Smile FM
Smile FM is a network of non-commercial, contemporary Christian radio stations. Most programming originates from studios in Williamston, Michigan (just east of Lansing) and is relayed (with local inserts) by an expanding number of stations throughout the state. The network also has studios in Imlay City, Michigan.
 | |
| Slogan | "Michigan's Positive Hits" |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Format | Religious; Contemporary Christian |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Superior Communications |
| Links | |
| Webcast | http://www.smile.fm/streaming/ |
| Website | http://www.smile.fm |
Smile FM was originally two separate networks. The first, The Light, was founded on December 2, 1996, when WLGH Lansing, Michigan began broadcasting. The second, Joy FM, began on December 12, 2000, with WHYT (renamed as WWKM and again as WDTR) in Imlay City. While both played contemporary Christian music, The Light aimed for a younger audience. In June 2004 the two networks were combined to form Smile FM in a "wedding ceremony" conducted at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing. The new name eliminated confusion since many other unrelated stations used The Light and Joy FM names.
The network is notable for putting stations on the air at a low cost. They lease existing towers and manufacture some of their own equipment. Unlike many Christian stations, they play music with only a few short breaks for weather, news, announcements, and features. Smile FM has also pioneered the use of new technology to help distribute and customize its programming, including developing an emergency weather notification system that is faster and more reliable than the required EAS system (which they also operate).
The network's stations, although having the same ownership, are officially owned by one of four non-profit entities: Superior Communications, Michigan Community Radio, Northland Community Broadcasters and Smile FM.
In January 2008, Smile FM established WWKM (now WDTR) Imlay City as the flagship of an experimental Smile FM Praise network playing Christian contemporary worship music. Previously, the station had broadcast traditional Christian music and hymns. The Smile FM Praise experiment was ended in 2009 and plans made to move that station to the northern suburbs of Detroit.
The owners have often recycled the call letters of famous Michigan stations of the past for their stations. WDTR (now WRCJ), WHYT (now WDVD), and WVMV (now WDZH) were once used by Detroit stations. WTAC (now WSNL) was the leading top 40 station in Flint during the 1960s (and, ironically, a pioneering contemporary Christian station during the 1980s). WKPK was used by a popular top 40 station of the 1980s and 1990s in northern Michigan (now WSRT). WAIR was an oldies station in northern Michigan (now WFCX) and the calls were also used for a construction permit for a station in Honor (now WSRJ). WWKM was a now-defunct station in Harrison (and Smile FM's 88.5 FM station in the Alpena area, WSFP, once bore the calls of WWKM's sister station WKKM, which is now WTWS in Houghton Lake).
Others were named for the original formats of the stations. WLGH and WTLI were The Light. All of the stations beginning with WJ were in or scheduled to be in the Joy FM network. All call letters beginning with WDT (WDTE, WDTP, and WDTR) serve portions of the Detroit metropolitan area.
On-air staff
- Josh Strickland (mornings, news, traffic, and more)
- Rob Dempsey (mid-days)
- Faron Dice (afternoons)
- Evie Irwin (evenings)
- Elly Singer (overnights)
- Dennis (Weekends from 3-7pm)
- Mike Couchman (Weekends from 10-3pm)
- Rob Dale (Weather; former WLNS meteorologist)
Smile FM Network Stations
Stations owned and operated by Smile FM include:
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | ERP (W) | Height (m (ft)) | Class | FCC info | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WLGH | 88.1 | Leroy Township, Ingham County, Michigan | 6,700 | 174 m (571 ft) | B1 | FCC | WLGH serves the Lansing area |
