Midwest Communications is a Wausau, Wisconsin-based radio broadcasting company. It owns 82 radio stations located primarily within the

Midwest United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

, in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Illinois and Wisconsin. The company is a family-owned business and is headed by Duke Wright.

History

1950s-1960s

Midwest Communications began in Wausau, Wisconsin, with WRIG, Inc. and the acquisition by the Duey E. Wright family of a 1400 kHz, 250 watt AM facility from the Wisconsin Valley Television Corporation. The call letters WRIG (for Wright) were assigned and on August 1, 1958, top forty-formatted WRIG signed on the air. Power was increased to 1,000 watts in 1961 and WRIG-FM (now WDEZ) signed on in 1964.

1970s

Midwest started station WROE in Appleton/Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1971. Founder Duey E. Wright Sr. died at 75 on November 24, 1971, with Duey E. Wright Jr. taking over the company his father founded. In 1975 Midwest purchased WBAY-AM and FM, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Due to FCC rules at that time, WROE was sold. The Green Bay call letters were changed to WGEE-AM (now WTAQ-AM) and WIXX-FM. The 1980s saw the acquisition by Midwest of KIOA/KMGK, Des Moines, Iowa, WKKQ/WTBX, Hibbing, Minnesota and KLMS/KFMQ, Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition WRIG moved to 1390 kHz and increased power to 5000 watts day and night.

1990s

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allowed Midwest to consolidate the Green Bay-Appleton/Oshkosh and Wausau-Stevens Point markets. The consolidation brought about the sale of the Des Moines, Lincoln and Hibbing stations and the acquisitions of WROE, WOZZ, WLTM (now WZBY), WNCY and WNFL in Green Bay-Appleton/Oshkosh and WSAU, WIFC, WOFM and WIZD in Wausau-Stevens Point. In addition four stations WTVB, WNWN AM/FM and WFAT were acquired in the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Michigan market.

2000s

In the beginning of the 2000s, Midwest acquired WHBL, WWJR (now WHBZ) and WBFM IN Sheboygan, Wisconsin and WHTC and WEVS (now WYVN) in Holland, Michigan as well as the Duluth Minnesota/Superior Wisconsin market stations KDAL AM/FM, KRBR, WDSM, KTCO and KXTP (now WGEE). On June 30, 2004, Midwest Communications, Inc. acquired an additional six stations in the Hibbing Minnesota market, WNMT, WMFG AM/FM, KMFG, WTBX and WUSZ. On June 14, 2005 Midwest Communications, Inc. acquired WMGI and WWSY in Terre Haute, Indiana and on December 16, 2005 added WACF and WPRS licensed to Paris, IL to the Terre Haute Indiana market. On January 6, 2006 Midwest Communications, Inc. expanded in the Sheboygan Wisconsin market with the addition of WXER. On May 1, 2006 Midwest Communications, Inc. acquired three additional properties in the Kalamazoo, Michigan market, WKZO, WQLR (now WVFM) and WQSN (now WQLR).

2010s

The company continued to grow when Midwest Communications added stations in the Lansing market. 94.1 FM WVIC, 106.1 FM WJXQ, 92.1 FM WQTX and 92.9 FM WLMI joined the Midwest Communications family in July 2010. Midwest Communications Fargo Location

On November 1, 2012, Midwest Communications acquired six additional radio stations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Those stations included 103.7 FM KRRO, 95.7 FM KQSF, 92.5 FM KTWB, 101.9 FM KELO-FM, 1320 AM KELO-AM and 1230 AM KWSN. May 1, 2013 saw the acquisition of six more radio properties in Fargo, North Dakota. 101.9 FM KRWK, 104.7 FM KMJO, 93.7 FM WDAY, 740 AM KVOX, 99.9 FM KVOX and 790 AM KFGO “The Mighty 790”. On September 1, 2014, Midwest Communications expanded to three new markets with the acquisition of stations in the Nashville, Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee and Evansville, Indiana markets. In this acquisition Midwest added nine more radio properties. In Nashville, Tennessee, Midwest acquired 96.3 FM WCJK and 92.9 FM WJXA. In Knoxville, Tennessee, 103.5 FM WIMZ, 97.5 FM WJXB and 95.7 FM WVRX. The Evansville, Indiana stations include 93.5 FM WLFW, 107.5 FM WABX, 96.1 FM WSTO and 104.1 FM WIKY. On December 30, 2016, Midwest sold Hibbing, Minnesota-based KMFG to Refuge Media Group. On December 31, 2016, Midwest acquired KAOD, KGPZ, KQDS-FM, WEVE-FM, and WXXZ in the Duluth and Hibbing markets from Red Rock Broadcasting. Effective September 22, 2017, Midwest sold WXXZ and KAOD to Aurora Broadcasting, L.L.C.

