WJML (106.3 FM) is a radio station owned by John Yob, through licensee Mitten News LLC. Licensed to Thompsonville, Michigan, the station serves the Traverse City market with a coverage area extending from the tip of the

Leelanau Peninsula The Leelanau Peninsula ( ) is a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan that extends about from the western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Michigan, forming Grand Traverse Bay. It is often referred to as the "little finger" of ...

south to Manistee and

Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...

History

WJML began operations in May 1971 as WKLA-FM and spent much of its programming day simulcasting its AM sister station throughout the 1970s. Around 1980, the station further separated programming from the AM's middle of the road format by moving into

adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...

, although the station still simulcast the AM during certain dayparts until 2000. Synergy Broadcast Media purchased WKLA-FM in 2012 from Lake Michigan Broadcasting. The deal did not close until June 19, 2013, at a price of $580,000 for WKLA-FM and sister stations WKLA and WKZC. Almost immediately, Synergy announced that it was seeking FCC approval to move the areas oldest operating FM station to Thompsonville, Michigan. (FCC File #BPH-20130801A0K). The station changed its call sign to WWMN on August 15, 2016, with WKLA-FM moving to 96.3 FM and continuing with the

Westwood One Westwood One, Inc. is an American radio network owned by Cumulus Media. The company syndicates talk, music, and sports programming. The company takes its name from an earlier network also named Westwood One, a company founded in 1976. The co ...

Hot AC format as "Hits 96" (now "96-3 KLA"). On November 18, 2016, WWMN debuted its new

adult album alternative Adult album alternative (also triple-A, AAA, or adult alternative) is a radio format. See pages 9 and 10Mills, Joshua. "A New Radio Music Format: Rock for Prosperous Adults" New York Times, Feb 28 1994, p. 2. ProQuest. Web. Accessed September 4, ...

format, branded as "106.3 The Mitten". The format over time gravitated towards a modern AC-leaning presentation with lighter songs from the 1970s through the 1990s interspersed with upbeat tracks from more contemporary alternative artists. On April 2, 2018, WWMN changed its format from adult album alternative to a simulcast of

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. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews ...

-formatted WJML (1110 AM) and WJNL (1210 AM). On November 7, 2019, WWMN changed its format from news/talk to adult contemporary, branded as "94.5 & 106.3 North FM". On June 22, 2020, WWMN changed its format from adult contemporary to a simulcast of

album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the late 1960s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock. US rad ...

-formatted WQON (100.3 FM), branded as "Q100". On March 31, 2023, WWMN went silent, due to the end of a

local marketing agreement In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...

between Blarney Stone Broadcasting and Mitten News. On October 18, 2023, WWMN returned to the air and is stunting with all-

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

music. The stunting has continued well into 2024. Approximately one year later, on October 14, 2024, it was reported that the station is playing a modern country format.MIBuzzboard: "Open Letter to the Grateful Dead station"
/ref> WWMN and WJML swapped call signs on December 9, 2024.

Sources

References

External links

* JML Radio stations established in 1971 1971 establishments in Michigan Benzie County, Michigan {{Michigan-radio-station-stub