Radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan
WNHG
89.7
FM
is a
radio station
in
Grand Rapids, Michigan
, broadcasting a Christian radio programming format as a simulcast of WGCP 91.9 FM in Cadillac, Michigan. Both WGCP and WNHG are owned and operated by West Central Michigan Media Ministries.
History
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]
The 89.9 frequency the station was originally transmitting on was used by WEHB (East Hills Broadcasters) for a number of years, broadcasting (in mono) from a tower on the
Aquinas College
campus, with studios above the Intersection Bar. WEHB later moved to the original Blodgett Hospital on Cherry Street. WEHB was an eclectic locally programmed station, with an emphasis on jazz. The station broadcast circa 1977?1991, becoming "World Music" WBYW from 1991 to 1998 from a new tower atop the Plainfield Water Tower on East Beltline Ave in northeast Grand Rapids.
Way-FM
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Former logo
Until November 29, 2013, the station broadcast a Christian
CHR/Top 40
format as
WaY FM
. WCXG's programming was repeated on WAYK 88.3 FM (now WCXK) in
Kalamazoo
and WAYO 89.9 FM (now WCXB) in
Benton Harbor
. The program was a part of
Cornerstone Radio
, a broadcast outreach ministry of
Cornerstone University
.
WaYFM targeted teens, young adults, and young families with modern music wrapped in a Christian worldview. Popular artists played on the station included
Switchfoot
,
The Fray
,
Relient K
,
GRITS
,
Hawk Nelson
,
tobyMac
,
BarlowGirl
,
Daughtry
,
Casting Crowns
,
Family Force 5
,
Stacie Orrico
,
Skillet
, and other various
hip hop
,
pop
,
rock
, and
punk
acts. WaY-FM consistently pulled strong ratings among teens (#2), young adults, and even persons and women 25-49 (usually placing in the top 5 or top 3 in these demos).
WaYfm is not to be confused with
WAY-FM Network
, the nationally syndicated Christian CHR network. Ironically, WaYfm's competitor station in the Grand Rapids market, the commercial
WJQK
99.3 FM, previously aired some programming from the national WAY-FM network, notably the afternoon drive show "Total Axxess."
WaYfm started in Kalamazoo in 1996 when Cornerstone purchased a construction permit from
Grand Valley State University
for 88.3 FM. After deciding on the Christian CHR format, the management of the station opted to use
CHRSN's programming
until local listenership and financial support allowed them to program locally.
88.3 WAYK signed on at 5p.m. on February 3, 1997, to serve Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. A signal was added at 89.9 in Grand Rapids in late 1998, originating not too far from Cornerstone University.
Despite not being able to adequately cover areas to the southwest of Grand Rapids (due to a directional pattern designed to protect
Hope College
's student station,
WTHS
, a station in
Holland, Michigan
that also airs at 89.9 FM), recent
[
when?
]
Arbitron
ratings for the former WaY FM format placed the station at #2 among all stations in the market with teens, and tied for 3rd place among females 12-24 (the station's core audience).
Cornerstone University announced in October 2013 that WaYfm network would cease operations on November 29, 2013. The 88.3 and 89.9 signals on that day began to simulcast sister station WCSG 91.3, and also changed call letters.
Frequency change
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]
In August 2015, the station moved the frequency to 89.7 and began to transmit in a non-directional pattern. Additionally, the power was reduced to 3,200 watts, while increasing the tower height from 63 meters to 74 meters to compensate for the power reduction. This resolves the long-standing issue with needing to protect WTHS at 89.9 FM.
On June 14, 2016, the station changed its call sign to WNHG. On July 5, 2016, at 4:00 PM EDT, The Strong Tower Radio broadcast started. WNHG is also affiliated with
3ABN Radio
.
External links
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]
42°58′41″N
85°35′46″W
/
42.978°N 85.596°W
/
42.978; -85.596