WUPK
Encyclopedia
WUPK and WIMK (93.1 FM) are a pair of radio station
s based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
(licensed to Marquette
and Iron Mountain
, respectively). The stations broadcast a mainstream rock
format branded as 93 Rock and 94 Rock (not simulcast), and are currently owned by Sovereign Communications.
WIMK is the older of the two stations, beginning life as a beautiful music
station before switching to country music
by the early 1980s. In 1985, the station adopted a Top 40 (CHR)
format as "K93," and would evolve to an album-oriented rock
format later in the decade, originally branded as "K-Rock." WUPK would sign on as a simulcast in the 1990s, and by the 2000s, the stations would adopt the name "The Bear."
Following the stations' sale from Northern Star Broadcasting to Sovereign Communications, the stations broke their simulcast in June 2011 and re-imaged as "93 Rock" and "94 Rock" accordingly.
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...
s based in the Upper Peninsula of 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"....
(licensed to Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
and Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
, respectively). The stations broadcast a mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
format branded as 93 Rock and 94 Rock (not simulcast), and are currently owned by Sovereign Communications.
WIMK is the older of the two stations, beginning life as a beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
station before switching to 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...
by the early 1980s. In 1985, the station adopted a Top 40 (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...
format as "K93," and would evolve to an album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
format later in the decade, originally branded as "K-Rock." WUPK would sign on as a simulcast in the 1990s, and by the 2000s, the stations would adopt the name "The Bear."
Following the stations' sale from Northern Star Broadcasting to Sovereign Communications, the stations broke their simulcast in June 2011 and re-imaged as "93 Rock" and "94 Rock" accordingly.
Sources
- Michiguide.com - WUPK History
- Michiguide.com - WIMK history
- Station history notes found on DX-midAMerica website