WOAP
Encyclopedia
WOAP is a radio station
broadcasting an oldies
format. Licensed to Owosso, Michigan
, it first began broadcasting in 1948. The station's 1,000-watt signal reaches outlying areas of the Flint and Lansing markets. The station is allowed to operate at greatly reduced power under its presunrise authorization and postsunset authorization permits at the times specified in the permits.
. As the AM station was, and still is, a daytime-only station, the FM station was intended to provide full-time service to the Owosso area. But at that time, there were very few FM radios so WOAP-FM went silent by 1953. A decade later, there were enough FM radios in circulation to allow WOAP-FM to return to the air on December 2, 1965.
Because the Argus-Press monopolized
media in the Owosso area at that time with its daily newspaper and two radio stations
, the Federal Communications Commission
forced the Argus-Press to sell the radio stations in 1987.
The FM station was later known as WMZX and is known today as WRSR
. In the late 1990s, the Michigan Radio Group sold both stations. Connoisseur Communications then assumed ownership of both, turning WMZX into a more regional station serving the Flint area while still licensed to Owosso (the station is now part of Cumulus Broadcasting's Flint cluster). WOAP adopted an adult standards
music format in 1995 after WFDF 910 AM dropped the format in favor of talk. The weaker WOAP, with its daytime-only signal, was then sold the following year to Hartman Broadcasting, which continued to operate WOAP as a local service,
retaining the standards format and imaging it as Great American Classics.
Less than two years later, Hartman Broadcasting sold WOAP to 1090 Investments, which immediately applied to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) for a construction permit to move the station's operations to Waverly
, located in Lansing's
suburbs. The move would allow WOAP to increase its daytime power to 50,000 watts and add nighttime power authorization at 4500 watts. Three years after the application was received, the FCC chose to dismiss the application, presumably under the likelihood that granting the station nighttime power would cause interference to WTIC
in Hartford, Connecticut and KRLD in Dallas, Texas; also broadcasting on this same frequency.
In January 2006, WOAP dropped its full-service news/talk format and adopted Catholic-based Religious programming. Three months later, 1090 Investments requested a Special Temporary Authority
(STA) for silent station from the FCC, citing financial difficulties. The station remained off the air for almost a year. Four months after going dark
, the station applied for reinstatement to move its facilities to Waverly and increase its daytime power, but withdrew its application for nighttime power. However, 1090 Investments pleaded for the FCC in its engineering presentation to be considered for nighttime power again, citing that denying Waverly local radio service in favor of a Connecticut station that had no local presence in Michigan would hurt its attempts to serve its community in an adequate fashion.
In March 2007, WOAP was granted permission to move from Owosso to Waverly and increase its power with a six-tower directional antenna system to be built in Ingham County, about 20 miles south of Lansing. The station also returned to the air with a simulcast of affiliate station WCAR
in Livonia. Despite the good news, WOAP again applied for a silent STA, going dark again on July 20, 2007.
WOAP applied for an extension to their silent STA on January 8, 2008, citing ongoing financial difficulties. The request was granted on February 25, 2008. The STA extension expired on July 21, 2008. The station returned to the air in mid-July 2008 simulcasting co-owned WCAR
, but fell silent once again on August 18, 2008.
On July 21, 2008 (the day that WOAP's STA extension was set to expire), local webcaster Mint City Radio launched WOAP Online, an internet-only radio station patterned after the old WOAP, but not associated with Michigan Catholic Radio. WOAP Online was programmed as a local radio station, featured music from the 1970s-90s, agricultural features, local announcements and old-time radio shows. WOAP Online has also featured coverage of local events, such as the Clinton County 4-H Youth Fair and Saint Johns Mint Festival (including coverage of the annual Mint Festival Parade).
In September 2008, the station again applied for permission to remain silent due to "ongoing financial problems". As of December 19, 2008, the FCC had not yet granted the STA permission. As a matter of general FCC policy, financial causes are not sufficient reason to remain silent and still retain the license - the reason must be something "beyond the control" of the licensee.
In May 2009, 1090 Investments sold its radio stations, including WOAP, to Birach Broadcasting Corporation
. At that point, Mint City Radio dropped the WOAP moniker for its webcasts effective June 1.
When the new management entered the studios for the first time on July 18, they found that practically nothing worked and the roof leaked. They had to start from scratch to rebuild the station and had a deadline from the FCC of August 18 to get the station back on the air or lose their operating license.
The station returned to the air branded as The Big 1080 on August 14, 2009 with an oldies format from its Owosso studio location. As the station returned to the air, the master control studio was being rebuilt and the neon WOAP sign, which had not worked for several years, was being repaired. WOAP announced on the air that Birach Broadcasting abandoned plans to move the station to the Lansing area.
