WQTX
Encyclopedia
WQTX is a radio station
broadcasting a country music
radio format
to Lansing, Michigan
. Licensed to St. Johns, Michigan
, it first began broadcasting in 1972 and has been through a number of different calls and formats during its history.
92.1 FM was originally WRBJ-FM, and, in a simulcast with WRBJ-AM (now WWSJ
) 1580, served St. Johns and Clinton County as a full-service local station. Original owner Robert Ditmer sold WRBJ-AM/FM in 1981 and changed both stations to a country
simulcast as WQTK-AM/FM, the first of many identity changes over the next twenty years for the AM 1580 frequency (see the WWSJ article for more). The calls eventually became WKLH on both AM and FM, continuing with a country format as "K-92", until Labor Day 1985 when WKLH-FM became WLNZ, "The Lazer", with a rock
format (the "lazer" part of the positioning referring to the station's being the first in the Lansing market to play music from compact disc
s). WLNZ changed to CHR
/Top 40 first as "Z-92" and later as "The Ape" WGOR (as in "gorilla
") in 1989, but found its ratings success against WVIC
limited and its advertising revenue even worse. One more unsuccessful format followed - smooth jazz
and new age music
as WXMX "The Mix" from 1991 to 1993, before the station debuted what would become its most successful format yet.
In 1993, 92.1 FM became WWDX ("92-1 The Edge"), a modern rock
station and the first such commercial radio station in Michigan in this format outside the Detroit area. Despite its limited signal reach, WWDX finally became a ratings success as "The Edge," due largely to the large college-student population in the area.
In September 2003, it changed format to hot AC as WKMY "My 92.1." The death of "The Edge" left the decidedly non-commercial WDBM
from Michigan State University
as the only source for alternative rock music in the market and left many of WWDX's loyal listeners very angry. The format and moniker would resurface again on its sister station, 94.1 WVIC, in August 2009. Following the change to "My 92.1," the station plummeted in the ratings, and then changed calls to WTXQ and began to simulcast a sports-talk format with WQTX-FM 92.7 Charlotte as "The Ticket."
In the spring of 2006, months after WJIM-FM
dropped its long-running oldies
format in favor of Top 40 in the fall of 2005, WTXQ changed its calls to the current WQTX (WQTX 92.7 Charlotte is now classic hits
WLMI
92.9 Grand Ledge) and switched from sports talk to oldies, using a satellite-delivered format from Jones Radio Networks
.
On December 1, 2008, WQTX changed its format and name to Classic Hits 92-X WQTX, with a new logo. On March 17, 2010, it was announced that the Rubber City Radio Group, based in Akron, Ohio
, was planning to sell WQTX, along with sister stations WVIC, WJXQ
, and WLMI (formerly WJZL), to Midwest Communications
. The deal officially closed on July 1, 2010.
On December 27, 2010, sister station WLMI changed its format to classic hits. The format moved from WQTX, which began stunting toward a new format. On January 6, 2011, at 3:00 P.M. local time, WQTX debuted a country format, branded as "92.1 Big Country".
. Play-by-play is done by Jesse Goldberg-Strassler
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 a country music
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...
radio format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
to Lansing, Michigan
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...
. Licensed to St. Johns, Michigan
St. Johns, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,485 people, 2,994 households, and 1,999 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,909.1 per square mile . There were 3,148 housing units at an average density of 802.9 per square mile...
, it first began broadcasting in 1972 and has been through a number of different calls and formats during its history.
92.1 FM was originally WRBJ-FM, and, in a simulcast with WRBJ-AM (now WWSJ
WWSJ
WWSJ is an AM radio station broadcasting from St. Johns, Michigan on 1580 kHz, featuring a Black Gospel format. The station transmits with 1,000 watts during the day using a directional antenna that sends the signal primarily to the north and south...
