airs a mainstream rock format branded as Real Rock 105.1/95.5...
("Real Rock"). WOUF retained its city of license of Beulah with the move to 99.3, and WBNZ retained its city of license of Frankfort with the move to 92.3.
Sources
- WBNZ is Back! Popular radio station will focus on local news, events and sports, from The Grand Traverse Insider (04 August 2008)