WFER

Last updated

WFER
Broadcast area
Frequency 1230 kHz
Branding97.9 WFER
Programming
Format Classic country
Affiliations Compass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
WIKB-FM
History
First air date
November 15, 1949 (1949-11-15) (as WIKB)
Former call signs
WIKB (1949–2010)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 49684
Class C
Power 1,000 watts unlimited
Translator(s) 97.9 W250CQ (Iron River)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website wferam.com

WFER (1230 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Iron River, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1949. The station's format changed in early July 2015 to classic hits from talk. Some programming was derived from Westwood One's Classic Hits-Rock 24/7 format.

WIKB had previously been a simulcast of WIKB-FM 99.1's oldies format until the stations were sold to Heartland Communications. Heartland continued the oldies format on AM 1230 while changing FM 99.1 to adult contemporary as "The Breeze." WIKB soon dropped oldies in favor of adult standards.

In May 2010, former Armada Media CEO Jim Coursolle and his wife Diane closed on a purchase of a two-thirds interest in owner Heartland Communications from Granite Equity Partners. In early June, the Coursolles changed the format of WIKB-FM to country music, and announced plans to drop the America's Best Music adult standards format on AM 1230 (which had changed its calls to WFER in May) in favor of a conservative talk format featuring personalities such as Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Michael Savage. The new format is dubbed "Freedom Talk." A similar format has been installed on sister stations WATW in Ashland, Wisconsin, WNBI in Park Falls, Wisconsin, and WERL in Eagle River, Wisconsin; WATW and WERL formerly aired Dial Global's Adult Standards feed (as did WIKB/WFER) while WNBI was an ESPN Radio affiliate.

Former logo WFER 1230AM logo.png
Former logo

WFER was sold effective June 30, 2015 to Stephen Marks' Iron River Community Broadcasting Corporation, at a purchase price of $488,000. The sale included sister station WIKB-FM, as well as co-owned WCQM and WPFP. WFER changed its format to classic hits following the sale.

In September 2023, The Marks Group sold the Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKB-TV, WBKP, WBUP, and the Houghton and Iron River radio stations—for $13.375 million to Morgan Murphy Media. [2] The deal was closed on December 4. [3]

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References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WFER". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ Venta, Lance (September 14, 2023). "Morgan Murphy Media Acquires Northern Michigan TV/Radio Combo". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Done Deal: Morgan Murphy Media Completes Purchase Of Marks Media Group Stations". Insideradio.com. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.

Facility details for Facility ID 200556 (W250CQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System

46°03′55″N88°38′17″W / 46.06528°N 88.63806°W / 46.06528; -88.63806


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