WGVU-FM

WGVU-FM & WGVS-FM

File:Wgvu-radio-osl.png
WGVU-FM: Allendale Charter Township, Michigan WGVS-FM: Whitehall, Michigan
Broadcast area	WGVU-FM: Grand Rapids, Michigan WGVS-FM: Muskegon, Michigan
Frequency	WGVU-FM: 88.5 MHz (HD Radio) WGVS-FM: 95.3 MHz
Branding	WGVU Radio
Programming
Format	Public: News/Talk, Jazz (nights)
Affiliations	NPR
Ownership
Owner	Grand Valley State University
History
First air date	WGVU-FM: July 17, 1983 WGVS-FM: unknown
Former call signs	WGVU-FM: WGVC-FM (1/19/83-12/14/87) WSRX (10/74-7/82) WGVS-FM: WKBZ-FM (3/19/93-3/1/99) WMHZ (?-?) WRNF (?-?) WLRQ (?-?)
Call sign meaning	Grand Valley State University
Technical information
Facility ID	WGVU-FM: 4174 WGVS-FM: 33696
Class	WGVU-FM: A WGVS-FM: A
ERP	WGVU-FM: 3,000 watts WGVS-FM: 2,000 watts
HAAT	WGVU-FM: 95 meters WGVS-FM: 110 meters
Links
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wgvu.org/radio/

WGVU-FM is a radio station that serves that Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area and is simulcasted throughout Western Michigan. The main broadcast frequency is 88.5 MHz, which is licensed to Allendale/Grand Rapids. It is simulcast on WGVS-FM 95.3 MHz, which is licensed to Whitehall/Muskegon. The format is talk/jazz. Both WGVU and WGVS are owned and operated by Grand Valley State University, along with WGVU-AM and WGVS-AM (which feature an oldies format).

WGVU-FM began broadcasting on July 17, 1983 as WGVC-FM to reflect the school which was known at that time as Grand Valley State College. The station had originally operated (1974-1982) as student-run WSRX, with an alternative rock format. The station since its inception has served as a public broadcaster and is NPR affiliate.

95.3 FM in Whitehall began as Top 40 station WLRQ ("Super Q") in the late 1970s. In the mid-1980s, the station bore the WRNF ("We're Rock Ninety Five") calls while continuing with a Top 40 format. By the mid-1990s, 95.3 FM had the WKBZ-FM calls and was airing an urban contemporary format as "Power 95.3." Station owners Robert Jewell and Daniel Thill donated WKBZ-AM 850 and WKBZ-FM 95.3 to Grand Valley in 1995, but the following year the stations were sold to WLC Broadcasting, and it was not until November 1998 that WLC returned the stations to Grand Valley and the university began using them as simulcasts of WGVU-AM/FM.

WGVU-FM 88.5 broadcasts in HD Radio and operates two side channels. WGVU-HD2 is a simulcast of "Real Oldies" 1480 WGVU-AM/850 WGVS, and WGVU-HD3 is all jazz. Additionally the station's audio simulcasts on the digital subchannels of WGVU/WGVK-TV on channel 35.4/52.4 via the secondary audio program of that station (WGVU/WGVS is on the main audio channel), which features scrolling television schedules along with visual song/artist information for the radio audio.

WGVU-FM was the 2011 Michigan Association of Broadcasters Public Radio Station of the year among stations with a $2 million plus budget. This ended the winning streak of Michigan Radio, with which WGVU-FM competes.

Sources

• Michiguide.com - WGVU-FM History
• Michiguide.com - WGVS-FM History

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID WGVU ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
• Facility details for Facility ID WGVS ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database