| Broadcast area | Greater Tri-Cities |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 104.1MHz |
| Branding | 1400 AM & 104 FM The Bay |
| Programming | |
| Format | Soft adult contemporary |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | MacDonald Broadcasting |
| WKCQ,WMJO,WSAM | |
| History | |
First air date | November 2002 |
Call sign meaning | SAGinaw,Michigan |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 87624 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 4,600watts |
| HAAT | 99 meters (325 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°43′30″N83°56′30″W / 43.72500°N 83.94167°W /43.72500; -83.94167 |
| Repeater | 1400WSAM (Saginaw, Michigan) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | thebay104fm.com |
WSAG (104.1FM) is aradio station licensed toLinwood, Michigan, providing arimshot service to theSaginaw,Bay City, andMidland markets. The station is simulcasted with AM sister stationWSAM at 1400kHz inSaginaw, Michigan, and are collectively known asThe Bay, in reference to their close proximity to theSaginaw Bay.
The current format began in April 2005. Previously, WSAM had programmedadult standards under the name "Sam 1400 AM", and WSAG (originally licensed toPinconning, Michigan before the city of license changed to Linwood, an unincorporated community north of Bay City) had broadcast an automated, commercial-free mix of 1950s-1970soldies since opening in November 2002. During the 1960s and 1970s, WSAM was a populartop 40 music station; during the 1980s, it played oldies. Serendipitously, during WSAM's period as an oldies station, the long-held call letters lent themselves to the tagline "Play it Again, Sam". WSAM's original FM station at 98.1 MHz is nowWKCQ and has programmed a highly ratedcountry music format since 1968. MacDonald Broadcasting has owned WSAM-AM and WSAM-FM/WKCQ continuously since 1962, with sister stations WSAG andWMJO added later.
WSAM and WSAG are simulcast around the clock, except for some popular weekendpolka shows on WSAM which are a holdover from the now-defunct adult standards format. Like most other adult contemporary music stations, The Bay switches to a format of continuousChristmas music during the months of November and December, primarily competing with crosstown adult contemporary formattedWHNN, but also a portion of the signal area ofWCRZ from Flint as of more recently, for the holiday music audience.
"The Bay" is the current home in theTri-Cities ofDelilah Rene's syndicated love-songs show, which was formerly heard on crosstownWGER until its replacement byJohn Tesh.
WSAG-FM's reception is strongest in theBay City area but is very difficult to receive near the Flint and Lapeer area, asWOMC-FM tends to phase out the signal that far south, as well asWRSR 103.9; however, its signal can be received as far north as West Branch and Tawas City. WSAG's signal is also scratchy in parts of Saginaw itself, perhaps due to the proximity ofWILZ on 104.5 FM. WSAM-AM is more easily received in Flint and Lapeer on car radios, but farther south it too runs into reception problems due to co-channelWDTK in Detroit.