| WSMF | 88.1 | Monroe, Michigan | 1,200 | 41 m (135 ft) | A | FCC | WSMF serves Monroe |
| WHYT | 88.1 | Goodland Township, Michigan | 400 | 177 m (581 ft) | A | FCC | WHYT serves Lapeer |
| WEJC | 88.3 | White Star, Michigan | 55,000 | 114 m (374 ft) | C1 | FCC | WEJC serves the Tri-Cities area |
| WKPK | 88.3 | Michigamme, Michigan | 15,000 | 252 m (827 ft) | C2 | FCC | WKPK serves Marquette |
| WSMZ | 88.3 | Crystal Valley, Michigan | 1,500 | 200 m (660 ft) | A | FCC | WSMZ serves Hart |
| WDTE | 88.3 | Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan | 5,500 | 50 m (160 ft) | A | FCC | WDTE serves Metro Detroit |
| WJOM | 88.5 | Eagle, Michigan | 4,300 | 40 m (130 ft) | A | FCC | WJOM serves Portland |
| WSIS | 88.7 | Riverside, Michigan | 6,000 | 117 m (384 ft) | B1 | FCC | WSIS serves Benton Harbor |
| WDTR | 88.9 | Imlay City, Michigan | 3,200 | 61 m (200 ft) | A | FCC | WDTR serves the far northern Detroit suburbs |
| WTLI | 89.3 | Bear Creek Township, Michigan | 50,000 | 312 m (1,024 ft) | C1 | FCC | WTLI serves Gaylord |
| WSMB | 89.3 | Harbor Beach, Michigan | 12,000 | 145 m (476 ft) | C3 | FCC | WSMB serves Bad Axe |
| WDTP | 89.5 | Huron Charter Township, Michigan | 700 | 95 m (312 ft) | A | FCC | WDTP serves the Downriver communities |
| WJOJ | 89.7 | Rust Township, Michigan | 31,000 | 143 m (469 ft) | C2 | FCC | WJOJ serves Alpena |
| WTAC | 89.7 | Burton, Michigan | 15,000 | 110 m (360 ft) | B1 | FCC | WTAC serves Flint and Fenton |
| WSLI | 90.9 | Belding, Michigan | 11,500 | 73 m (240 ft) | B1 | FCC | WSLI serves the Belding and Portland areas |
| WJOG | 91.3 | Good Hart, Michigan | 6,000 | 209.2 m (686 ft) | C2 | FCC | WJOG serves Petoskey |
| WVMV | 91.5 | China Township, Michigan | 1,050 | 75 m (246 ft) | A | FCC | WVMV serves New Baltimore, Algonac and Marine City |
| WAIR | 104.9 | Lake City, Michigan | 2,800 | 149 m (489 ft) | A | FCC | WAIR serves Cadillac, Michigan |
| WJOH | 91.5 | Raco, Michigan | 5,500 | 100 m (330 ft) | A | FCC | WJOH serves Sault Sainte Marie |
| WYOR | 88.5 | Republic, Ohio | 100 | 32 m (105 ft) | A | FCC | WYOR is Smile FM's only Ohio station to date |
Translators rebroadcasting Smile FM include:
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | ERP (W) | Height (m (ft)) | Class | FCC info | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W242BH | 96.3 | Marshall, Michigan | 170 | 32.1 m (105 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WLGH; serves Battle Creek |
| W246CW | 97.1 | Long Lake Township, Michigan | 10 | 260.8 m (856 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WTLI; serves Traverse City |
| W247CU | 97.3 | Fort Gratiot, Michigan | 25 | 83 m (272 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WVMV; serves Port Huron |
| W262AF | 100.3 | Parchment, Michigan | 38 | 52.5 m (172 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WSIS; serves Kalamazoo |
| W273CI | 102.5 | Grand Haven, Michigan | 250 | 191 m (627 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WSMZ; serves Muskegon |
| W280EL | 103.9 | Yates, Michigan | 10 | 119.3 m (391 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WVMV; serves northern Metro Detroit suburbs |
| W299CB | 107.7 | Manistee, Michigan | 19 | 98 m (322 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WSMZ |
| W272DG | 102.3 | Pittsfield Township, Michigan | 19 | 98 m (322 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WTAC; serves Ann Arbor |
| W247CG | 97.3 | Russellville, Michigan | 19 | 98 m (322 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WTAC; serves Flint |
| W260CQ | 99.9 | Plainfield Township, Kent County, Michigan | 10 | 126 m (413 ft) | D | FCC | repeats WSLI; serves Grand Rapids |
Future Stations/Upgrades Approved by the FCC
- WDTP Huron Township/Detroit—move to 90.1 and increase to 50 kW
- WJOM Eagle/Lansing—increase to 25 kW
References
- FCC Database
- Michiguide.com