WKLA (AM)
Encyclopedia
WKLA-AM is an AM radio station
owned by Lake Michigan Broadcasting
. It broadcasts from Ludington, Michigan
. It airs Scott Shannon
's True Oldies Channel programming from Citadel Media & can be heard from Kaleva, Michigan
in the north to Hart, Michigan
in the south.
in downtown Ludington. Karl L. Ashbacher was the original owner, with his initials being the original basis for the call letters. (Previously the family had operated WKBZ
in Ludington from 1926 to 1934, moving it to Muskegon, Michigan
in the latter year.) In 1945 the WKLA studio moved to the Ludington Chamber of Commerce office at 204 E. Ludington Avenue. Raymond A. Plank purchased the station in 1949. In 1951, the station was moved to its current site at 5941 W. US 10 in Ludington. In 1971, WKLA expanded its programming with WKLA-FM.
Programming on WKLA for many years consisted of full service MOR programming and adult standards
. WKLA-FM spent much of its programming day simulcasting the AM signal before introducing a separate adult contemporary format around 1980, which it has retained since. Talk programming was introduced in the late 1990s, and the station soon went all talk prior to the switch to oldies in 2010.
Other past owners of WKLA include Tom Plank and Chickering & Associates. In 1996, the station was purchased by Roger Baerwolf under the corporate name of Lake Michigan Broadcasting
, Inc. Today, the company owns and operates WKLA AM/FM, WMTE AM
/FM
(Manistee) and WKZC-FM (Scottville).
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...
owned by Lake Michigan Broadcasting
Lake Michigan Broadcasting
Lake Michigan Broadcasting, Inc. is a broadcasting entity based out of Ludington, Michigan. The company owns and operates five radio stations in West Michigan.-History:Lake Michigan Broadcasting, Inc. was founded in 1996 by Roger Baerwolf...
. It broadcasts from Ludington, Michigan
Ludington, Michigan
Ludington is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,357. It is the county seat of Mason County.Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River...
. It airs Scott Shannon
Scott Shannon
Michael Scott Shannon is a radio disc jockey, current co-host of the "Scott and Todd in the Morning" show on WPLJ, host of The True Oldies Channel, and the official voice of The Sean Hannity Show.-Early Radio Career:...
's True Oldies Channel programming from Citadel Media & can be heard from Kaleva, Michigan
Kaleva, Michigan
Kaleva is a village in Manistee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 509 at the 2000 census.-Geography:*According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.*Kaleva is part of Northern Michigan....
in the north to Hart, Michigan
Hart, Michigan
Hart is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,950. It is the county seat of Oceana County. The city is located within Hart Township, but is politically independent....
in the south.
History
The AM station went on the air on October 8, 1944, originally housed on the second floor of the Masonic TempleMasonic Temple
Masonic Temple is a term commonly used in Freemasonry with multiple but related meanings. It is used to describe an abstract spiritual goal, the conceptual ritualistic space formed when a Masonic Lodge meets, and the physical rooms and structures in which a Lodge meets...
in downtown Ludington. Karl L. Ashbacher was the original owner, with his initials being the original basis for the call letters. (Previously the family had operated WKBZ
WKBZ
WKBZ is a news/talk radio station in Muskegon, Michigan on the frequency of 1090 AM owned by Clear Channel Communications.The current WKBZ is the former WMUS . WMUS began operations in 1947 and became the second radio station serving Muskegon, after the original WKBZ ; it began as a...
in Ludington from 1926 to 1934, moving it to Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
in the latter year.) In 1945 the WKLA studio moved to the Ludington Chamber of Commerce office at 204 E. Ludington Avenue. Raymond A. Plank purchased the station in 1949. In 1951, the station was moved to its current site at 5941 W. US 10 in Ludington. In 1971, WKLA expanded its programming with WKLA-FM.
Programming on WKLA for many years consisted of full service MOR programming and adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
. WKLA-FM spent much of its programming day simulcasting the AM signal before introducing a separate adult contemporary format around 1980, which it has retained since. Talk programming was introduced in the late 1990s, and the station soon went all talk prior to the switch to oldies in 2010.
Other past owners of WKLA include Tom Plank and Chickering & Associates. In 1996, the station was purchased by Roger Baerwolf under the corporate name of Lake Michigan Broadcasting
Lake Michigan Broadcasting
Lake Michigan Broadcasting, Inc. is a broadcasting entity based out of Ludington, Michigan. The company owns and operates five radio stations in West Michigan.-History:Lake Michigan Broadcasting, Inc. was founded in 1996 by Roger Baerwolf...
, Inc. Today, the company owns and operates WKLA AM/FM, WMTE AM
WMTE (AM)
WMTE was a radio station broadcasting a news-talk format. Licensed to Manistee, Michigan, it first began broadcasting on June 7, 1951 from facilities located on "Radio Hill" on the southern city limits of Manistee near the intersection of 10th and Olga Streets.The original radio station was housed...
/FM
WMTE-FM
WMTE-FM is an FM radio station located in Manistee, Michigan, United States, and owned by Lake Michigan Broadcasting. The station was signed on in June 1994 by the original owner, Bay View Broadcasting. The original call letters were WXYQ and the station adopted an oldies format...
(Manistee) and WKZC-FM (Scottville).