WTNR
Encyclopedia
WTNR is a country
radio station
located in Holland, Michigan
, owned by Cumulus Media
. It was established in October 2004, as a station that focueses mostly on new country music, with songs from the 1990's and early 2000's. It competes with B-93. It Signal Can Be Heard As Far South As Dowagiac, Michigan
, As Far North As Stanwood, Michigan
, And As Far East As Westphalia, Michigan
format, 94.5 was occupied by WKLQ, with a CHR
format, and in 1984 the station flipped formats to hard-rock format. In 1996, the station added Howard Stern
to the morning lineup. By 1999 the station had tweaked into Alternative and became known as "The Rock@94.5 KLQ".
After a few years of struggling with the rock format, the station flipped to country on October 11, 2004 as "94.5 The New Thunder Country".
On October 27, 2011, WTNR completely revamped the station's playlist by adding gold tracks not previously played on the station. These included songs by artists from the 1990s and early 2000s like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Blackhawk, Pam Tillis and The Dixie Chicks, among others. The station also dropped all tags at the end of each song, which gave the title and artist for each track. The station is now simply called "Thunder 94-5" as well.
Summer 2011 Arbitron rating: #6 (4.6)
94.5 The New Thunder Country Era 2004-Present
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
radio station
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...
located in Holland, Michigan
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
, owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
. It was established in October 2004, as a station that focueses mostly on new country music, with songs from the 1990's and early 2000's. It competes with B-93. It Signal Can Be Heard As Far South As Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, As Far North As Stanwood, Michigan
Stanwood, Michigan
Stanwood is a village in Mecosta County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 204. The village is within Mecosta Township.-Geography:...
, And As Far East As Westphalia, Michigan
Westphalia, Michigan
Westphalia is a village in Clinton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 876.The village is within Westphalia Township in the western portion of Clinton County, about 8 miles north of Interstate 96 on county roads and about 25 miles northwest of...
History
Prior to the country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format, 94.5 was occupied by WKLQ, with a CHR
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...
format, and in 1984 the station flipped formats to hard-rock format. In 1996, the station added Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
to the morning lineup. By 1999 the station had tweaked into Alternative and became known as "The Rock@94.5 KLQ".
After a few years of struggling with the rock format, the station flipped to country on October 11, 2004 as "94.5 The New Thunder Country".
On October 27, 2011, WTNR completely revamped the station's playlist by adding gold tracks not previously played on the station. These included songs by artists from the 1990s and early 2000s like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Blackhawk, Pam Tillis and The Dixie Chicks, among others. The station also dropped all tags at the end of each song, which gave the title and artist for each track. The station is now simply called "Thunder 94-5" as well.
Summer 2011 Arbitron rating: #6 (4.6)
Airstaff
The current lineup (as of September 6, 2011) is as follows- Morning Show (5:30 am - 10 am): The Wake Up Call - "Party Paul" Longuski, April Rose & Joe "Flounder" Piesz
- Mid-Days (10 am - 3 pm): Kim St. James
- Afternoon Drive (3 pm - 7 pm): Shane Goad
- Nighttime (7 pm - 12 am): Chris Tyler
- Weekend's/Fill-ins: Ditch Cooper, Darlas Rai and Ellen Tailor
- Program Director: Shane Goad
- Station Voice: Scott Fisher
Former Airstaff
WKLQ (Rock/Alternative) Era 1984-2004- Steve Aldrich (Overnights/Weekend Host 1996-2004)
- Darrin Arriens (Program Director/Mid-Day Host 2003-2004)
- Cristi Cantle (Evenings/Afternoons/Night Host 1999-2004)
- Suzy Cole (Morning News 1997-1999/Weekends 2000-2001) - Now weekends at 101 WRIFWRIFWRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
in Detroit - Nick Dorsey (Overnight Host 2000-2003)
- Mark “The Head” Feurie (Afternoon/Mid-Day Host 1997-2003)
- Flea (Late Night Host 1997-1998)
- Matt Gilcheck (Overnights/Evening Host/Afternoon Host 1996-1999)
- Aris Hampers (Afternoon/Mid-Day Host 1993-1998)
- Steve Hynes (Overnight Host 1999-2000)
- Sean Kelly (Afternoon Co-Host/Evenings/Afternoon Host 2003-2004)
- Daisy Mae (Weekends/Late Nights/Evening Host 1995-1998)
- Don O'Neill (Morning Co-Host "Ron & Don" 2003-2004)
- Andy O'Riley (Mid-Day/Weekends/Afternoon Host 1990-1999)
- Brad Michael Owen (Overnight Host 1995-1997)
- Tom Robinson (Production Director/Mid-Day/Evening Host 1984-2000)
- Ty Rosenow (Morning Co-Host 2003)
- Hunter Scott (Program Director/Afternoon Host 2003-2004)
- Tom “The Wiz” Stavrou (Weekends/Morning News/Late Nights/Night Host 1995-2004)
- Howard Stern (Morning Host "The Howard Stern Show" 1996-2002)
- Ron Upshaw (Morning Host "Ron & Don" 2003-2004)
- Bill Waters (Afternoon Host 1991-2002 & Afternoon/Mid-Day Host 2002-2003)
- Bill Watson (Morning News 1998-2002)
94.5 The New Thunder Country Era 2004-Present
- Nick Alan (Weekends/Nights/Afternoon Host 2005-2010) - Now nights at 100.7 The WolfKKWFKKWF , known as "The New 100.7 The Wolf", is a Country music radio station based in Seattle, Washington. The Entercom outlet broadcasts at 100.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 67 kW. Its transmitter is located in Seattle.-History:...
in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... - Ashley Asphalt (Morning Co-Host "Scrubs In The Morning 2007-2009) - Now mornings at 94.7 WCSXWCSXWCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated...
in Detroit - Rob Brandt (Afternoon Host 2010) - Now afternoons at 97 LAV-FMWLAV-FMWLAV-FM is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock music format in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the dominant classic rock-formatted radio station in the market and is generally a top ten performer in the Grand Rapids ratings. WLAV-AM went on the air in 1940. In 1949, WLAV-TV 7 signed on,...
- Brother Dave (Morning Co-Host "Scrubs In The Morning 2007)
- Bud Ford (Mid-Day/Morning Host 2005-2007)
- Dan "The Tall Man" Hardee (Night Host 2010-2011) - Now production director for Wilks Broadcasting in Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
- Dawn Michaels (Mid-Day Host 2007)
- Brian Sims (Mid-Day/Afternoon Host 2007-2008)
- Steve "Scrubs" Stewart (Program Director/Morning Host "Scrubs In The Morning" 2007-2011) - Now program director at 93.7 The BullKSDKSD is a country music radio station in St. Louis, Missouri. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasts with 100 kW of power. Its transmitter is located in St. Louis.- History :...
in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... - Matt Stryker, formerly Matt Gilcheck (Afternoon Host 2004-2006) - Now mornings at 99-9 Kiss Country in Miami, FL
- Tim Wall (Morning Co-Host "Wilhite & Wall" 2005-2006)
- Darren Wilhite (Morning Host "Wilhite & Wall" 2005-2006) - Now afternoons at 105.5 K-Jo 105.5KKJOKKJO-FM is a radio station in St. Joseph, Missouri, broadcasting at 105.5 on the FM dial. The station airs a hot adult contemporary format with the brand name K-Jo 105.5.-History:...
in St. Joseph, Missouri - Wingnut (Nighttime Host "The Wingnut Show" 2008-2009)