WQTX

WQTX (92.1 FM, "The Team") is a radio station broadcasting a sports talk radio format to Lansing, Michigan. Licensed to St. Johns, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1972 and has been through a number of different calls and formats during its history.

92.1 FM was originally WRBJ-FM, and, in a simulcast with WRBJ-AM (now WWSJ) 1580, served St. Johns and Clinton County as a full-service local station. Original owner Robert Ditmer sold WRBJ-AM/FM in 1981 and changed both stations to a country simulcast as WQTK-AM/FM, the first of many identity changes over the next twenty years for the AM 1580 frequency (see the WWSJ article for more). The calls eventually became WKLH on both AM and FM, continuing with a country format as "K-92", until Labor Day 1985 when WKLH-FM became WLNZ, "The Lazer", with a rock format (the "lazer" part of the positioning referring to the station's being the first in the Lansing market to play music from compact discs). WLNZ changed to CHR/Top 40 first as "Z-92" and later as "The Ape" WGOR (as in "gorilla") in 1989, but found its ratings success against WVIC limited and its advertising revenue even worse. One more unsuccessful format followed - smooth jazz and new-age music as WXMX "The Mix" from 1991 to 1993, before the station debuted what would become its most successful format yet.

In 1993, 92.1 FM became WWDX ("92-1 The Edge"), a modern rock station and the first such commercial radio station in Michigan in this format outside the Detroit area. Despite its limited signal reach, WWDX finally became a ratings success as "The Edge," due largely to the large college-student population in the area.

In September 2003, it changed format to hot AC as WKMY "My 92.1." The death of "The Edge" left the decidedly non-commercial WDBM from Michigan State University as the only source for alternative rock music in the market and left many of WWDX's loyal listeners very angry. The format and moniker would resurface again on its sister station, 94.1 WVIC, in August 2009. Following the change to "My 92.1," the station plummeted in the ratings, and then changed calls to WTXQ and began to simulcast a sports-talk format with WQTX-FM 92.7 Charlotte as "The Ticket."

In the spring of 2006, months after WJIM-FM dropped its long-running oldies format in favor of Top 40 in the fall of 2005, WTXQ changed its calls to the current WQTX (WQTX 92.7 Charlotte is now classic hits WLMI 92.9 Grand Ledge) and switched from sports talk to oldies, using a satellite-delivered format from Jones Radio Networks.

Recent developments

On September 2, 2008, Oldies 92.1 added a live and local morning show, hosted by Lansing broadcast veteran Tim Barron.

On December 1, 2008, WQTX changed its format and name to Classic Hits 92-X WQTX, with a new logo. On March 17, 2010, it was announced that the Rubber City Radio Group, based in Akron, Ohio, was planning to sell WQTX, along with sister stations WWDK (formerly WVIC), WJXQ, and WLMI (formerly WJZL), to Midwest Communications. The deal officially closed on July 1, 2010.

On December 27, 2010, sister station WLMI changed its format to classic hits. The format moved from WQTX, which began stunting toward a new format. From December 27 to January 4, it was a liner redirecting people to 92.9 if they wanted to continue listening to the classic hits format. On January 5, it was a loop of the song Tomorrow from the musical Annie. On the 6th, until 3 PM it was a loop of the song I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, emphasizing the lyric "That tonight's gonna be a good night." On January 6, 2011, at 3:00 P.M. local time, WQTX debuted a country format, branded as "92.1 Big Country".

On February 25, 2013, WQTX FM will be the new Lansing Radio home of "Michigan's BIG Show starring Michael Patrick Shiels" as was announced on his show last week on WSYM Fox 47.

On January 9, 2015, it was announced that WQTX would flip back to sports talk, again branded as "92.1 The Ticket". The change occurred on January 19, as Jack Ebling, former afternoon host at WVFN, debuted on 92.1 on said date. The station continues to air local sports play-by-play from high schools and Lansing Lugnuts baseball. Shortly after the flip, the moniker suddenly changed to The Team. This was due to WXYT-FM out of Detroit owning the southern Michigan rights to the Ticket moniker (WKAD in Northern Michigan is the Ticket). ^[1]

Lansing Lugnuts

The Team 92.1 FM airs live coverage of Lansing Lugnuts home and away games. Jesse Goldberg-Strassler and Kevin Gehl serve as play-by-play announcers.

References

• Michiguide.com - WQTX History

External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WQTX
• Radio-Locator information on WQTX
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WQTX