Misplaced Pages

WGHN-FM (92.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Grand Haven, Michigan. It is owned by Will Tieman and it airs an adult contemporary radio format. The studios are on South Harbor Drive in Grand Haven. The transmitter is off 144th Avenue in Spring Lake, Michigan.

History

Early years

WGHN-FM signed on the air on January 28, 1969; 55 years ago (January 28, 1969). At first, WGHN-FM simulcast the programming of co-owned WGHN 1370 AM. In 1976, the FM station changed its call sign to WFMG. (Those call letters are now used on 101.3 FM in Richmond, Indiana.) WFMG separated its programming from its AM sister station. It began airing an automated easy listening format while the AM station continued with a full service format of middle of the road (MOR) music, sports, news and talk.

After the stations were sold in 1983, the FM's call sign was changed back to WGHN-FM and the two stations resumed simulcasting, which continued until January 4, 2008.

Change in ownership

WGHN owners Bill Struyk, President and General Manager, and Ron Mass, Vice President (known on the air as "Ron Stevens"), announced in April 2007 that they were selling WGHN and WGHN-FM. The new owner would be Lansing-based businessman Will Tieman. Tieman is also owner of Michigan State University's Spartan Sports Network. Struyk told the Grand Haven Tribune that he and Mass were both ready for retirement (1). Despite speculation that Tieman would try to move WGHN out of Grand Haven to become a Muskegon- or Grand Rapids-market station, Tieman told The Muskegon Chronicle that he did not plan to make any major programming changes (see: "New owner plans to keep WGHN local," The Muskegon Chronicle, May 8, 2007) 1, nor would he immediately discontinue WGHN's University of Michigan sports broadcasts in favor of Michigan State sports.

In early January 2008, Will Tieman ended the simulcast between WGHN AM and FM. The AM station became a sports radio outlet as a network affiliate of ESPN Radio. 92.1 FM continued with its adult contemporary format.

Tower eviction

On November 21, 2022, WGHN-FM and sister station WMPA went off the air after being evicted from their tower site by the city of Grand Haven. WGHN-FM's adult contemporary format temporally moved to sister station WGHN 1370 AM, replacing that station's oldies format.

On January 31, 2023, WGHN-FM resumed broadcasting after being silent for two months. Its tower was relocated to a new site in Spring Lake.

Current programming

WGHN-FM plays adult contemporary music. Mary Ellen Murphy hosts Good Morning Grand Haven each weekday. WGHN-FM carries updates from CBS News Radio, as well as local news, sports and weather. It airs Michigan State University football and basketball games, serving as the team's radio affiliate for Muskegon, Grand Haven and Holland.

In the fall, Grand Haven High School football airs on Friday nights, then basketball during the winter. It is also home to NASCAR auto racing on some weekends. WGHN-FM mainly serves the Ferrysburg, Spring Lake and Grand Haven communities in Northwest Ottawa County.

Sources

• Michiguide.com - WGHN-FM History
• Michiguide.com - WGHN History

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WGHN-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. Radio-Locator.com/WGHN-FM
3. Michigan Pair Off the Air After City Eviction Radioinsight - November 22, 2022
4. WGHN-FM RESUMES OPERATIONS FOLLOWING EVICTION Radioinsight - January 31, 2023

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 72105 (WGHN-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WGHN-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

43°2′17″N 86°13′46″W / 43.03806°N 86.22944°W / 43.03806; -86.22944

• Radio stations in Michigan
• Mainstream adult contemporary radio stations in the United States
• Radio stations established in 1969
• 1969 establishments in Michigan
• Grand Haven, Michigan