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WAYG |
| WaY fm WAYG & WAYK |
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| City of license | WAYG: Grand Rapids, Michigan WAYK: Kalamazoo, Michigan |
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| Broadcast area | WAYG: [1] WAYK: [2] |
| Branding | WaY fm |
| Slogan | Christian Hit Radio |
| Frequency | WAYG: 88.9 MHz WAYK: 88.3 MHz |
| First air date | WAYG: circa 196x WAYK: February 3, 1997 |
| Format | Contemporary Christian Hit Radio |
| Power | WAYG: 4,900 watts WAYK: 10,000 watts |
| Class | WAYG: A WAYK: B1 |
| Callsign meaning | WAYG: Way FM Grand Rapids WAYK: Way FM Kalamazoo |
| Former callsigns | WAYG: WBYW (6/1/91-10/23/98) WEHB (?-6/1/91) WAYK: none |
| Owner | Cornerstone University |
| Website | http://www.way.fm/ |
WAYG and WAYK are FM radio stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Kalamazoo. At dial position 89.9 FM in Grand Rapids and 88.3 FM in Kalamazoo, the station's moniker is "Commercial Free Hits WaYfm." WaYfm is a Christian CHR/Top 40 station. WaYfm is also heard in Battle Creek, Michigan, and plans to expand to Benton Harbor, Michigan and Lansing, Michigan by the end of 2008.
WAYG and WAYK are owned and operated by Cornerstone University, which also owns and runs three other radio entities: 91.3 WCSG (formatted as Christian AC), Mission Network News, and His Kids Radio.
89.9 WaYfm WAYG targets teens, young adults, and young families with modern music wrapped in a Christian worldview. Popular artists include Switchfoot, The Fray, Relient K, Grits, Hawk Nelson, tobyMac, Barlow Girl, Daughtry, Casting Crowns, Family Force 5, Stacie Orrico, Skillet, and other various Hip hop, Pop, Rock, and Punk acts.
WAY FM started in Kalamazoo, MI, in 1996 when Cornerstone purchased a construction permit from Grand Valley State University for 88.3 FM in Kalamazoo. After deciding on the Christian CHR format, the management of the station opted to use CHRSN's programming until local listenership and financial support allowed them to program locally.
88.3 WAYK signed on for the first time on February 3, 1997, to serve Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. A signal was added at 89.9 in Grand Rapids in late 1998, originating not too far from Cornerstone University.
WAYG's signal is challenged in the Grand Rapids metro, as the local college station in Holland, Michigan, exists on the same frequency (89.9). Despite not being able to adequately cover half of the market, recent Arbitron ratings for WAYG place the station at #2 among all stations in the market with teens, and tied for 3rd place among females 12-24 (the station's core audience). The FCC recently approved a proposal that will move the Grand Rapids signal to a frequency of 89.7 and boost the power to 6,000 watts from the previous 4,000. This move will substantially increase the ability for listeners to pick up the station in the previously underserved western portion of the market and allow the signal to penetrate into eastern Muskegon and Ottawa counties for the first time, as well.
WAYK's signal covers the entire Kalamazoo market quite well, and extends as far southwest as Benton Harbor and as far northeast as Olivet. In the Kalamazoo metro, WAYK consistently pulls strong ratings among teens (#2), young adults, and even persons and women 25-49 (usually placing in the top 5 or top 3 in these demos).
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