WLKI
Encyclopedia
WLKI is an American
FM
radio station
licensed to and based in Angola, Indiana
, and serving portions of northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio
, and south-central Michigan
. Owned by Coldwater, Michigan
businessman Stephen Swick, the station airs a hybrid adult contemporary/Hot AC music format branded as FM's Best, FM 100.
The station began broadcasting on November 7, 1969
at 100.1 on the FM dial, and became WLKI on July 15, 1974
. WLKI was owned by Lake Cities Broadcasting Corporation until April 2008, when it was sold to Stephen Swick (under the corporate name Swick Broadcasting Corporation) for $3.8 million along with sister stations WTHD in LaGrange, Indiana
and WLZZ
in Montpelier, Ohio
(both country
-formatted), and sports WBET/oldies WBET-FM in Sturgis, Michigan
.
WLKI's primary service area includes the cities of Angola, Fremont
, Clear Lake
, Orland
, and Waterloo
in Indiana, Coldwater, Bronson
and Camden
in Michigan, and Edon, Ohio
. Its signal also reaches northern portions of the Fort Wayne
metro area, and can be heard as far away as Hudson, Michigan
although reception farther east is impeded by co-channel WNIC
in the Detroit area.
The WLKI airstaff includes The Morning Renegades - Russ Ryder & Brett Briscoe, Christian Wheel, Andy St. John, Larry Russell, Jim Measel, and Michael Hayworth, host of the Saturday-night classic rock
show The Saturday Night Special. The station also airs local high-school sports. Video newscasts ceased after host Charlotte Burke left the organization for a larger market.
In November, 2009, WLKI began broadcasting in HD, allowing Swick the opportunity to place two additional signals into the Angola area. The former 92.5 translator (W223AM) in Bronson, MI, and 99.5 translator (W258AO) in Hillsdale, MI, were both purchased by Swick, and moved to the WLKI tower site, with the former becoming 92.7 (W224BY Angola, IN), and the latter becoming 101.3 (W267BE Angola, IN). 92.7 is now rebroadcasting WLKI-HD3's ESPN Radio. On December 31, 2009, 101.3 became the home of "U-Rock 101-3", which is also broadcast on WLKI-HD2.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
FM
FM 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"...
radio station
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...
licensed to and based in Angola, Indiana
Angola, Indiana
Angola is a city in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana, United States. The population was 8,612 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Steuben County . Angola was founded by Thomas Gale and Cornelius Gilmore. Angola is home to Trine University...
, and serving portions of northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and south-central Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Owned by Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,945. It is the county seat of Branch County....
businessman Stephen Swick, the station airs a hybrid adult contemporary/Hot AC music format branded as FM's Best, FM 100.
The station began broadcasting on November 7, 1969
1969 in radio
Significant events in radio broadcasting in the year 1969 included the debuts of two documentaries on rock and roll.-Events:*21–23 February: The History of Rock and Roll, a comprehensive 48-part documentary, debuts on KHJ in Los Angeles...
at 100.1 on the FM dial, and became WLKI on July 15, 1974
1974 in radio
The year 1974 in radio involved some significant events.-Debuts:*January 6 - CBS Radio Mystery Theater debuts and is broadcast on 218 stations.* February 19 - BRMB begins broadcasting to the Birmingham area...
. WLKI was owned by Lake Cities Broadcasting Corporation until April 2008, when it was sold to Stephen Swick (under the corporate name Swick Broadcasting Corporation) for $3.8 million along with sister stations WTHD in LaGrange, Indiana
LaGrange, Indiana
LaGrange is a town in LaGrange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,625 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of LaGrange County.-Geography:LaGrange is located at...
and WLZZ
WLZZ
WLZZ is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Montpelier, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Swick Broadcasting Company and features programing from Fox News Radio and Dial-Global Radio Network.-History:...
in Montpelier, Ohio
Montpelier, Ohio
Montpelier is a village in Williams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,320 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Montpelier is located at ....
(both 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...
-formatted), and sports WBET/oldies WBET-FM in Sturgis, Michigan
Sturgis, Michigan
Sturgis, is a city in St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,994 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the northeast corner of Sturgis Township and at the intersection of US 12 and M-66....
.
WLKI's primary service area includes the cities of Angola, Fremont
Fremont, Indiana
Fremont is a town in Fremont Township, Steuben County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,138 at the 2010 census. Settled in 1834 as Willow Prairie, it became the Village of Brockville when it was platted in 1837. In 1848, it was renamed to honor John C...
, Clear Lake
Clear Lake, Indiana
Clear Lake is a town located in the northeast corner of Steuben County, Indiana, in Clear Lake Township. The population was 339 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Orland
Orland, Indiana
Orland is a town located in the northwest corner of Steuben County, Indiana in Millgrove Township at the intersection of State Road 120 and State Road 327. The population was 434 at the 2010 census...
, and Waterloo
Waterloo, Indiana
Waterloo is a town in Grant and Smithfield townships, DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,242 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Waterloo is located at ....
in Indiana, Coldwater, Bronson
Bronson, Michigan
Bronson is a city located in west central Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,349 at the 2010 census.Bronson is situated on U.S. Route 12 about southwest of Coldwater...
and Camden
Camden, Michigan
Camden is a village in Camden Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 550 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
in Michigan, and Edon, Ohio
Edon, Ohio
Edon is a village in Williams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 898 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Edon is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
. Its signal also reaches northern portions of the Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
metro area, and can be heard as far away as Hudson, Michigan
Hudson, Michigan
Hudson is a city in Lenawee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,307 at the 2010 census. The city is located within Hudson Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
although reception farther east is impeded by co-channel WNIC
WNIC
WNIC is an American radio station based in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting at 100.3 MHz FM. WNIC's studios and offices are located in Farmington Hills, MI. WNIC's transmitter is located near Schoolcraft and Livernois Avenue in the City of Detroit on the near west side. WNIC broadcasts with an...
in the Detroit area.
The WLKI airstaff includes The Morning Renegades - Russ Ryder & Brett Briscoe, Christian Wheel, Andy St. John, Larry Russell, Jim Measel, and Michael Hayworth, host of the Saturday-night 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...
show The Saturday Night Special. The station also airs local high-school sports. Video newscasts ceased after host Charlotte Burke left the organization for a larger market.
In November, 2009, WLKI began broadcasting in HD, allowing Swick the opportunity to place two additional signals into the Angola area. The former 92.5 translator (W223AM) in Bronson, MI, and 99.5 translator (W258AO) in Hillsdale, MI, were both purchased by Swick, and moved to the WLKI tower site, with the former becoming 92.7 (W224BY Angola, IN), and the latter becoming 101.3 (W267BE Angola, IN). 92.7 is now rebroadcasting WLKI-HD3's ESPN Radio. On December 31, 2009, 101.3 became the home of "U-Rock 101-3", which is also broadcast on WLKI-HD2.
External links
- WLKI website (streaming audio available)
- ESPN Angola website