List of stations

Battle Creek, Michigan

* WNWN - 98.5 FM - Country music * WFAT - 930 AM/102.7 FM - Classic hits

Coldwater, Michigan

WTVB WTVB (1590 AM) is a regional radio station located in Coldwater, Michigan. It carries largely classic hits and local news and sports, with Westwood One as its source for national news, and carries Westwood One's Classic Hits Total format. Midwe ...

- 1590 AM/95.5 FM Classic Hits

Duluth, Minnesota

* KDAL - 610 AM/103.9 FM -

News Talk Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featur ...

* KDAL-FM - 95.7 FM - Adult contemporary *

KDKE KDKE (102.5 FM, "Duke FM") is a classic country radio station located in Duluth, Minnesota (licensed to Superior, Wisconsin). KDKE is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns WDSM, WDUL, KDAL, KDAL-FM and KTCO in Duluth. All the Duluth st ...

- 102.5 FM - Classic Country *

KTCO KTCO (98.9 FM, "Kat Country 98.9") is a radio station in Duluth, Minnesota, airing a country music format. KTCO is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns KDKE, WDSM, WDUL, KDAL, and KDAL-FM in Duluth. All the Duluth stations share the ...

- 98.9 FM - Country music * KQDS-FM - 94.9 FM - Classic rock * WDSM - 710 AM - Sports radio * WDUL - 970 AM/98.1 FM - Top 40

Evansville, Indiana

* WABX - 107.5 FM - Classic rock *

WIKY-FM WIKY-FM (104.1 MHz) is a full-service/adult contemporary music radio station serving the Evansville, Indiana radio market. History The call letters WIKY debuted in 1948, when John A. Engelbrecht gained the FCC license for 820 AM. WIKY sign ...

- 104.1 FM - Adult Contemporary *

WLYD WLYD (93.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Chandler, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Evansville area. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications, Inc. and features programming ...

- 93.5 FM - Country * WSTO - 96.1 FM - CHR/Top 40

Fargo, North Dakota

KFGO KFGO may refer to: * KFGO (AM), a radio station (790 AM) licensed to Fargo, North Dakota, U.S. * KFGO-FM, a radio station (104.7 FM) licensed to Hope, North Dakota, U.S. * KRWK KRWK (101.9 FM, known as "101.9 Jack FM", is a radio station servin ...

- 790 AM/94.1 FM -

KFGO-FM KFGO-FM (104.7 MHz) is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format, simulcasting KFGO (790 AM). Licensed to Hope, North Dakota, it serves the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 2002 under the call sign KDAM. ...

- 104.7 FM -

* KNFL - 740 AM/107.3 FM - Sports *

KOYY KOYY (93.7 FM, "Y94") is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1965. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications. All the offices and studio ...

- 93.7 FM - Top 40 (CHR) *

KRWK KRWK (101.9 FM, known as "101.9 Jack FM", is a radio station serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1983 under the call sign KRRZ. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications. All the office ...

- 101.9 FM - Adult Hits *

KVOX-FM KVOX-FM (99.9 FM, "Froggy 99.9") is a country radio station located in Fargo, North Dakota (licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to twin city Moorhead, Minnesota), owned by Duey Wright's Midwest Communications, Inc. Its st ...

- 99.9 FM - Country

Green Bay, Wisconsin

* WGEE - 93.1 FM/93.1 FM - Classic Country * WDKF - 99.7 FM - Classic Country *

WIXX WIXX (101.1 FM) is a Top 40/ CHR radio station licensed to and serving Green Bay, Wisconsin, along with Appleton, Oshkosh, and much of Northeast Wisconsin. The station is owned and operated by Wausau, Wisconsin-based Midwest Communications, ...

