WMTE-FM
| City | Manistee, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | |
| Branding | The Mitten |
| Slogan | It's All About the Music |
| Frequency | 101.5 MHz |
| First air date | June 24, 1994 (as WXYQ) |
| Format | Adult album alternative |
| ERP | 6,000 watts |
| HAAT | 100 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 4109 |
| Callsign meaning | ManisTEe, Michigan |
| Former callsigns | WXYQ (7/8/92-9/8/00) |
| Owner |
Todd Mohr (Mitten Media, LLC) |
WMTE-FM is an FM radio station located in Manistee, Michigan, United States, and owned by Mitten Media, LLC. WMTE-FM airs an adult album alternative format.
History
The station was signed on in June 1994 by the original owner, Bay View Broadcasting. The original call letters were WXYQ and the station adopted an oldies format. Those call letters were previously used by an AM country station in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Patrick Lopeman, who was also known as Pat Martin, was the principal owner and founder. WXYQ was sold to Crystal Clear Communications of Frankfort, Michigan for $200,000.00 in January, 1997. When new stations arrived in 1999, the new FCC rules allowed WXYQ to be consolidated into the Lake Michigan Broadcasting Group headed by Roger Baerwolf. When the FCC transfer was approved for $380,000.00 in 2000, Lake Michigan Broadcasting changed the call letters. The new call signs became WMTE-FM to reflect the co-ownership of its existing AM station WMTE. Baerwolf died suddenly in December 2004.
WMTE-FM adjusted its format from oldies to classic hits and took on the name "Kool 101-5," replacing "Oldies 101.5."
In July 2012, WMTE-FM dropped classic hits and returned to its previous oldies format, this time using Cumulus Media's True Oldies Channel format. WMTE-FM is currently on the process of being sold by Lake Michigan Broadcasting to Synergy Media. The station is reportedly off the air with antenna systems dismantled in October, 2012. However, it remained on the air via a short tower located on Greenbush Street.
On July 23, 2013, Lake Michigan Broadcasting filed to sell the station to Del Reynolds, owner of WCBY, WCHY, WCKC, WGFM, WGFN, WMKC, WOEZ, and WQEZ in Northern Michigan, for $1,000. The sale was consummated on December 19, 2013.
On December 19, 2013, WMTE-FM went silent.
On Sept. 23, 2015, AllAccess.com reported that Del Reynolds sold WMTE-FM to Mitten Media LLC for $1,000.[1] The sale was consummated on January 21, 2016.
On February 1, 2016, WMTE-FM returned to the air with a soft AC format, branded as "Coast FM 101.5". The format moved from WMLQ 97.7 FM, which at that time became a simulcast of 98.7 WLDN.
During the month of September 2017, the station switched to a simulcast of an adult contemporary-leaning variant of album adult alternative from WWMN in Traverse City.
On April 2, 2018 WMTE-FM dropped it simulcast with WWMN, contuing with the "Mitten" adult album alternative format.[2]
References
External links
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WMTE
- Radio-Locator information on WMTE
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WMTE
Coordinates: 44°12′40″N 86°17′53″W / 44.211°N 86.298°W