WLBY
Encyclopedia
WLBY, "Ann Arbor's Business Talk Radio", is a business talk radio station brodacasting from Saline, Michigan
. They carry nationally syndicated programs such as Dave Ramsey
, The Clark Howard
Show, and The Ray Lucia
Show. The station is also home to former WAAM
morning host Lucy Ann Lance weekday mornings 9am-12pm and Saturday 11am-2pm. Top of the hour news updates are provided by CNN Radio. WLBY is owned by Cumulus Media
.
dial (102.9) and the AM signal was re-dubbed WOIB. (For more on the FM station, see WWWW-FM
.) After several years as a MOR outlet, WOIA/WOIB began to simulcast a Top 40 format in 1967. On February 14, 1970, both stations were re-branded as "The Winners", with the 1290 calls changed to WNRS. Initially the "Winners" retained the WOIA/WOIB Top 40 format but later switched to country
; WNRZ-FM also played progressive rock for a time while the AM side continued with the country format.
In 1975, WNRZ-FM brought the "Winners" simulcast to an end when it changed to album oriented rock as WIQB. WNRS-AM continued on with country and later a fairly successful Oldies
format under the moniker "Ann Arbor's Solid Gold." The oldies format continued until 1992, when the oldies format moved to new sister station WAMX-FM 107.1 as WQKL
(or "Kool 107"). AM 1290 picked up WAMX's New Age
/Adult Contemporary format and later the WAMX calls, after briefly using the call letters WIQB-AM.
More changes followed: in the early-1999, Tom Monaghan
bought the station and changed it to an all-Catholic format and changed the calls to WDEO; later that year, the religious programs (and the WDEO calls) were shifted to the former WWCM at 990 AM, and 1290 changed formats again: now, under new owners Cumulus, it was "WYBN, Your Business News".
In May 2000, Clear Channel Communications
acquired Cumulus' Ann Arbor stations, including WYBN. The following year, Clear Channel switched it to WCAS, with an adult standards
format dubbed "American Music Classics." Then, in July 2002, 1290 saw the revival of "Honey Radio", an all-oldies format that was popular on the former WHND-AM (now WRDT
) in the 80s and 90s; now the calls were WHNE (also the calls of WHND's old FM outlet in the 1970s, now WCSX
). "Honey Radio" took the "Real Oldies" approach that Clear Channel tried at WSAI
Cincinnati, WRLL
Chicago and several other AM stations, playing mostly 1950s and 1960s hits with very limited post-1970 material. The format was AM 1290's most successful in some time but lasted only about two years, until August 2004, when WHNE became WLBY—the tenth set of call letters the station has used.
In December 2006, Cumulus reacquired Clear Channel's Ann Arbor stations, including WLBY, as part of a multi-station swap. Cumulus' future plans for WLBY remain unknown at present, although Cumulus has said it does not plan to change the formats of any of its Ann Arbor stations.
As of March 16, 2009, WLBY has switched to a business talk radio format, abandoning their progressive talk format that included the bankrupt Air America Radio
network..
Saline, Michigan
Saline is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,810.The city is popular for its annual Celtic Festival, which attracts people from all over the United States and its sister cities Brecon, Wales and Lindenberg, Germany...
. They carry nationally syndicated programs such as Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey
David L. Ramsey III is an American financial author, radio host, television personality, and motivational speaker.Ramsey's syndicated radio program The Dave Ramsey Show is promoted with a tagline that "It's about your life and your money," and it is heard on over 450 radio stations throughout the...
, The Clark Howard
Clark Howard
Clark Howard , is a popular U.S. talk radio host of the nationally syndicated consumer advocate program The Clark Howard Show. The show covers consumer and financial news, with advice on how to spend less, save more and avoid rip-offs...
Show, and The Ray Lucia
Ray Lucia
Raymond Joseph Lucia, Sr. is an American Certified Financial Planner, Registered Investment Advisor, author, radio personality and television host...
