WVIC
Encyclopedia
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 Alma, Michigan to Angola, Indiana. From October 15, 2007, to August 17, 2009, the station aired a low-rated soft adult contemporary format as "Soft Rock 94.1", and previous to that, the station aired a variety of formats including classic hits
, country
, and oldies
.
WVIC's format changed from classic hits to AC at 7 p.m. on October 15, 2007, at which time the station went into Delilah
's syndicated love-songs program. WVIC's format also included the Bob and Sheri morning show. In 2007, WVIC was also the first radio station in the Lansing market to change to an all-Christmas music
format for the holiday season, as competitor WFMK
had never done so in the past.
However, the station was unable to make any inroads against WFMK, and at 9 a.m. on August 17, 2009 the station flipped to a modern rock
format as "94.1 The Edge," reviving the format and moniker used for years on sister station 92.1 WWDX (now WQTX
).
The WVIC call sign was used for many years by AM 730 (now WVFN
) and WVIC-FM 94.9 (now WMMQ
) in East Lansing, as the market's dominant Top 40 music station from the 1970s through the early 1990s.
Prior to the now-defunct classic hits format, from 1995 to 2001, 94.1 had programmed country music
in competition with longtime Lansing market leader WITL
, first as WBHR "The Bear" and then as WXIK "Kix 94."
After spending most of the 1960s in simulcast with WIBM-AM under various call signs (including WMKZ, WIBM-FM, and WBBC), 94.1 separated programming from the AM station in the late 1960s and adopted a separate MOR format, returning to the WBBC calls, and then changing to beautiful music
as WHFI in 1974. In 1980 the station returned to the WIBM-FM calls, picking up the Top 40 format from then-sister WIBM
-AM 1450, which flipped to a country format at that time as WXCM. After moving to its current tower site in 1982, WIBM-FM changed its format to gold-based adult contemporary (as "I-94" and then "94 Gold"). Eventually the station's format became all-oldies as "Oldies 94.1," with which the station was successful for a number of years until its 1995 switch to country as WBHR. AM 1450 regained the WIBM calls and simulcast Oldies 94.1 from 1987 to 1994, at which time the station was sold to Cascades Broadcasting, then-owners of Jackson's other heritage radio station, WKHM
- permanently separating ownership of AM 1450 and FM 94.1.
WVIC, as well as WJXQ
, WQTX and WLMI
, has been sold from Rubber City Radio Group to Midwest Communications
based in Wausau, Wisconsin
.
"Broncos Radio Network" and carries all of the Broncos football
and men's basketball
games.
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 modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
format. Licensed to Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
, it first began broadcasting on July 14, 1958 as WMKZ-FM simulcasting WIBM-AM. The station broadcasts from a tower near Springport, Michigan
Springport, Michigan
Springport is a village in Jackson County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 704. The village is located within Springport Township on M-99.-Geography:...
. The station can be heard from Kalamazoo to Ypsilanti, and from Alma, Michigan to Angola, Indiana. From October 15, 2007, to August 17, 2009, the station aired a low-rated soft adult contemporary format as "Soft Rock 94.1", and previous to that, the station aired a variety of formats including 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...
, 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...
, and 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....
.
WVIC's format changed from classic hits to AC at 7 p.m. on October 15, 2007, at which time the station went into Delilah
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
's syndicated love-songs program. WVIC's format also included the Bob and Sheri morning show. In 2007, WVIC was also the first radio station in the Lansing market to change to an all-Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
format for the holiday season, as competitor WFMK
WFMK
WFMK is an adult contemporary radio station licensed to East Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Cumulus Media.WFMK is one of the United States' oldest adult contemporary stations, having programmed the format for almost four decades. The station signed on in 1959 as WSWM, and offered a MOR...
had never done so in the past.
However, the station was unable to make any inroads against WFMK, and at 9 a.m. on August 17, 2009 the station flipped to 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...
format as "94.1 The Edge," reviving the format and moniker used for years on sister station 92.1 WWDX (now WQTX
WQTX
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....
).
The WVIC call sign was used for many years by AM 730 (now WVFN
WVFN
WVFN is a radio station licensed to East Lansing, Michigan, broadcasting a sports radio format. It broadcasts on AM frequency 730 kHz and is under the ownership of Cumulus Media....
) and WVIC-FM 94.9 (now WMMQ
WMMQ
WMMQ is an American Classic rock radio station at 94.9 FM, licensed to East Lansing, Michigan. The station is owned by Cumulus Media.The original WMMQ began life as WCER-FM in Charlotte, Michigan, in 1963. The station was co-owned with WCER-AM 1390...
) in East Lansing, as the market's dominant Top 40 music station from the 1970s through the early 1990s.
Prior to the now-defunct classic hits format, from 1995 to 2001, 94.1 had programmed 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...
in competition with longtime Lansing market leader WITL
WITL-FM
WITL-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Lansing, Michigan, and serving Ingham, Easton and Clinton Counties in Michigan. It first began broadcasting in 1961 . The station took the WITL-FM call sign in 1966, and adopted a full-time country music format in 1967...
, first as WBHR "The Bear" and then as WXIK "Kix 94."
After spending most of the 1960s in simulcast with WIBM-AM under various call signs (including WMKZ, WIBM-FM, and WBBC), 94.1 separated programming from the AM station in the late 1960s and adopted a separate MOR format, returning to the WBBC calls, and then changing to beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
as WHFI in 1974. In 1980 the station returned to the WIBM-FM calls, picking up the Top 40 format from then-sister WIBM
WIBM
WIBM is an ESPN Radio branded Sports Talk station in Jackson, Michigan. The station broadcasts at 1450 kHz on the AM dial. Jackson Radio Works owns the station along with news/talk WKHM-AM 970 and hot AC WKHM-FM "K105.3"....
-AM 1450, which flipped to a country format at that time as WXCM. After moving to its current tower site in 1982, WIBM-FM changed its format to gold-based adult contemporary (as "I-94" and then "94 Gold"). Eventually the station's format became all-oldies as "Oldies 94.1," with which the station was successful for a number of years until its 1995 switch to country as WBHR. AM 1450 regained the WIBM calls and simulcast Oldies 94.1 from 1987 to 1994, at which time the station was sold to Cascades Broadcasting, then-owners of Jackson's other heritage radio station, WKHM
WKHM (AM)
WKHM is a radio station broadcasting a news-talk format. Licensed to Jackson, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1951 and offered a full-service format of MOR/adult contemporary music, news, talk and sports for years before evolving to the current news/talk format....
- permanently separating ownership of AM 1450 and FM 94.1.
WVIC, as well as 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...
, WQTX and 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...
, has been sold from Rubber City Radio Group 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...
based in Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people...
.
Bronco Radio Network
WVIC is an affiliate of the Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
"Broncos Radio Network" and carries all of the Broncos football
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
and men's basketball
Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball
The Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school's team competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2004...
games.