Previous logo
(WKLT's logo under previous simulcast with WKLZ 98.9)
| Broadcast area | Traverse City, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.5 MHz |
| Branding | 97.5 KLT |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WATZ-FM, WCCW, WCCW-FM, WJZQ, WTCM, WTCM-FM, WZTK | |
| History | |
First air date | April 8, 1979 (at 97.7) |
Former call signs | WKLT-FM (6/14/89-7/22/91) WKLT (4/8/79-6/14/89) |
Former frequencies | 97.7 MHz (1979–1991) |
Call sign meaning | Welcome to KaLkaska and Traverse City |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 49591 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 32,000 watts |
| HAAT | 188 meters |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wklt.com |
| Broadcast area | Petoskey, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 93.5 MHz |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Midwestern Broadcasting Company |
| History | |
First air date | 1978 (as WCLX) |
Former call signs | WCLX (1978–91) |
Call sign meaning | Boyne City Michigan |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 71210 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 14,000 watts |
| HAAT | 283 meters |
| Broadcast area | Alpena, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.7 MHz |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Midwestern Broadcasting Company |
| History | |
First air date | 1983 (as WMLQ) |
Former call signs | WVXA (4/1/88-5/30/06) WMLQ (3/5/84-4/1/88) WNSR (1/9/84-3/5/84) WOEA (7/19/83-1/9/84) |
Call sign meaning | RoGerZ City |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 49304 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 42,000 watts |
| HAAT | 162 meters |
WKLT 97.5 Kalkaska (Traverse City), WBCM 93.5 Boyne City (Petoskey) and WRGZ 96.7 Rogers City (Alpena) are classic rock-leaning mainstream rock stations simulcasting as "KLT The Rock Station". The stations serve all of northern lower Michigan from Traverse City to Alpena.
The station was started by Roy Henderson in April 1979 at 97.7, in Kalkaska, Michigan, playing a CHR/Top 40 format as "Kilt 98". Due to its limited signal, the station found it difficult to compete with the high-powered WJML-FM and WKHQ, and so in 1981 the station changed format to automated country as "Country 98".
The station added an AM station at 1420 in 1982, which simulcasted the FM's format. The AM station, WKLT, was a 500-watt daytimer.
In 1982, WKLT became the Grand Traverse region's first AOR station, when Roy Henderson moved to Texas full-time, selling WKLT to a Pepsi-Cola distribution company based in North Dakota. The new AOR format was the first of its kind in northern Michigan and gave listeners an alternative to the Top 40 fare played on WJML and WKHQ. It was during this period that WKLT would be known to its listeners as "98 Rock".
In 1991, WKLT moved to 97.5, boosting power to 32,000 watts and the company purchased WJML in Petoskey (which by that time had shifted to an adult contemporary format in response to competition from WKHQ and WKPK). The company spun off WJML/1110 to local broadcaster Rick Stone (who eventually sold the station to John Yob) and WKLT to the Kalkaska School system, which has since shut the station down for good. WJML-FM 98.9 became WKLZ and Double Rock KLT was born. During the 29 years the stations simulcast, they could be heard as far north as Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada, as far west as Manistique, and as far south as Lake City.
Throughout the 1990s, the station, and Northern Broadcast, were managed by Richard Dills of Grand Rapids. Dills, former General Manager of WKLQ-FM modeled WKLT after WKLQ even going so far as to copy the KLQ logo for KLT. In 2005, Charlie Ferguson took over the GM position at Northern Broadcast after a long stint in Minot, North Dakota, Northern Radio's home city. The Double Rock slogan was changed to "The Rock Station" reflecting the long history of the station. With the change, listeners have noted that the station has become more heavily gold-based than before but that they still plays some currents as well.
Mid-day personality and Program Director Terri Ray has become a Northern Michigan icon. She came to KLT in January 1984. She hosts the highly rated noon time request show "Lunch at the Leetsville Cafe" for 3 plus decades. Terri Ray is also the host of a local music feature called "KLT's Garage" that airs on Sunday nights at 9.
In August 2008, a construction permit was granted for FM translator W281AY 104.1 Alpena.
On February 24, 2020, WKLT switched simulcasters from WKLZ-FM (sold to Educational Media Foundation, eventually switching to EMF's Air1 contemporary Christian format) to WBCM 93.5 FM Boyne City (switched from a simulcast with country-formatted WTCM 103.5 FM Traverse City). [1] In April 2020, sister station WRGZ began simulcasting WKLT's classic rock format after 13 years of simulcasting WATZ's country format.
(WKLT's logo under previous simulcast with WKLZ 98.9)
Petoskey is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Emmet County, and is the largest settlement within the county. Petoskey has a population of 5,877 at the 2020 census, up from 5,670 at the 2010 census.
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan, is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan. A popular tourist destination, it is home to several small- to medium-sized cities, extensive state and national forests, lakes and rivers, and a large portion of Great Lakes shoreline. The region has a significant seasonal population much like other regions that depend on tourism as their main industry. Northern Lower Michigan is distinct from the more northerly Upper Peninsula and Isle Royale, which are also located in "northern" Michigan. In the northernmost 21 counties in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, the total population of the region is 506,658 people.