Show. The station is also home to former WAAM
WAAM
WAAM is a radio station in Ann Arbor, Michigan that broadcasts on AM 1600. Known as "WAAM Talk 1600" , WAAM broadcasts with 5,000 watts of power. The station is owned by Coolarity A2, LLC. Until recently, the station broadcast in AM Stereo.-Early History: WHRV:The station signed on as WHRV in...
morning host Lucy Ann Lance weekday mornings 9am-12pm and Saturday 11am-2pm. Top of the hour news updates are provided by CNN Radio. WLBY is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
History
1290 on the AM dial has had quite a varied history since it first signed on in 1958 as WOIA. In 1962, WOIA jumped to the FMFM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
dial (102.9) and the AM signal was re-dubbed WOIB. (For more on the FM station, see WWWW-FM
WWWW-FM
WWWW-FM - "W4 Country" - is a country music radio station based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, broadcasting on 102.9 MHz.-Early years:The 102.9 frequency began operations in or on March 1, 1962 as WOIA and was co-owned with WOIB-AM 1290 in Saline, Michigan. Originally, WOIA and WOIB simulcast a middle of...
.) After several years as a MOR outlet, WOIA/WOIB began to simulcast a Top 40 format in 1967. On February 14, 1970, both stations were re-branded as "The Winners", with the 1290 calls changed to WNRS. Initially the "Winners" retained the WOIA/WOIB Top 40 format but later switched to country
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...
; WNRZ-FM also played progressive rock for a time while the AM side continued with the country format.
In 1975, WNRZ-FM brought the "Winners" simulcast to an end when it changed to album oriented rock as WIQB. WNRS-AM continued on with country and later a fairly successful Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
format under the moniker "Ann Arbor's Solid Gold." The oldies format continued until 1992, when the oldies format moved to new sister station WAMX-FM 107.1 as WQKL
WQKL
WQKL, known on the air as ann arbor's 107one, is a radio station broadcasting from Ann Arbor, Michigan. WQKL is a Cumulus radio station, co-owned with country WWWW-FM 102.9, Sports Talk WTKA-AM 1050, and WLBY-AM 1290. Although the station broadcasts with only 3,000 watts of power, it can be heard...
(or "Kool 107"). AM 1290 picked up WAMX's New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
/Adult Contemporary format and later the WAMX calls, after briefly using the call letters WIQB-AM.
More changes followed: in the early-1999, Tom Monaghan
Tom Monaghan
Thomas Stephen "Tom" Monaghan is an entrepreneur and Catholic philanthropist and activist who founded Domino's Pizza in 1960. He owned the Detroit Tigers from 1983-1992....
bought the station and changed it to an all-Catholic format and changed the calls to WDEO; later that year, the religious programs (and the WDEO calls) were shifted to the former WWCM at 990 AM, and 1290 changed formats again: now, under new owners Cumulus, it was "WYBN, Your Business News".
In May 2000, Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
acquired Cumulus' Ann Arbor stations, including WYBN. The following year, Clear Channel switched it to WCAS, with an 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...
format dubbed "American Music Classics." Then, in July 2002, 1290 saw the revival of "Honey Radio", an all-oldies format that was popular on the former WHND-AM (now WRDT
WRDT
WRDT, known on the air as "The Word AM 560, Detroit's Christian Talk", is a radio station licensed to Monroe, Michigan, serving the Detroit metropolitan area. The station broadcasts in HD Radio with 500 Watts daytime power from a transmitter located in South Monroe, MI, and 14 Watts nighttime...
) in the 80s and 90s; now the calls were WHNE (also the calls of WHND's old FM outlet in the 1970s, now WCSX
WCSX
WCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated...
). "Honey Radio" took the "Real Oldies" approach that Clear Channel tried at WSAI
WSAI
WSAI is an AM radio station broadcasting out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Its studios are in the Towers of Kenwood building next to I-71 in the Kenwood section of Sycamore Township and its transmitter is located in Mount Healthy.WSAI is known as "Fox Sports 1360," including The Dan Patrick Show and The...
Cincinnati, WRLL
WVON
WVON is a radio station licensed to Berwyn, Illinois, serving the greater Chicago area, airing an African-American-oriented talk format. WVON is managed by Midway Broadcasting Corporation, via a local marketing agreement with frequency owner Clear Channel Communications. Civil rights leaders the...
Chicago and several other AM stations, playing mostly 1950s and 1960s hits with very limited post-1970 material. The format was AM 1290's most successful in some time but lasted only about two years, until August 2004, when WHNE became WLBY—the tenth set of call letters the station has used.
In December 2006, Cumulus reacquired Clear Channel's Ann Arbor stations, including WLBY, as part of a multi-station swap. Cumulus' future plans for WLBY remain unknown at present, although Cumulus has said it does not plan to change the formats of any of its Ann Arbor stations.
As of March 16, 2009, WLBY has switched to a business talk radio format, abandoning their progressive talk format that included the bankrupt Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
network..