WHTC

Infobox Radio station
name = WHTC


city = Holland, Michigan
area = [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WHTC&service=AM&status=L&hours=U]
branding = 1450 WHTC
slogan = Holland's Hometown Station
airdate = July 31, 1948
frequency = 1450 kHz
format = News Talk
power = 1,000 watts
erp =
class = C
callsign_meaning = Holland Tulip City
former_callsigns =
owner = Midwest Communications
webcast =
website = [http://www.whtc.com/ http://www.whtc.com/]
affiliations =

WHTC is a news/talk AM radio station broadcasting at 1450 kHz in Holland, Michigan.

The station signed on July 31, 1948 at 6pm and originally was owned by six Holland-area businessmen: I.H Marsilje, Nelson Bosman (who served as a mayor of Holland from 1961 to 1971), W.A. Butler (former owner of the Holland Evening Sentinel), Millard Westrate, Willard Wichers and P.T. Chef. All are since deceased. Michael Walton of Milwaukee, WI purchased the station (along with the old WHTC-FM) from the original owners in 1981. On September 20, 2000 Walton sold his four-station operation (including WHBL, WWJR and WBFM Sheboygan, WI) to Midwest Communications, Inc.

WHTC-FM (96.1), which signed on in 1961 and later went by the call letters WYXX and WKEZ, was sold to Federated Communications in 1994. It was subsequently acquired by Clear Channel Communications and has undergone a number of call letter and format changes.

WHTC is an affiliate of CBS Radio and carries Detroit Tigers Baseball, Hope College Football and Basketball, area high school football and basketball, the Detroit Lions and Red Wings, Holland Blast, West Michigan Whitecaps and more.

Personalities

Juke Van Oss has been at WHTC since August 8, 1951. Now in his 58th year at WHTC he currently hosts "Talk of the Town", a two hour daily call in program whose guests include Holland Mayor Al McGeehan and Congressman Pete Hoekstra, national and local celebrities and newsmakers. Talk of the Town began on WHTC in 1959 with Bill Gargano. Juke began sharing hosting duties with Gargano in 1961. Van Oss has been sole host of the program since 1981.

Morning Host Red Kingman has been with WHTC since 2004. Red's mix of information and humor has been a big hit with the Holland/Zeeland community. The program features Hope College Public Relations Director Tom Renner with a daily report during the school year and many other local guests.

Brent Alan is Operations Manager of WHTC and sister station WYVN 92.7 The Van. He is also the Program Director of WHTC. Brent arrived at WHTC in 1998 and hosts the WHTC mid-day show.

On September 2, 2008 WHTC began carrying The Huge Show, a local sports talk show sydicated to stations in Michigan and originating in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bill Simonson is the host and the show airs from 3pm to 6pm Monday - Friday.

News Director Gary Stevens recently celebrated 7 years with WHTC/WYVN. Gary delivers a mix of local, state and national news and sports each morning to the Holland/Zeeland area.

Ed VerSchure, who worked at WHTC as morning host in the 1960s, returned to the station in the early 1990s. He also served as a voice over announcer on WZZM-TV. VerSchure owned his own radio station, WEVS, in nearby Saugatuck, Michigan which went on the air on July 4, 1987. The former WEVS was purchased by Midwest Communications in 2001 and is known as WYVN 92 7 The Van. Ed works at WHTC as a fill-in host.

Lupita Reyes hosts "Alegria Latina", an all Spanish language music, news and information program on Sundays from 6pm to midnight. Lupita has hosted the program since its inception in 1964.

WHTC's talk line-up is rounded out by syndicated hosts Laura Ingraham, Jerry Doyle and Jim Bohannon.

Former Michigan Congressman Guy Vander Jagt and Detroit sportscaster Al Ackerman worked at WHTC in the 1950s.

Sources

* [http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-g/whtc.html Michiguide.com - WHTC History]

External links

*AMQ|WHTC