 | |
| Broadcast area | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 98.7MHz |
| Branding | 98.7 The Grand |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits (to beSports Talk ‘Detroit Sports Radio Network’ effective 12/1) |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WGRD-FM,WLHT-FM,WNWZ,WTRV | |
| History | |
First air date | 1992; 33 years ago (1992) |
Former call signs | WXJI (7/12/1990–7/8/1992, CP) |
Call sign meaning | "For Grand Rapids" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 25837 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 2,750watts |
| HAAT | 150 meters |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | 987thegrand |
WFGR (98.7FM) is an Americanradio station servingGrand Rapids, Michigan. It transmits from their facility inAlpine Township. WFGR is owned byTownsquare Media.
The WFGR signal can be heard as far north asStanwood, Michigan, far east asPewamo, Michigan, and as far south asPlainwell, Michigan.
WFGR was previously aclassical music station throughout the 1990s, broadcasting theWorld Classical Network fromWFCC-FM inChatham, Massachusetts. It changed its format to oldies music as "Oldies 98.7" on October 11, 2004 when Grand Rapids' current oldies station at the time, WODJ, was displaced by rock stationWKLQ.
When WFGR debuted its oldies format, it was satellite-fed usingABC Radio's "Oldies Radio" feed. Shortly thereafter, they debuted a mostly-local lineup of DJs, playing music from the 1960s and early 1970s.
On June 29, 2009, the station changed its name to Classic Hits "98.7 WFGR" and began to focus more on the 1970s and 1980s. The change left the Grand Rapids market without a local outlet for oldies in the traditional sense of the format, untilGrand Valley State University stepped in to fill the void by flipping itsWGVU from NPR news and talk to "Real Oldies" a few months later.
The wide-ranging classic hits playlist ran for a number of years, becoming increasingly centered on the 1980s as time went by.
On July 3, 2024, the station changed its name once again, calling itself “98.7 the Grand”, focusing on “timeless tracks from the 1970s and 1980s”. The station began to feature music from well-knownclassic rock artists with multi-generational appeal.[2][3]
On October 5, 2009,The Bob & Tom Show premiered on the morning lineup, Monday through Saturday mornings. The show was added when Clear Channel's 101.3 The FoxWBFX did not renew the contract for the show.
On October 5, 2012, three years to the day after their premiere, Bob and Tom were replaced with local talent Andy O' Riley and Dave Kaechele.
In late 2013, local Mid-Day DJ Matt Hendricks was cut from the staff and replaced with a company voice-tracked personality “Big Joe Henryl” based out of New Jersey.
Andy and Dave were also cut from the staff in January 2014, due to low ratings.
In early 2014, part-time Jock Lauren was promoted to middays, and Jo Jo Girard, formerly of Mix 106.5 Baltimore and 104.5 WSNX (Sunny FM) was introduced as the new WFGR Morning show host.
With the changes in July 2024, there will be no remaining morning show hosts, and the station will use local staff for announcements in the mid-day and afternoon time slots.
In recent years, WFGR has used re-sung versions of cuts from several classicJAM Creative Productions jingle packages from the 1970s and 1980s. Among these is a version ofWHTZ New York's legendary "Serving the Universe" top-of-the-hour ID, with "Serving the Universe" replaced by "Serving West Michigan."
43°01′59″N85°41′46″W / 43.033°N 85.696°W /43.033; -85.696