WKLQ (FM)

WKLQ

Holland, Michigan
Broadcast area	Grand Rapids, Michigan
Frequency	94.5 MHz
Branding	The Q 94.5
Programming
Format	Adult album alternative
Ownership
Owner	Cumulus Media (Radio License Holding CBC, LLC)
Sister stations	WTNR, WHTS, WJRW, WLAV-FM
History
First air date	1961 (as WJBL-FM)
Former call signs	WFMK (1960) WJBL-FM (1960–1984) WKLQ (1984–2004) WTNR (2004–2019)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	41678
Class	B
ERP	50,000 watts
HAAT	152 meters (499 ft)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen live
Website	thisisqmusic.com

WKLQ (94.5 MHz, "The Q 94.5") is an FM radio station licensed to Holland, Michigan. Owned by Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts an adult album alternative format serving the Grand Rapids, Michigan market.

History

Prior to the country music format, 94.5 was occupied by WKLQ, with a Top 40/CHR format as "Hit Rock! The FM 94 KLQ" that started in 1984. But by the early 1990s, the station flipped formats to an active 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 WTNR and country on October 11, 2004 as 94.5 The New Thunder Country, later branded as Thunder 94-5.

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, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson among others.

On February 3, 2014, the station rebranded under Cumulus's Nash FM brand.^[2]

On January 4, 2019, WTNR returned to the Thunder branding, and added a simulcast on 107.3 WBBL-FM to replace its sports talk format, with both stations branding as Thunder 94.5 & 107.3.^[3][4]

The simulcast would be short-lived; on January 19, 2019, WTNR dropped Thunder and flipped to adult album alternative as The Q 94.5.^[5] The WKLQ calls (warehoused by a co-owned AM talk radio operation in Whitehall, MI) were reinstated on February 6, 2019 to match the new branding.^[6]

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WKLQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "Cumulus Adds 11 More NashFM's". RadioInsight. 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
3. "WBBL/Grand Rapids Changes Afoot, Morning Host Says 'Everyone Got Fired Today'". All Access. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
4. "WBBL Flips To Country As Thunder Returns To Grand Rapids". RadioInsight. 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
5. "Cumulus Launches The Q 94.5 In Grand Rapids". RadioInsight. 2019-01-19. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
6. "Radio-Locator page for WKLQ (showing FCC record update on February 6, 2019". Retrieved 2019-02-14.

• Michiguide.com - WTNR History

External links

• Official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 41678 (WKLQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WKLQ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

42.856°N 85.963°W / 42.856; -85.963