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WGRD-FM (97.9
MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is sāˆ’1, meaning that one he ...
) is a
mainstream rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active rock ...
radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...
in
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...
. The station is owned by
Townsquare Media Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
. It is the flagship station of ''
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show ''The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show'' is a syndicated morning talk radio show broadcast primarily from the Townsquare Media radio station WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show is hosted by Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels, Chris "Hot Wings" Michels ...
'', a comedy/talk program, on weekday mornings. It consists of five members: Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels, Chris "Hot Wings" Michels, Steve McKiernan and Kelly Cheesborough. The show is now syndicated in 38 markets throughout the United States.


Rock 40/Top 40/CHR Era

97.9 FM began in 1962 as WXTO, a station owned by the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids ( la, Dioecesis Grandcataractensis) is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Michigan, in the United States. It comprises 80 parishes in 11 counties in West Michigan. It is a suffragan see to ...
and operated by Aquinas College; later, the owners of
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
music stations
WGRD WGRD-FM (97.9 MHz) is a mainstream rock radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. It is the flagship station of '' The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show'', a comedy/talk program, on weekday mornings. It consi ...
/1410 in Grand Rapids and
WTRU WTRU (830 Hertz, kHz) is a commercial radio, commercial AM radio, AM radio station city of license, licensed to Kernersville, North Carolina, and serving the Piedmont Triad. It is owned by Truth Broadcasting and carries a Christian talk and tea ...
/1600 Muskegon (Regional Broadcasters, Inc.) took full control of the station in 1971 and changed its call letters to WGRD-FM. The station's transmitter would remain on the Aquinas College campus until 1974. In 1971, WGRD/1410, a daytime-only station (hence the call letters, which stood for "Grand Rapids Daytime") which had had a Top 40 music format in place since 1959, was struggling in the ratings against pop-rock competitors
WLAV WLAV-FM (96.9 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. His ...
/1340 and WZZM-FM/95.7 (then known as "Z96", now
WLHT-FM WLHT-FM (95.7 MHz) is a hot adult contemporary music formatted radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan owned by Townsquare Media. WLHT's studios are located on Ottawa Avenue Northwest in downtown Grand Rapids, while its transmitter is located in ...
). WGRD thus moved its struggling Top 40 format onto its new FM station as ''"The New 98 Rock, WGRD FM"'', making the stereo FM station the primary frequency while having the AM continue to simulcast. The newly revamped WGRD quickly became the dominant Top 40 station in the market and continued to be for over two decades. During the mid-1970s, WGRD was frequently the #1 station (12+) in the Grand Rapids market. In the 1979 Fall Arbitron ratings period, WGRD dominated the market with a 19 share. By 1985, the station was known as ''"98 Rock, WGRD"'' has earned a 12.2 share (12+) in the Summer 1986 Arbitron ratings with 98 Rock Morning Show hosted by Johnny "Big John" Howell, Robert "Radar" Shroll, and Jennifer Stephens.


CHR to Alternative to Active Rock

By the summer of 1994 the station moniker was ''"Grand Rapids #1 Hit Music Station! 98 WGRD"'' and they were still trying to refine their Top 40 format while there was increasing competition from other area radio stations. By 1995 however the station had lost significant market share to Muskegon's
WSNX WSNX-FM (104.5 MHz "104-5 SNX") is a Top 40 (CHR) radio station located in iHeartMedia, Inc. Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters. The station has a Top 40 (CHR) format. The station is licensed to Muskegon, in Western Michigan with the stat ...
which had flipped from AC to CHR. WSNX was programmed by former WGRD music director J.J. Duling and began to eclipse WGRD in the area radio ratings. During 1995, WGRD began phasing in popular alternative rock and Modern AC music into the playlist. Over a several month period, the CHR product was subsequently phased out and the station began promoting themselves as an alternative rock station. In August 2010 a reunion of more than 60 former WGRD staff members was held in Grand Rapids which included market legend Bruce Grant, the original program director from 1948, and dozens of other personalities from the AM 1410/FM 97.9 history. During 2010, WGRD began to shift from alternative rock to
active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...
. This was due to a format hole in the market being created by longtime Rock/CHR and active rock station WKLQ leaving the format for
sports talk Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on-ai ...
. WGRD's target demographic is men ages 18ā€“34 and a secondary of Men 25-54 (Arbitron demographics).


Sources


WGRD Website


References


External links


WGRD Website
* {{coord, 42.796, N, 85.649, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title GRD-FM GRD-FM Active rock radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1962 Townsquare Media radio stations