Radio First (Liggett Communications, L.L.C.) is a privately held

radio broadcasting Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio signal, audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a lan ...

company in Michigan owned by Victoria L. Liggett and James A. Jensen. Liggett Communications is headquartered in Port Huron where it owns five radio stations licensed to St. Clair and Sanilac Counties. These five stations operate under the brand name of ''Radio First'' where they serve listeners in

the Thumb The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of t ...

area of Michigan and

Southwestern Ontario Southwestern Ontario (census population 2,796,367 in 2021) is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. It occupies most of the Ontario Peninsula, bounded by Lake Huron (includ ...

History

Liggett Broadcasting (1970-2000)

The predecessor to the current company was called Liggett Broadcasting and was founded by Robert Liggett Jr. in 1971. His first station was

WFMK WFMK (99.1 FM) is an adult contemporary radio station licensed to East Lansing, Michigan and serving the Lansing radio market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts in HD radio. WFMK is one of the oldest adult contemporary s ...

in the

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and nort ...

market. He then added more stations in Lansing, as well as the Grand Rapids, Flint, and Saginaw/Bay City Markets. Liggett Broadcasting at its peak operated radio stations in Michigan, New York, Minnesota, South Carolina, Ohio, and California. Liggett's stations were sold to

Citadel Broadcasting Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company founded and developed by Larry Wilson. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the count ...

in 2000, with Liggett becoming a member of Citadel's board of directors. In 2000, Ligget became the owner of

Big Boy Restaurants Big Boy is an American casual dining restaurant chain store, chain headquartered in Southfield, Michigan; it is currently operated in most of the United States by Big Boy Restaurant Group, LLC. The Big Boy name, design aesthetic, and menu were ...

, headquartered in

Warren, Michigan Warren is a city in Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit, Warren borders Detroit to the north, roughly north of downtown Detroit. The population was 139,387 at the ...

Liggett Communications (1999-present)

In 1999, Bob Liggett announced he would purchase

WHLS WHLS (1450 AM) is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of St. Clair County, Michigan. It is the oldest continuously operating radio station serving St. Clair Coun ...

1450 and

WSAQ WSAQ (107.1 FM) is a country music radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with an effective radiated power of 6,000 watts. WSAQ covers St. Clair County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Macomb, Lapeer, and ...

107.1 in Port Huron from the estate of former owner John Wismer. The new company would be called Liggett Communications. Wismer had owned the stations from 1952 until he died in 1999. WSAQ and WHLS were purchased by Liggett for $3.2 million. The new Liggett Communications also entered into an agreement to purchase Hanson Communications, Wismer's crosstown competitor and licensee of

WPHM WPHM (1380 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Port Huron, Michigan. The station broadcasts a News/Talk/Sports radio format. It is owned by Radio First with studios on Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron. WPHM is powered at 5,000 watts. ...

WBTI WBTI is a Hot AC radio station licensed to Lexington, Michigan at 96.9 MHz on the FM dial, with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. WBTI covers Sanilac County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Lapeer ...

, and WHYT (now WHLX). Owner Lee Hanson sold those stations to Liggett for $2.24 million. Lee Hanson died in 2015, his son Eric, owns and operates Hanson Pro Music located next to the former WPHM studios on Military Street. However, Liggett was unsuccessful in buying standalone commercial station

WGRT WGRT (102.3 FM) is an adult contemporary radio station in Port Huron, Michigan. It is owned by Port Huron Family Radio and broadcasts with a power of 3,000 watts. WGRT signed on in October 1991. The station airs a satellite-delivered AC format ...

, which remains the only commercial station licensed to St. Clair County not owned by Liggett. By the end of 2000, Liggett received all necessary FCC approvals to buy both Hanson Communications and Wismer Broadcasting. All five stations became a part of Liggett's new company. For about a year the Hanson stations continued to use their old studio at 2379 Military Street, which is now home to a Coldwel Banker office and Hanson's Pro Music. Wismer's facilities at 808 Huron Avenue were expanded and now house the studios and offices for all five stations. 1380

, 96.9

, 107.1

, 1590

WHLX WHLX (1590 AM broadcasting, AM) is an Americana (music), Americana radio station licensed to Marine City, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts day, 102 watts night. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huro ...

, and 1450

now operate under the collective brand name of Radio First. On May 15, 2019 control of Liggett Communication's five radio stations and two translators were transferred from Robert G. Liggett, Jr. to Victoria L. Liggett. Robert Liggett passed away on July 12, 2019.

Community involvement

Radio First sponsors an annual local bridal and home expo show held at Blue Water Convention Center. The stations also support many local events, including the

March of Dimes March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to co ...

"Jail and Bail", the Child Abuse and Neglect Council's "Roof Sit", and Port Huron Police Department's CAPTURE witness tip-line.

Current radio stations

, FM 96.9,

Lexington, Michigan Lexington is a village in Sanilac County, Michigan, Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,178 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. The village is located within Lexington Township, Michigan, Lexington Townsh ...

, adult top 40 *

, AM 1450,

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in and seat of government of St. Clair County, Michigan, United States. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Po ...

, active rock * W288BT FM 105.5, St. Clair, Michigan, active rock (FM translator of WHLS) *

, AM 1590,

Marine City, Michigan Marine City is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the west bank of the St. Clair River, it is one of the cities in the River District north of Detroit and south of Lake Huron. In the late 19th century, it was a m ...

, country/rock/folk * W224DT FM 92.7,

, country/rock/folk (FM translator of WHLX) *

AM 1380,

, news/talk/sports *

, FM 107.1,

, mainstream country pop

Former radio stations

Lansing/East Lansing

*WFMK FM 99.1,

*WITL FM 100.7, Lansing, Michigan *WJIM-FM 97.5, Lansing, Michigan *WJIM AM 1240, Lansing, Michigan *WMMQ FM 94.9, East Lansing, Michigan *WVFN AM 730, East Lansing, Michigan

Saginaw/Bay City/Midland

*WHNN FM 96.1,

Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city in Bay County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 32,661 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is located just upriver from the Saginaw Bay on the Saginaw River. It is the princip ...

*WBCM AM 1440, Bay City, Michigan (now

WMAX (AM) WMAX (1440 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Catholic religious format. It is co-owned with WDEO 990 AM in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and features the same programming from the EWTN Global Catholic Radio network. History Licensed to Bay City, Mi ...

) *WTCF FM 100.5, Carrollton, Michigan (now

WSGW-FM WSGW-FM (100.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Carrollton, Michigan, and serving the Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City metropolitan area. It is owned by Alpha Media and simulcasts a news/talk radio format with sister station WS ...

)

Flint

*WFBE FM 95.1,

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...

*WTRX AM 1330, Flint, Michigan

Detroit

*WCLS (now WYCD)

Minneapolis/St. Paul

*WLOL-FM (now KSJN)

Adrian

*WABJ AM 1490,

Adrian, Michigan Adrian is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Lenawee County, Michigan, Lenawee County. The population was 20,645 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Adrian lies in Michigan's 5th congressional district. The c ...

*WQT] FM 95.3. Adrian, Michigan

Battle Creek

* WBCK AM 930,

Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, United States, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a tota ...

(now WFAT) * WBCK FM 95.3, Battle Creek, Michigan * WELL AM 1400, Battle Creek, Michigan (now WBFN)

Grand Rapids

*WLHT FM 95.7,

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

*WGRD-FM FM 97.9, Grand Rapids, Michigan

External links

WHLS/WHLXWPHMWBTIWSAQ

References

{{Reflist St. Clair County, Michigan Radio broadcasting companies of the United States Mass media in Michigan Companies based in Michigan