"The Big 1080" returns the traditional oldies format to a large chunk of mid-Michigan that had been without the format for some time, as the Lansing market no longer has an oldies station (with the closest things to an oldies station in that market being "America's Best Music
" WXLA
-AM and classic hits
WLMI
-FM) and WHNN
-FM, which serves the Tri-Cities and Flint, has moved to a classic hits sound and dropped many 1960s titles from its playlist. WOAP is also the only station serving the Flint market with a 1950s-1970s nostalgia-based format, as WFNT
-AM, which had been airing Citadel Media's Timeless Favorites format, changed to a News/Talk format in February 2010.
WOAP carries Spartan Nation Radio which covers Michigan State University
athletics weeknights from 6 to 9. The station began 24-hour streaming audio on the World Wide Web
on September 2010.
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...
broadcasting an 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. Licensed to Owosso, Michigan
Owosso, Michigan
Owosso is a city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,713 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the eastern side of Owosso Township, but is politically independent...
, it first began broadcasting in 1948. The station's 1,000-watt signal reaches outlying areas of the Flint and Lansing markets. The station is allowed to operate at greatly reduced power under its presunrise authorization and postsunset authorization permits at the times specified in the permits.
History
WOAP was founded as an AM/FM combo station by the local Argus-Press newspaper. The call letters stand for Owosso Argus-PressArgus-Press
The Argus-Press is a daily newspaper published in Owosso, Michigan. The names comes from two preceding papers: the Evening Argus and Press-American, which merged in 1916. The paper's earliest antecedent is the Owosso American, which was founded in 1854....
. As the AM station was, and still is, a daytime-only station, the FM station was intended to provide full-time service to the Owosso area. But at that time, there were very few FM radios so WOAP-FM went silent by 1953. A decade later, there were enough FM radios in circulation to allow WOAP-FM to return to the air on December 2, 1965.
Because the Argus-Press monopolized
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
media in the Owosso area at that time with its daily newspaper and two radio stations
Concentration of media ownership
Concentration of media ownership refers to a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media...
, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
forced the Argus-Press to sell the radio stations in 1987.
The FM station was later known as WMZX and is known today as WRSR
WRSR
WRSR is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Owosso, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1965 under the WOAP-FM call sign.-Coverage area:...
. In the late 1990s, the Michigan Radio Group sold both stations. Connoisseur Communications then assumed ownership of both, turning WMZX into a more regional station serving the Flint area while still licensed to Owosso (the station is now part of Cumulus Broadcasting's Flint cluster). WOAP adopted 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...
music format in 1995 after WFDF 910 AM dropped the format in favor of talk. The weaker WOAP, with its daytime-only signal, was then sold the following year to Hartman Broadcasting, which continued to operate WOAP as a local service,
retaining the standards format and imaging it as Great American Classics.
Less than two years later, Hartman Broadcasting sold WOAP to 1090 Investments, which immediately applied to the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) for a construction permit to move the station's operations to Waverly
Waverly, Michigan
Waverly is an unincorporated community in Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and has no legal status as a municipality. The population was 23,925 at the 2010 census...
, located in Lansing's
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
suburbs. The move would allow WOAP to increase its daytime power to 50,000 watts and add nighttime power authorization at 4500 watts. Three years after the application was received, the FCC chose to dismiss the application, presumably under the likelihood that granting the station nighttime power would cause interference to WTIC
WTIC (AM)
WTIC is a 50,000-watt radio station operating out of Hartford, Connecticut, broadcasting news and talk radio. Its signal, located at 1080 kHz, can be picked up throughout southern New England by day and over several states as well as parts of Canada by night...
in Hartford, Connecticut and KRLD in Dallas, Texas; also broadcasting on this same frequency.
In January 2006, WOAP dropped its full-service news/talk format and adopted Catholic-based Religious programming. Three months later, 1090 Investments requested a Special Temporary Authority
Special temporary authority
In U.S. broadcast law, a special temporary authorization or special temporary authority is a type of broadcast license which temporarily allows a broadcast station to operate outside of its normal technical or legal parameters...
(STA) for silent station from the FCC, citing financial difficulties. The station remained off the air for almost a year. Four months after going dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
, the station applied for reinstatement to move its facilities to Waverly and increase its daytime power, but withdrew its application for nighttime power. However, 1090 Investments pleaded for the FCC in its engineering presentation to be considered for nighttime power again, citing that denying Waverly local radio service in favor of a Connecticut station that had no local presence in Michigan would hurt its attempts to serve its community in an adequate fashion.
