Radio First

Liggett Communications, LLC

Type	Limited liability company
Industry	Radio broadcasting
Founded	2000
Headquarters	Port Huron, Michigan
Services	Digital media, radio
Owner	Robert Liggett

Radio First (Liggett Communications) is a privately held radio broadcasting company in Michigan owned by Robert Liggett. Formerly headquartered in Lansing and operating stations across Mid-Michigan, Liggett Communications is now headquartered in Port Huron where it owns five radio stations in St. Clair and Sanilac Counties. These five stations operate under the brand name of "Radio First" where they serve listeners in the Thumb area of Michigan and Southwestern Ontario.

History

Liggett Communications is owned by Robert Liggett Jr., owner of Big Boy Restaurants and originally included radio stations in the Central Michigan markets of Lansing and Saginaw. Former Liggett stations included WHNN and WSGW-FM in Saginaw, WFBE in Flint, WJIM, WFMK and WITL in Lansing, and WVFN and WMMQ in East Lansing. ^[1] These stations were sold to Citadel Communications, and has since become Cumulus Media with a few exceptions. WTCF (now WSGW-FM) was sold by Citadel to meet market ownership requirements, with that station being sold to Wilks Broadcasting. All of Liggett's former Lansing stations were sold to Townsquare Media in 2013 due to Cumulus' acquisition of Westwood One.

In 1999, Liggett Communications announced it would purchase Wismer Broadcasting, owner of WHLS 1450 and WSAQ 107.1 in Port Huron. John Wismer, the original owner of both stations since WHLS went on the air in 1938 died that same year. Liggett also entered into an agreement to purchase Hanson Communications, Wismer's crosstown competitor and licensee of WPHM, WBTI, and WHYT (now WHLX). By the end of 2000, Liggett received all necessary FCC approvals to buy both Hanson Communications and Wismer Broadcasting. All five stations became a part of Liggett Communications. For about a year the Hanson stations continued to use their old studio at 2379 Military Street, which is now is home to a Coldwel Banker office and Hanson's Pro Music. Wismer's facilities at 808 Huron Avenue were expanded and now house the studios and offices for all five stations. 1380 WPHM, 96.9 WBTI, 107.1 WSAQ, 1590 WHLX, and 1450 WHLS are collectively known as Radio First.

Radio stations

WPHM AM 1380, Port Huron, Michigan, News/Talk/Sports
WHLS AM 1450, Port Huron, Michigan, Active Rock
WHLX, AM 1590, Marine City, Michigan, Active Rock
W288BT FM 105.5, Port Huron, Michigan, Active Rock
WBTI, FM 96.9, Lexington, Michigan, Adult Top 40
WSAQ, FM 107.1, Port Huron, Michigan, Country

Community Involvement

Radio First sponsors an annual local Bridal Show and Home Expo Show held at McMorran Place. The stations also support many local events, including the March of Dimes "Jail and Bail", the Child Abuse and Neglect Council's "Roof Sit", and Port Huron Police Department's CAPTURE witness tip-line.

External links

References

↑ http://www.michiguide.com/dials/owners/liggett.html

Radio stations in the Thumb area of east-central Michigan

By FM frequency	88.1 88.3 89.1 89.3 90.7 91.3 91.9 92.1 92.5 96.9 97.7 99.9 102.1 102.3 103.1 103.7 103.9 105.5 106.3 107.1

By AM frequency	660 1070 1230 1340 1360 1380 1450 1530 1590 1610

By callsign	CFGX CHOK CHKS W288BT WBGV WBTI WCZE WDTR WGRT WHLS WHLX WHYT WIDL WKYO WLCO WLEW WLEW-FM WMIC WMPC WNFA WNFR WORW WPHM WPLS727 WQUS WSAQ WSGR-FM WSMB WTGV-FM

Nearby radio markets Alpena–Tawas City Detroit Flint Lansing Midwestern Ontario North Central Michigan Tri-Cities Windsor-Chatham-Sarnia See also List of radio stations in Michigan Radio stations in Southwestern Ontario

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