WGER
Encyclopedia
WGER is a radio station
licensed to Saginaw, Michigan
broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format.
WGER can be heard in the Tri-Cities, as their niche market. However, WGER is shared on the same frequency by CHKS-FM
"K106.3" in Sarnia, Ontario. East of Lapeer County, both stations can be heard with a turn of the antenna.
in 1961, WGER began broadcasting later that year at 102.5 MHz under the WNEM-FM calls and featured a Beautiful Music
format for the first several decades of its existence. The call letters were changed to WGER after Gerity sold the TV station in 1969. WGER's beautiful music format, programmed by TM Programming, achieved high ratings in adult demographics in both the Tri-Cities and Flint markets thanks to its 86,000-watt signal licensed to Bay City.
In 1986, Gerity's estate sold WGER to the owner of CHR
-formatted WIOG
, licensed to Saginaw at 106.3 which was sold to another company. The two stations swapped frequencies, with WGER moving its easy listening
format to 106.3. WGER evolved from easy listening to mainstream AC on 106.3 and eventually took the name "Soft Rock 106.3" by the late 1980s before adopting the moniker "Magic 106.3".
By 2005, WGER had evolved from mainstream AC to its current Hot AC sound, although it would be several months before the station stopped reporting to Radio & Records
/Mediabase 24/7's Adult Contemporary airplay panel and switched to the Hot AC panel. The station added songs like "Fergalicious
" by Fergie and "Girl Next Door
" by Saving Jane
that did not fit the AC format and introduced a "Totally 80's
Weekend" while continuing to feature the Soft AC sounds of Delilah
at night.
That same year, Magic 106.3 got an AC competitor when MacDonald Broadcasting changed its adult standards
WSAM-AM and oldies
WSAG
-FM to a Soft AC simulcast called "The Bay," a gold-based Soft AC simulcast meant to fill the void left when WGER migrated to Hot AC. In the summer of 2007, Delilah moved to "The Bay," and WGER became the new home of the John Tesh
radio show in the Tri-Cities market. Increased competition from WSAM/WSAG and top-rated oldies
/classic hits
station WHNN
(which has added more '80s music to its playlist), as well as listener perception that the sound of the station is inconsistent, has led to a decline in WGER's ratings over the past several years. The Fall 2007 Arbitron ratings book showed WGER in tenth place 12+ with a 3.3 share; however, by Spring 2008, the station had sunk to a 2.2 share 12+, falling behind Gladwin
-based rimshot country station WGDN-FM
.
WGER was the first station in the Tri-Cities market to play continuous Christmas music for the holiday season. In 2006, however, the station announced that it would not change to all-Christmas that year because of research that showed its listeners didn't want it, which left the door open for 96.1 WHNN to change to Christmas music, with which it was very successful. In 2007, both WGER and WHNN went all-Christmas shortly after Halloween.
WGER rebranded from "Magic 106.3" to "Mix 106.3" in February 2009.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format.
WGER can be heard in the Tri-Cities, as their niche market. However, WGER is shared on the same frequency by CHKS-FM
CHKS-FM
CHKS-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 106.3 FM in Sarnia, Ontario. The station broadcasts an active rock format with the brand name K106.3.CHKS-FM can be received deep down inside parts of Eastern Michigan, as far in as Flint, Michigan...
"K106.3" in Sarnia, Ontario. East of Lapeer County, both stations can be heard with a turn of the antenna.
History
Established by James Gerity, a professional violinist who acquired WNEM-TVWNEM-TV
WNEM-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Flint/Tri-Cities market in Michigan. It is licensed to Bay City, and broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 22 . Owned by the Meredith Corporation, the station has studios on North Franklin Street in downtown Saginaw, as...
in 1961, WGER began broadcasting later that year at 102.5 MHz under the WNEM-FM calls and featured a Beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format for the first several decades of its existence. The call letters were changed to WGER after Gerity sold the TV station in 1969. WGER's beautiful music format, programmed by TM Programming, achieved high ratings in adult demographics in both the Tri-Cities and Flint markets thanks to its 86,000-watt signal licensed to Bay City.
