WGFM

For the station in Schenectady, New York that previously held the callsign, see WRVE.

WGFM (105.1 FM) in Cheboygan, Michigan is an American radio station, which airs a mainstream rock format branded as Rock 105. WGFM boasts a 100,000-watt signal which easily covers most of northern Lower Michigan from Grayling northward and extends into the eastern Upper Peninsula. Rock 105 is also heard on translator W279CC (103.7 FM) in Alpena. The station formerly simulcast with WJZJ 95.5 FM in the Traverse City area as "Real Rock 105 and 95.5" until April 1, 2013.

In 1989, longtime northern Michigan radio personality and engineer Del Reynolds and wife Mary purchased 100,000 watt CHR WQLZ (formerly WCBY-FM) in Cheboygan. Shortly afterward, he changed the station's format to classic rock with the WGFM call letters, meaning "W-Gold-FM". The station's main focus was classic rock, but also played new cuts from classic rock artists as well. The station was live/local 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. and aired Westwood One's Adult Rock format overnights. Del was the station's morning man.

In the 1990s, Del's radio empire grew when he acquired many other local stations and built new ones as well. He purchased WIDG 940 in St. Ignace, MI and WCBY AM in Cheboygan the station that launched his career in the late 1960s. He purchased 98.1 WMLB Glen Arbor, which had previously simulcast WUPS in Houghton Lake, and changed that to WGFN, giving WGFM a clearer signal in the Traverse City, MI area. He also took over 107.1 WCKC "Cadillac KC Country" Cadillac which was simulcasting his 102.9 WMKC "KC Country" St. Ignace, MI, but eventually changing to a WGFM simulcast.

On September 14, 2009, WGFM began carrying The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show. It was also on that day when they started simulcasting |with WJZJ 95.5 as Real Rock 105 and 95-5, airing a mix of The Zone's harder rock artists such as KoRn, Metallica and Alice in Chains with harder classic rockers such as Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne and Van Halen. 105.1 carried Bob and Tom due to the duo's ratings in the upper northern Michigan region until August 2, 2010, when The Free Beer And Hot Wings Show replaced it on 105.1 as well.

On March 25, 2013, the station announced that they had canceled Free Beer and Hot Wings.

On April 1, 2013, WJZJ 95.5 FM and sister station WQEZ 97.7 FM in Cheboygan swapped call letters and entered into a simulcast with 97.7 FM's soft AC format. WGFM became the sole carrier of the mainstream rock format, rebranding as "Rock 105." It is affiliated with Westwood One's "Rock 2.0" active rock format.

References

• Michiguide.com - WGFM History
• Free Beer and Hot Wings

External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WGFM
• Radio-Locator information on WGFM
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WGFM
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W279CC
• Radio-Locator information on W279CC

Coordinates: 44°49′16″N 85°59′46″W / 44.821°N 85.996°W / 44.821; -85.996