WLEW (AM)

WLEW (1340 AM) is a radio station licensed to Bad Axe, Michigan, United States. with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of Huron County, Michigan. The station is owned by Thumb Broadcasting and broadcasts from studios on South Van Dyke Road in Bad Axe. Its country music format simulcast on the FM band by WHST, licensed to Pigeon, Michigan, at 94.1 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 15,000 watts.

WLEW
Broadcast areaThe Thumb
Frequency1340 kHz
BrandingThe Thumb's Hottest Country
Programming
FormatCountry
AffiliationsAssociated Press
Brownfield Ag News
Spartan Sports Network
Ownership
OwnerThumb Broadcasting
WLEW-FM, WHST
History
First air date
February 11, 1950 (1950-02-11)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID67045
ClassC
Power1,000 watts
Repeater(s)WHST 94.1 Pigeon, Michigan
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.wlewsports.com
WHST
Frequency94.1 MHz
History
First air date
2022
Technical information[2]
Facility ID762368
ClassC3
ERP15,000 watts
Links
Public license information

History

WLEW signed on February 11, 1950,[3] at 1540 kHz with 250 watts of power under the ownership of the Saginaw Broadcasting Company.[4] The station was purchased by the Stevens Wismer Broadcasting Company in 1953. Wismer also owned WHLS and WSAQ in Port Huron, WCSR in Hillsdale, and WLAV in Grand Rapids, among others.[5] In 1955, the frequency changed to the current 1340 kHz and was licensed for unlimited operations. The station, still under Wismer's ownership, began doing business as Thumb Broadcasting in 1957. In 1960, the station was upgrade to 1,000 watts of power using a two-tower directional antenna array.[6]

In 1966, Wismer applied for and received a license for WLEW to add an FM station at 92.1 MHz. This station would become WLEW-FM, which moved to the current 102.1 MHz in 1990. Both stations were later sold by Wismer to A. Arthur Aymen, who continued to do business as Thumb Broadcasting. In 1993, control of ownership was transferred to Aymen's sons, Richard and Matthew, who continue to own and operate the stations today.

In 2021, Thumb Broadcasting was the highest bidder during a Federal Communications Commission frequency auction for a new FM license serving Pigeon, Michigan. Under the call letters WHST, the new station went on the air in late 2022 at 94.1 MHz, simulcasting WLEW's country format.

References
  1. "Facility Technical Data for WLEW". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. "Facility Technical Data for WHST". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. "Start Broadcasts". The Times Herald. February 13, 1950. p. 9. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "To Air Programs". The Times Herald. December 30, 1949. p. 12. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "WHLS AM - The Area's Only Full-Service Radio Station!". The Times Herald. February 28, 1988. p. Outlook 1988 66. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "FCC History Cards for WLEW". Federal Communications Commission.

Sources

43°48′03″N 83°01′23″W

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