WQUS

WQUS (103.1 FM, "U.S. 103.1") is a radio station licensed to Lapeer, Michigan broadcasting a classic rock music format. The transmitter is near Attica, but the studios are in Burton, east of Flint. It is owned by Townsquare Media and the home of two local sports teams: the Ontario Hockey League's Flint Firebirds and Lapeer Lightning high school football.[1][2]

WQUS
CityLapeer, Michigan
Broadcast area
Frequency103.1 MHz
BrandingUS 103.1
Slogan"Ultimate Classic Rock"
Programming
FormatClassic rock
AffiliationsFlint Firebirds
Lapeer Lightning football
Ownership
OwnerTownsquare Media
(Townsquare Media of Flint, Inc.)
WCRZ, WFNT, WLCO, WRCL, WWBN
History
First air date
February 6, 1968
Former call signs
WRXF (10/23/98-1/17/03)
WWGZ-FM (11/8/90-10/23/98)
WWGZ (7/4/90-11/8/90)
WDEY-FM (9/22/80-7/4/90)
WTHM-FM (2/6/68-9/22/80)
Call sign meaning
U.S. 103.1
Technical information
Facility ID14224
ClassA
ERP2,600 watts
HAAT104 meters
Transmitter coordinates
43°04′43″N 83°11′24″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiteus103.com

History

WTHM-FM first went on the air February 6, 1968, and was for many years a simulcast outlet of its like-named AM sister station (known today as WLCO), with the call letters standing for The Thumb area of east central Michigan. WTHM-AM/FM was a full-service station featuring MOR/adult contemporary music. WTHM-FM allowed Lapeer residents to have local radio service after its daytime-only AM station was mandated to shut down at sunset. Later on the call letters on both AM and FM were switched to WDEY; the music format remained AC.

WDEY-AM/FM had been owned for many years by James Sommerville, who sold both to Covenant Communications in 1991. Five years following the acquisition by Covenant, the FM station, by this time known as WWGZ-FM (Wings 103), had switched to an album rock format and became more of a regional station, serving listeners in Flint. The AM station adopted an all-sports format and the new call letters WLSP, later going all-talk and then adult standards prior to the current "Real Country" format as WLCO. In 1998 WWGZ-FM changed its calls to WRXF (Radio X) and took on a more Active Rock/Heavy metal sound. One Radio X veteran, Tony LaBrie, is now the Music Director and an on-air personality at 103.1 FM's sister station WWBN.

Both WLSP-AM and WRXF-FM were sold in December 2001 to Regent Communications (now Townsquare Media) for $1.3 million. Shortly after the transaction was announced, WRXF ended its independent programming and became a simulcast of its new FM sister station, WWBN "Banana 101.5". The simulcast ended almost three months later, when 103.1 once again became independently programmed, under its present call letters, format and moniker.

Both stations then moved from their longtime location at 286 West Nepessing Street in Lapeer to join their new Regent affiliate stations at G-3338 East Bristol Road in the Flint suburb of Burton.

U.S. 103.1's format has a base of Classic Rock/Classic Hits, but the station also plays some alternative rock and other rock songs from the 1990s (such as "Counting Blue Cars" by Dishwalla) and up to recurrent product (such as "Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven).

Sources

References
  1. "Flint Firebirds Radio & TV Broadcast Coverage – Flint Firebirds".
  2. We Are Your Home For Lapeer Lightning Football WQUS, August 27, 2019
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