) 1580, served St. Johns and Clinton County as a full-service local station. Original owner Robert Ditmer sold WRBJ-AM/FM in 1981 and changed both stations to a 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...
simulcast as WQTK-AM/FM, the first of many identity changes over the next twenty years for the AM 1580 frequency (see the WWSJ article for more). The calls eventually became WKLH on both AM and FM, continuing with a country format as "K-92", until Labor Day 1985 when WKLH-FM became WLNZ, "The Lazer", with a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
format (the "lazer" part of the positioning referring to the station's being the first in the Lansing market to play music from compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s). WLNZ changed to CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
/Top 40 first as "Z-92" and later as "The Ape" WGOR (as in "gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
") in 1989, but found its ratings success against WVIC
WVIC
WVIC is a radio station broadcasting a modern rock format. Licensed to Jackson, Michigan, it first began broadcasting on July 14, 1958 as WMKZ-FM simulcasting WIBM-AM. The station broadcasts from a tower near Springport, Michigan. The station can be heard from Kalamazoo to Ypsilanti, and from...
limited and its advertising revenue even worse. One more unsuccessful format followed - smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
and new age music
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
as WXMX "The Mix" from 1991 to 1993, before the station debuted what would become its most successful format yet.
In 1993, 92.1 FM became WWDX ("92-1 The Edge"), a modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
station and the first such commercial radio station in Michigan in this format outside the Detroit area. Despite its limited signal reach, WWDX finally became a ratings success as "The Edge," due largely to the large college-student population in the area.
In September 2003, it changed format to hot AC as WKMY "My 92.1." The death of "The Edge" left the decidedly non-commercial WDBM
WDBM
WDBM , East Lansing, Michigan, is a 2,000 watt, Class A, student-run college radio station at Michigan State University that broadcasts to listeners in the Lansing, Michigan, metropolitan area. The station is the successor to the Michigan State Network, which in the 1970s was the nation's largest...
from 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,...
as the only source for alternative rock music in the market and left many of WWDX's loyal listeners very angry. The format and moniker would resurface again on its sister station, 94.1 WVIC, in August 2009. Following the change to "My 92.1," the station plummeted in the ratings, and then changed calls to WTXQ and began to simulcast a sports-talk format with WQTX-FM 92.7 Charlotte as "The Ticket."
In the spring of 2006, months after WJIM-FM
WJIM-FM
WJIM-FM is a radio station in Lansing, Michigan, broadcasting a Top 40 format.The station has had the WJIM-FM calls continuously since it signed on in 1960. For over three decades, WJIM-FM broadcast an easy listening/beautiful music format, which evolved during the early 1990s into a soft adult...
dropped its long-running 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 in favor of Top 40 in the fall of 2005, WTXQ changed its calls to the current WQTX (WQTX 92.7 Charlotte is now 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...
92.9 Grand Ledge) and switched from sports talk to oldies, using a satellite-delivered format from Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such as news and talk programs, syndicated radio shows,...
.
Recent developments
On September 2, 2008, Oldies 92.1 added a live and local morning show, hosted by Lansing broadcast veteran Tim Barron.On December 1, 2008, WQTX changed its format and name to Classic Hits 92-X WQTX, with a new logo. On March 17, 2010, it was announced that the Rubber City Radio Group, based in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, was planning to sell WQTX, along with sister stations WVIC, WJXQ
WJXQ
WJXQ is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format. Licensed to Charlotte, Michigan, it first began broadcasting under the WKHM-FM call sign. Its studios are located on Cedar St...
, and WLMI (formerly WJZL), to Midwest Communications
Midwest Communications
Midwest Communications, Inc. consists of Midwest Communications, Inc. and WRIG, Inc., which collectively own forty-six radio stations. The Company got its start in Wausau, Wisconsin, with WRIG, Inc. and the acquisition by the D.E. Wright family of a 1400 kHz, 250 watt AM facility from the...
. The deal officially closed on July 1, 2010.
On December 27, 2010, sister station WLMI changed its format to classic hits. The format moved from WQTX, which began stunting toward a new format. On January 6, 2011, at 3:00 P.M. local time, WQTX debuted a country format, branded as "92.1 Big Country".
Lansing Lugnuts
WQTX airs live coverage of the Lansing LugnutsLansing Lugnuts
The Lansing Lugnuts are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays, that plays in the Midwest League.The Midwest League came to Lansing, Michigan in 1996. The franchise began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1955; after two seasons it moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where it...
. Play-by-play is done by Jesse Goldberg-Strassler