In March 2007, WOAP was granted permission to move from Owosso to Waverly and increase its power with a six-tower directional antenna system to be built in Ingham County, about 20 miles south of Lansing. The station also returned to the air with a simulcast of affiliate station WCAR
WCAR
WCAR, 1090 AM, in the Detroit market, is a 24-hour talk radio station based out of Livonia, Michigan. The station airs a variety of talk show programs, including the nationally syndicated Imus in the Morning.- History :...
in Livonia. Despite the good news, WOAP again applied for a silent STA, going dark again on July 20, 2007.
WOAP applied for an extension to their silent STA on January 8, 2008, citing ongoing financial difficulties. The request was granted on February 25, 2008. The STA extension expired on July 21, 2008. The station returned to the air in mid-July 2008 simulcasting co-owned WCAR
WCAR
WCAR, 1090 AM, in the Detroit market, is a 24-hour talk radio station based out of Livonia, Michigan. The station airs a variety of talk show programs, including the nationally syndicated Imus in the Morning.- History :...
, but fell silent once again on August 18, 2008.
On July 21, 2008 (the day that WOAP's STA extension was set to expire), local webcaster Mint City Radio launched WOAP Online, an internet-only radio station patterned after the old WOAP, but not associated with Michigan Catholic Radio. WOAP Online was programmed as a local radio station, featured music from the 1970s-90s, agricultural features, local announcements and old-time radio shows. WOAP Online has also featured coverage of local events, such as the Clinton County 4-H Youth Fair and Saint Johns Mint Festival (including coverage of the annual Mint Festival Parade).
In September 2008, the station again applied for permission to remain silent due to "ongoing financial problems". As of December 19, 2008, the FCC had not yet granted the STA permission. As a matter of general FCC policy, financial causes are not sufficient reason to remain silent and still retain the license - the reason must be something "beyond the control" of the licensee.
In May 2009, 1090 Investments sold its radio stations, including WOAP, to Birach Broadcasting Corporation
Birach Broadcasting Corporation
Birach Broadcasting Corporation is a Southfield, Michigan-based company that owns several AM radio stations and one low-power television station in the US....
. At that point, Mint City Radio dropped the WOAP moniker for its webcasts effective June 1.
When the new management entered the studios for the first time on July 18, they found that practically nothing worked and the roof leaked. They had to start from scratch to rebuild the station and had a deadline from the FCC of August 18 to get the station back on the air or lose their operating license.
The station returned to the air branded as The Big 1080 on August 14, 2009 with an oldies format from its Owosso studio location. As the station returned to the air, the master control studio was being rebuilt and the neon WOAP sign, which had not worked for several years, was being repaired. WOAP announced on the air that Birach Broadcasting abandoned plans to move the station to the Lansing area.
"The Big 1080" returns the traditional oldies format to a large chunk of mid-Michigan that had been without the format for some time, as the Lansing market no longer has an oldies station (with the closest things to an oldies station in that market being "America's Best Music
America's Best Music
America's Best Music is the on-air branding of an adult standards 24-hour radio network, known internally as Adult Standards and formerly known as AM Only, currently owned by Dial Global. It was one of the original Westwood One's Transtar networks...
" WXLA
WXLA
WXLA is a commercial AM radio station located in Dimondale, a suburb of Lansing, Michigan. The station broadcasts on 1180 kHz with 10,000 watts during most daytime hours. During the two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset it cuts back to 2,000 watts...
-AM and 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...
WLMI
WLMI
WVTT is an FM radio station licensed to Portville, New York. The station, broadcasting at 96.7 MHz, is owned by Colonial Radio Group and broadcasts a talk radio format.Prior to October 2011, WVTT was licensed to Kane, Pennsylvania at 103.9 MHz...
-FM) and WHNN
WHNN
WHNN is an FM radio station serving the Saginaw-Bay City-Midland area and Flint with its classic hits format. It broadcasts on FM frequency 96.1 and is under ownership of Cumulus Media...
-FM, which serves the Tri-Cities and Flint, has moved to a classic hits sound and dropped many 1960s titles from its playlist. WOAP is also the only station serving the Flint market with a 1950s-1970s nostalgia-based format, as WFNT
WFNT
WFNT is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Flint, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1947 as WCLC, then WWOK. It became WKMF in 1953 which was a country music station during most of the years using that call sign...
-AM, which had been airing Citadel Media's Timeless Favorites format, changed to a News/Talk format in February 2010.
WOAP carries Spartan Nation Radio which covers Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
athletics weeknights from 6 to 9. The station began 24-hour streaming audio on the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
on September 2010.
Sources
- Michiguide.com - WOAP History
- WOAP Online - Lansing State Journal
- FCC Memorandum Opinion And Order granting WOAP night time operation