WKLQ

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WKLQ
City of license	Greenville, Michigan
Broadcast area	[1]
Slogan	West Michigan's Pure Rock
First air date	1984
Frequency	107.3 MHz
Format	Active Rock
Power	50,000 watts
Class	B
Former callsigns	WODJ (11/15/89-10/11/04) WPLB-FM (?-11/15/89)
Owner	Citadel Broadcasting
Website	http://www.wklq.com/

WKLQ is a radio station playing hard rock and owned by Citadel Broadcasting, transmitting on a frequency of 107.3 MHz from near Grand Rapids, Michigan.

[edit] History and Controversy

WKLQ began as a Top 40 station on the frequency of 94.5 MHz in the mid 1980s. WKLQ started as a Hot AC station in 1984 and then moved to CHR the following year in response to low ratings. Prior to this, 94.5 had been WJBL-FM, airing religious programming.

The frequency now home to WKLQ, 107.3 FM, began as WPLB-FM in Greenville, Michigan, sister to WPLB-AM (1060 and later 1380). The station became oldies-formatted WODJ in 1989; a new WPLB-FM was subsequently created at 106.3 in Lakeview, Michigan (now WSCG-FM).

In 1996, WKLQ started airing the Howard Stern Show, and ratings went through the roof. Ad revenue, however, suffered, partially due to local religious groups attacking the station. In 2003, Matt Hanlon, took over as station General Manager. Around Christmas 2003, the station quietly moved Stern to its lower-powered AM sister, WBBL, angering listeners. Shortly after Stern's departure from WKLQ, WBBL stopped airing Stern for several weeks after CBS Radio discovered that they were hacking away at the show, such as airing New York ads instead of local spots, K-Rock liners and cutting the show at 10 a.m. sharp for low-rated sports programming.

As a result, WKLQ didn't have a morning show for months, until they hired Ron and Don from Seattle. While they were in the Grunge Capitol, Ron and Don were the lowest-rated FM morning show. The station's listeners didn't accept them, and they were gone by 2005.

On October 11, 2004, WKLQ moved up the dial to 107.3, displacing sister station WODJ, which played oldies music. WTNR debuted on 94.5 as a country music station.

Shortly before KLQ's move to 107.3, They hired Justice and Jim for mornings. In Summer 2005, the duo created a vast amount of controversy when they announced on the air that they were going to drown a dog. The announcement persuaded several listeners to call 911. A day later, they announced that it was only a stunt. As a result, the station, and Citadel's other Grand Rapids properties, lost thousands in advertising. Unfortunately, Hanlon - and Citadel for that matter - did not discipline Justice and Jim for their stunt. Instead, he praised the duo for bringing attention to the station.

On July 19th, 2006, Justice and Jim were fired and replaced by The Opie and Anthony Show. Despite the firing of Justice and Jim, many fans of active rock music still criticize WKLQ for various reasons, including what they perceive as too many hair band and classic rock artists on their playlist and allegedly being slow to add new music.

Repeater station WKOQ (92.5 FM) signed on the air on August 15, 2005. It transmitted from the same tower as television station WZZM in Newaygo County, Michigan. The simulcast was terminated on May 1st, 2006. 92.5 FM subsequently became WLAW-FM, "The Outlaw," airing a mix of classic country music and Southern rock.

[edit] Sources

• Michiguide.com - WKLQ History

[edit] External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WKLQ