-101.1 FM - Top 40/CHR *

WNCY-FM WNCY-FM (100.3 FM, "Y100") is an American commercial country music formatted radio station licensed to Neenah- Menasha, Wisconsin, that serves the Green Bay and Appleton- Oshkosh areas. WNCY is owned and operated by Midwest Communications, whi ...

- 100.3 FM/92.1 FM - Country music * WNFL - 1440 AM - Sports Radio *

WTAQ WTAQ (1360 AM) and WTAQ-FM (97.5 FM) are conservative news/talk-formatted radio stations, licensed to Green Bay, Wisconsin (AM) and Glenmore, Wisconsin (FM), that serve the Green Bay and Appleton- Oshkosh areas. The stations are owned by Mid ...

- 1360 AM - Conservative Talk * WTAQ-FM - 97.5 FM -

* WYDR - 94.3 FM - Adult Hits

Hibbing, Minnesota

* WMFG - 1240 AM - Adult Standards * WMFG-FM - 106.3 FM - Classic Rock ( KQDS-FM simulcast) * WNMT - 650 AM -

* WTBX - 93.9 FM - Hot AC * WDKE - 96.1 FM/98.3 FM/103.9 FM - Classic Country * WEVE-FM - 97.9 FM/92.1 FM - Adult Contemporary * WUSZ - 99.9 FM - Country music

Holland, Michigan

* WHTC - 1450 AM/99.7 FM -

WYVN WYVN (92.7 FM, "The Van") is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format licensed to Saugatuck, Michigan, with studios in Holland, Michigan and is owned along with WHTC by Midwest Communications. The station began operations on July 4, 1 ...

- 92.7 FM - Classic Hits

Jackson, Michigan

WWDK WWDK ("94.1 Duke FM"') is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Jackson, Michigan, it first began broadcasting on July 14, 1958 as WMKZ-FM. The station broadcasts from a tower near Springport, Michigan. History After ...

- 94.1 FM - Classic country

Kalamazoo, Michigan

* WKZO - 590 AM/106.9 FM -

* WTOU - 1660 AM/95.5 FM - Urban adult contemporary * WVFM - 106.5 FM - Adult Hits * WZOX - 96.5 FM - Modern AC

Knoxville, Tennessee

WDKW WDKW (95.7 FM) is a broadcast radio station licensed to Maryville, Tennessee, serving Knoxville, Tennessee. WDKW is owned and operated by Midwest Communications, Inc. Owner is Duke Wright and current General Manager Michael Brody. History This ...

- 95.7 FM - Classic Country * WIMZ-FM - 103.5 FM - Classic Rock *

WJXB-FM WJXB-FM (97.5 MHz, "B97.5") is a radio station licensed to serve Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. The station is owned by Duke Wright, through licensee Midwest Communications, Inc. WJXB-FM broadcasts an adult contemporary music format. The s ...

- 97.5 FM/107.3 FM - Adult Contemporary *

WNFZ WNFZ (94.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Powell, Tennessee, and serving the Knoxville metropolitan area. WNFZ is owned by Midwest Communications. It airs an adult hits radio format, subscribing to the nationally syndicated ...

- 94.3 FM - Adult Hits

Lansing, Michigan

WJXQ WJXQ (106.1 FM, "Q106") is a commercial radio station licensed to Charlotte, Michigan, and serving the Lansing radio market. WJXQ is owned by Midwest Communications and airs an active rock radio format. Studios and offices are located on Cedar ...

- 106.1 FM -

Rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

WLMI WLMI is a radio station licensed to Grand Ledge, Michigan, serving Lansing. Owned by Midwest Communications, it broadcasts a classic hits format branded as ''Cruisin 92.9''. History What is now WLMI began life as WCER-FM in Charlotte, Michi ...

- 92.9 FM - Classic Rock *

WQTX WQTX (92.1 FM, "Stacks 92.1) is a radio station broadcasting a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary format to the Lansing, Michigan radio market. Licensed to St. Johns, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1972, and has been through a number of diff ...