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
-formatted WIOG
WIOG
WIOG is a radio station airing a Top 40 format, licensed to Bay City, Michigan and serving the Greater Tri-Cities areas from a transmitter located northeast of Saginaw...
, licensed to Saginaw at 106.3 which was sold to another company. The two stations swapped frequencies, with WGER moving its easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
format to 106.3. WGER evolved from easy listening to mainstream AC on 106.3 and eventually took the name "Soft Rock 106.3" by the late 1980s before adopting the moniker "Magic 106.3".
By 2005, WGER had evolved from mainstream AC to its current Hot AC sound, although it would be several months before the station stopped reporting to Radio & Records
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
/Mediabase 24/7's Adult Contemporary airplay panel and switched to the Hot AC panel. The station added songs like "Fergalicious
Fergalicious
"Fergalicious" is the second single from Fergie's debut solo album, The Dutchess. It features The Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, who also produced the track. "Fergalicious" was not officially released as the second single in the UK, although the video did receive airplay at the time. "Glamorous"...
" by Fergie and "Girl Next Door
Girl Next Door (song)
"Girl Next Door" is the name of a single released in late 2005 by American pop rock band Saving Jane. The song was a top 40 success on Billboard charts.-Content:...
" by Saving Jane
Saving Jane
Saving Jane is a band from Columbus, Ohio who are most famous for their hit songs "Girl Next Door", "Come Down To Me", and "SuperGirl".-2002-2008: Girl Next Door, One Girl Revolution & SuperGirl:...
that did not fit the AC format and introduced a "Totally 80's
1980s in music
For music from a year in the 1980s, go to 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89For a history of music in all times, see Timeline of musical events....
Weekend" while continuing to feature the Soft AC sounds of Delilah
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
at night.
That same year, Magic 106.3 got an AC competitor when MacDonald Broadcasting changed its adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
WSAM-AM and oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
WSAG
WSAG
WSAG in Linwood, Michigan, and WSAM in Saginaw, Michigan, are a pair of radio stations broadcasting a soft adult contemporary format, collectively known as The Bay....
-FM to a Soft AC simulcast called "The Bay," a gold-based Soft AC simulcast meant to fill the void left when WGER migrated to Hot AC. In the summer of 2007, Delilah moved to "The Bay," and WGER became the new home of the John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
radio show in the Tri-Cities market. Increased competition from WSAM/WSAG and top-rated oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
/classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
station WHNN
WHNN
WHNN is an FM radio station serving the Saginaw-Bay City-Midland area and Flint with its classic hits format. It broadcasts on FM frequency 96.1 and is under ownership of Cumulus Media...
(which has added more '80s music to its playlist), as well as listener perception that the sound of the station is inconsistent, has led to a decline in WGER's ratings over the past several years. The Fall 2007 Arbitron ratings book showed WGER in tenth place 12+ with a 3.3 share; however, by Spring 2008, the station had sunk to a 2.2 share 12+, falling behind Gladwin
Gladwin, Michigan
Gladwin is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,001. It is the county seat of Gladwin County.The city is at the southwest corner of Gladwin Township, but is politically independent....
-based rimshot country station WGDN-FM
WGDN-FM
WGDN-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Gladwin, Michigan, it first began broadcasting circa 1978 under the WGMM call sign. The station's original format was adult contemporary music, which continued until the switch to country in the early 1990s...
.
WGER was the first station in the Tri-Cities market to play continuous Christmas music for the holiday season. In 2006, however, the station announced that it would not change to all-Christmas that year because of research that showed its listeners didn't want it, which left the door open for 96.1 WHNN to change to Christmas music, with which it was very successful. In 2007, both WGER and WHNN went all-Christmas shortly after Halloween.
WGER rebranded from "Magic 106.3" to "Mix 106.3" in February 2009.