WCCW-FM (107.5 MHz) is an FM radio station in Traverse City, Michigan, United States. The station is owned by the Midwestern Broadcasting group, which to this day includes the family members of its original partners from the early 1940s, the Biedermans, Kikers and McClays.
WSRT is a country station that broadcasts out of Gaylord, Michigan. The 100,000-watt station was also simulcast on 105.5 WSRJ Honor/Traverse City until 2020. Throughout most of its life, it was best known as a CHR/Top 40-formatted station known as WKPK.
WCMU-FM is a public radio station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The station, owned by Central Michigan University, is a National Public Radio member station, airing a news/talk format along with a variety of other programming. It is the flagship station of a network called WCMU Public Radio made up of six other affiliate stations in Northern Michigan.
WJML is a radio station licensed to Petoskey, Michigan, which is owned by John Yob, through licensee Mitten News LLC.
WGFN is a radio station in Northern Michigan that airs a classic rock format under the branding of "The Bear", and is currently owned by Black Diamond Broadcast Holdings, LLC. WGFN is based out of Glen Arbor, Michigan, airing at 98.1 FM to the Traverse City market. WGFN has been the flagship station of the Bear network of classic rock stations that have aired in Northern Michigan since the early 2000s, which peaked with 4 regional stations from 2002-2009 and 2010-2012. The only other surviving Bear station in the region is 95.3 WWSS, which airs the same programming and playlist as WGFN, but features differing station identifications and commercial content for its market. The Bear aired the popular syndicated morning radio program The Bob & Tom Show until September 2017, and currently airs Detroit Tigers baseball games and Detroit Lions football games. The current lineup includes Smitty in morning drive, "California Girl" Nicole Pence in mid-days, and Jay Roberts on afternoon drive.
WGFM in Cheboygan, Michigan and is an American radio station that airs a mainstream rock format branded as Rock 105 & 95.5. WGFM boasts a 43,000-watt signal which easily covers most of northern Lower Michigan from Grayling northward and extends into the eastern Upper Peninsula. WGFE's signal serves primarily the immediate Traverse City area and carries across the waters of Lake Michigan, and can frequently be heard in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and the eastern shoreline of Door County, Wisconsin. The station is simulcast on WGFE 95.5 FM in Glen Arbor, Michigan, and is also heard on translator W279CC in Alpena.
WWMN is a radio station owned by John Yob, through licensee Mitten News LLC. Licensed to Thompsonville, Michigan, the station serves the Traverse City market with a coverage area extending from the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula south to Manistee and Cadillac.
WTCM is an AM radio station broadcasting in Traverse City, Michigan with a News/Talk radio format. It is owned by the Biederman family and their company, Midwestern Broadcasting. WTCM's studios on East Front Street in Downtown Traverse City.
WTCM-FM 103.5 is a radio station in Traverse City, Michigan. The station carries a country music format and is owned by Midwestern Broadcasting.
WFDX is a radio station that previously simulcasted an Adult Hits format with WFCX branded as Music Radio, The Fox FM. WFDX's 100,000-watt signal serves most of northern Michigan including Alpena, Gaylord and Petoskey, while WFCX, the flagship, served the Traverse City area with 20,500 watts. As of 2023, it broadcasts an unchanging playlist of Adult Hits that lasts approximately an hour before repeating.
WLAV-FM is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock music format in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the dominant classic rock-formatted radio station in the market and is generally a top ten performer in the Grand Rapids ratings.
WLLS is a radio station in Beulah, Michigan. The station, which began broadcasting in 1979, is owned by Traverse City broadcaster Roy E. Henderson under the "Fort Bend Broadcasting" banner and has long been the primary local station for the Frankfort area and Benzie County. It was formerly simulcast on WCUZ 100.1 FM licensed to Bear Lake, Michigan, which now airs a talk format as Talk Radio 1340 WMTE.
WMBN is an AM radio station broadcasting at 1340 kHz in Petoskey, Michigan, United States. The station, owned by MacDonald-Garber Broadcasting, airs Fox Sports Radio format of sports.
WJNL is a radio station licensed to Kingsley, Michigan, and serving the Traverse City area. The station is owned by Mitten News LLC. The station is also rebroadcast on 101.1 FM, through a translator in Traverse City, Michigan.
WHAK-FM is a radio station licensed to Rogers City, Michigan with studios in Alpena. The station plays classic hits of the 1980s and 1990s. It has a local weekday-morning show and airs Local Radio Networks' "Classic Hits" format the remainder of the time.
WQON is a radio station broadcasting an album-oriented rock (AOR) format. Licensed to Grayling, Michigan, the seat of government in Crawford County, it first began broadcasting in 1978. The station brands itself as Q-100.
WMLQ is a radio station located in Manistee, Michigan broadcasting a news/talk format, simulcasting WLDN 98.7 FM Ludington.
WGFE is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Glen Arbor, Michigan. The station is owned by Black Diamond Broadcasting. The station airs an active rock format, simulcasting 105.1 WGFM in Cheboygan, Michigan.