- 92.1 FM - Rhythmic Adult Contemporary

Peoria, Illinois

* WIRL - 1290 AM/95.9 FM - Conservative Talk * WKZF - 102.3 FM - Rhythmic Classic Hits * WMBD - 1470 AM/100.3 FM - News/Talk *

WSWT WSWT (106.9 FM, branded as "Mix 106.9") is a commercial radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. It is licensed to Peoria, Illinois, and is owned by Midwest ...

- 106.9 FM - Hot Adult Contemporary * WPBG - 93.3 FM - Classic Hits * WXCL - 104.9 FM - Country

Nashville, Tennessee

* WCJK - 96.3 FM - Adult Hits * WJXA - 92.9 FM - Adult Contemporary * WNFN - 106.7 FM -

Contemporary Hit Radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

* WBFM - 93.7 FM - Country music *

WHBL WHBL (1330 AM) is a radio station in Sheboygan, Wisconsin with a Conservative talk radio format. The station is owned by Wausau-based Midwest Communications, along with three sister FM stations in the market. WHBL's programming is also carried o ...

- 1330 AM/101.5 FM

* WHBZ - 106.5 FM -

Active Rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...

* WXER - 104.5 FM/96.1 FM - Hot adult contemporary

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

* KELO - 1320 AM/105.1 FM -

* KELO-FM - 101.9 FM -

Soft Rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...

KELQ KELQ 107.9 FM is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format, simulcasting KELO 1320 AM. Licensed to Flandreau, South Dakota, it serves the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area. The station is currently owned by Duey E. Wright, through licensee Mi ...

- 107.9 FM - News/Talk * KQSF - 95.7 FM - Top 40 *

KRRO KRRO (103.7 FM, "The KRRO") is a radio station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota airing a mainstream rock format. The station is owned by Duey E. Wright through licensee Midwest Communications, Inc. Its studios are located on South Phillips Avenue i ...

- 103.7 FM -

KTWB KTWB is a radio station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota airing a country music format. The station is owned by Duey E. Wright, through licensee Midwest Communications, Inc. Its studios are located on South Phillips Avenue in Sioux Falls, while it ...

- 92.5 FM - Country music *

KWSN KWSN (1230 AM "FOX Sports Sioux Falls") is a radio station carrying a sports format with Fox Sports Radio programming. The station serves the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, area. It was acquired by Midwest Communications, Inc. in 2012. This station ...

- 1230 AM/98.1 FM - Sports Radio

Terre Haute, Indiana

* WBOW - 102.7 FM - Classic Hits *

WIBQ WIBQ (1230 AM, "NewsTalk 1230") is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1958 under the call sign WMFT. The station is curren ...

- 1230 AM/97.9 FM - News/Talk *

WIBU WIBU (1440 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Paris, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Terre Haute, Indiana area. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications, Inc. and features programmi ...

- 1440 AM - News/Talk *

WMGI WMGI, "100.7 Mix FM", is an FM radio station owned by Midwest Communications, Inc. in Terre Haute, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 100.7 MHz, FM channel 264. The studios are located at 925 Wabash Avenue in Terre Ha ...

- 100.7 FM -

Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...

* WTHI-FM - 99.9 FM - Country music *

WWVR WWVR (98.5 FM, "The River") is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Paris, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Champaign, Illinois, and Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county ...

- 98.5 FM - Classic rock

Wausau, Wisconsin

* WDEZ - 101.9 FM - Country *

WIFC WIFC (95.5 FM) is a top 40 (CHR) radio station located in Wausau, Wisconsin. The station is owned and operated locally by Midwest Communications, previously owned by Journal Communications Journal Media Group (formerly Journal Communication ...

- 95.5 FM - Top 40/CHR * WOZZ - 94.7 FM/102.9 FM - Adult Hits * WRIG - 1390 AM/93.9 FM - Sports Radio * WSAU - 550 AM/95.1 FM - Conservative Talk * WSAU-FM - 99.9 FM - Conservative Talk

Notable Talent

Joel Heitkamp Joel Curtis Heitkamp (born November 2, 1961) is an American talk radio host and politician who served as a member of the North Dakota Senate for the 26th district from 1994 to 2008. Education Heitkamp was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota and r ...

- talk show host

References

External links

Corporate Website
{{Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau, Wisconsin Companies based in Wisconsin Radio broadcasting companies of the United States Midwest Communications radio stations