WQON

Infobox Radio station
name = WQON


city = Roscommon, Michigan
area = [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WQON&service=FM&status=L&hours=U]
branding = "Decades 101"
slogan =
airdate = March 12, 1990
frequency = 101.1 MHz
format = Adult Contemporary
erp = 3,400 Watts
haat =
class = A
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WGRY-FM (3/13/89-12/19/94)
WLAI (8/29/88-3/13/89)
owner = Gannon Broadcasting Systems
webcast =
website = http://www.gannonbroadcasting.com
affiliations = Jones Radio Networks Adult Contemporary

WQON (101.1 FM, "Decades 101") is a radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary format. Licensed to Roscommon, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1990 under the WLAI call sign. WQON is owned by Gannon Broadcasting Systems, and is co-owned with WGRY and WGRY-FM, at its facilities in Grayling.

History: beginnings as WGRY-FM

WQON's roots can be traced back to as early as 1978, when a radio station in Grayling debuted at 100.1 FM with these same call letters, competing against separately-owned country-formatted WGRY-AM 1230. Both stations would compete against one another for ten years, until William S. Gannon purchased WGRY in 1988. In 1990, Gannon Broadcasting was granted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval to construct a new station licensed to Roscommon broadcasting at 101.1 on the FM dial. WGRY-FM made its debut on March 12 of that year at 6000 watts, broadcasting out of the same studio, located in Grayling, as its sister station WGRY-AM 1230.

Gannon Broadcasting, in the growth mode, continued to look for other properties to add to its Broadcast enterprise. The opportunity to buy WQON-FM 100.1 presented itself in 1994. The station had been granted a construction permit to substantially increase its power, but its ownership at that time chose to sell the station and concentrate their interests on their AM station in the Lansing area. Taking advantage of a peculiar situation, Gannon Broadcasting acquired WQON-FM and moved it's studios to the WGRY-AM/FM location. In a move to take advantage of a strong country format, Gannon Broadcasting Systems requested approval from the FCC to allow WQON-FM and WGRY-FM to switch frequencies and to move the former WQON from 100.1 to 100.3. This would permit Gannon Broadcasting Systems to increase from 3,000 to 26,500 watts. Then Gannon Broadcasting Systems made improvements to equipment and built a new 1,350 sq. ft. addition to the original WGRY-AM studio to accommodate the three stations. Hiring a high powered engineering firm, Gannon gained approval from the FCC and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 1995 to increase its power to 60,000 watts with an option to move to a full 100,000 watts, making Y-100.3 WGRY a regional power house.

With the moves completed for the new WGRY-FM 100.3, Gannon Broadcasting made the "new" WQON a strong local "listen-at-work" radio station, using Jones Radio Network's "Soft Hits" adult contemporary format, and branding the station as "Decades 101".

WQON today

WGRY-AM simulcast WQON full-time from 1995 until the turn of the 21st century, when it was given its own identity once again. WGRY was re-branded in January 2001 with the "Music of Your Life" format from "Jones Radio Network", which provided satellite-delivered music programming for WQON and WGRY-FM, outside of morning drive. Decades 101 has since been a standalone station.

Dave Sherbert, operations manager for the three stations, first joined WGRY-AM/FM in 1992. He continues today as the morning personality on Decades 101.1 FM WQON. The remainder of the station remains satellite-fed from Jones Radio Networks.

Sources

* [http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-p/wqon.html Michiguide.com - WQON History]
* [http://www.gannonbroadcasting.com/history.html History of Gannon Broadcasting Systems]

External links

*FMQ|WQON
*FML|WQON
*FMARB|WQON