:WKLQ (FM)
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WKLQ
| logo = WTNR2019.png
| logo_size = 150px
| city = Holland, Michigan
| area = Grand Rapids, Michigan
| branding = The Q 94.5
| frequency = 94.5 MHz
| airdate = 1961 (as WJBL-FM)
| format = Adult album alternative
| erp = 50,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|152|m|sp=us}}
| class = B
| facility_id = 41678
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = WFMK (1960)
WJBL-FM (1960–1984)
WKLQ (1984–2004)
WTNR (2004–2019)
| affiliations =
| owner = Cumulus Media
| licensee = Radio License Holding CBC, LLC
| sister_stations = WTNR, WHTS, WJRW, WLAV-FM
| webcast = {{listen live|https://player.listenlive.co/23881}}
| website = [http://www.thisisqmusic.com/ thisisqmusic.com]
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
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
When launched, 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.{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/87537/cumulus-adds-11-more-nashfms/|title=Cumulus Adds 11 More NashFM's|date=2014-02-03|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-19}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/182930/wbbl-grand-rapids-changes-afoot-morning-host-says-|title=WBBL/Grand Rapids Changes Afoot, Morning Host Says 'Everyone Got Fired Today'|website=All Access|language=en|access-date=2019-01-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/173417/format-change-imminent-at-wbbl-grand-rapids-as-airstaff-exits/|title=WBBL Flips To Country As Thunder Returns To Grand Rapids|date=2019-01-04|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2024-10-14}}
The simulcast would be short-lived; on January 19, 2019, WTNR dropped Thunder and flipped to adult album alternative as The Q 94.5.{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/173874/cumulus-launches-the-q-94-5-in-grand-rapids/|title=Cumulus Launches The Q 94.5 In Grand Rapids|date=2019-01-19|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-19}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=wklq&x=7&y=7&sr=Y&s=C|title=Radio-Locator page for WKLQ (showing FCC record update on February 6, 2019|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-14}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- [http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-s/wtnr.html Michiguide.com - WTNR History]
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.thisisqmusic.com/}}
- {{FM station data|41678|WKLQ}}
{{Grand Rapids Radio}}
{{Cumulus Media}}
{{coord|42.856|N|85.963|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}
Category:Adult album alternative radio stations in the United States
Category:Cumulus Media radio stations