WCAR
Encyclopedia
WCAR, 1090 AM, in the Detroit market, is a 24-hour talk radio station based out of Livonia, Michigan
. The station airs a variety of talk show programs, including the nationally syndicated Imus in the Morning
.
.
1090 AM was originally WERB in Garden City, Michigan
, co-owned with the now-defunct WBRB 1430 AM in Mount Clemens and airing a full-service middle of the road format aimed at the western suburbs of Wayne County. In about 1966, WERB became WTAK, notable for being the Detroit area's first all-talk radio station; the WTAK air staff included such Detroit radio notables as Tom Clay
, Vic Caputo and Paul Winter. WTAK's talk format went under in about 1970, however, due to many advertisers pulling their business from the station because of the controversial nature of some of the topics discussed. WTAK changed to WIID and went back to a suburban-oriented MOR format, and then to ethnic programming by the mid-1970s.
For years afterward, the bulk of AM 1090's programming, as WIID and later (starting in 1979) WCAR, consisted of ethnic programming and some English-language talk. During the mid-1990s, WCAR 1090 was also briefly the Detroit affiliate station for Radio AAHS
, a now-defunct nationwide radio network featuring programming for children, and then (after Radio AAHS shut down in 1998) a simulcast of the Minneapolis-based dance music
format Beat Radio
(which replaced AAHS on all ten of the company-owned former-AAHS stations around the country).
In recent years, much of WCAR's programming had been simulcast on sister station WOAP
1080 AM in the Lansing
area. WOAP now airs separate content.
, Brian Kilmeade
, Robert Wuhl
, Jim Bohannon
and Red Eye Radio with News content from CNN, Fox and MarketWatch
.
A new afternoon drive show featuring local legendary broadcasters Bill Bonds
& Rich Fisher (Bonds & Fisher) debuted on October 3, 2011. Co-hosting and producing is Rachel Nevada, a respected Detroit radio veteran.
Livonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
. The station airs a variety of talk show programs, including the nationally syndicated Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
.
History
For the history of the station formerly known as WCAR from 1939 to 1978, at 1130 on the AM dial, see WDFNWDFN
WDFN is a sports-talk radio station in the Detroit, Michigan, market. It broadcasts in the AM radio band at 1130 kHz. WDFN is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and until the end of the 2008-09 NBA season, was the flagship station for the Detroit Pistons....
.
1090 AM was originally WERB in Garden City, Michigan
Garden City, Michigan
Garden City is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,692. The city is part of the Metro Detroit region.- History :...
, co-owned with the now-defunct WBRB 1430 AM in Mount Clemens and airing a full-service middle of the road format aimed at the western suburbs of Wayne County. In about 1966, WERB became WTAK, notable for being the Detroit area's first all-talk radio station; the WTAK air staff included such Detroit radio notables as Tom Clay
Tom Clay
Tom Clay was an American radio personality and disc jockey.Clay was born Thomas Clague in New York, and in the 1950s he was popular in the Detroit area on WJBK-AM both as a DJ, and for his on-air comic characterizations; he became a local celebrity...
, Vic Caputo and Paul Winter. WTAK's talk format went under in about 1970, however, due to many advertisers pulling their business from the station because of the controversial nature of some of the topics discussed. WTAK changed to WIID and went back to a suburban-oriented MOR format, and then to ethnic programming by the mid-1970s.
For years afterward, the bulk of AM 1090's programming, as WIID and later (starting in 1979) WCAR, consisted of ethnic programming and some English-language talk. During the mid-1990s, WCAR 1090 was also briefly the Detroit affiliate station for Radio AAHS
Radio AAHS
Radio AAHS was a radio network managed by the Children's Broadcasting Corporation. Its flagship station was WWTC-AM 1280 in Minneapolis, which broadcast from the former First Federal Bank building at Highway 100 and Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park. At its height in 1996, Radio AAHS had 29...
, a now-defunct nationwide radio network featuring programming for children, and then (after Radio AAHS shut down in 1998) a simulcast of the Minneapolis-based dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
format Beat Radio
Beat Radio
Beat Radio originally was an unlicensed radio station in Minneapolis, Minnesota that played dance music. Founded by local radio DJ and programmer, Alan Freed, in 1996, the station served downtown Minneapolis and surrounding neighborhoods and reached into the western, northwestern and southwestern...
(which replaced AAHS on all ten of the company-owned former-AAHS stations around the country).
In recent years, much of WCAR's programming had been simulcast on sister station WOAP
WOAP
WOAP is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Owosso, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1948. The station's 1,000-watt signal reaches outlying areas of the Flint and Lansing markets...
1080 AM in the Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
area. WOAP now airs separate content.
Current Programming
On May 2009, WCAR and WOAP were sold to Birach Broadcasting. Michigan Catholic Radio ended its broadcasts on WCAR on July 31, 2009 when Birach took over the station. Currently, the station airs News / Talk with Imus in the MorningImus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
, Brian Kilmeade
Brian Kilmeade
Brian Kilmeade a Fox News Channel television personality. Weekdays, he co-hosts Fox's morning show, Fox & Friends, along with Steve Doocy and Gretchen Carlson. Kilmeade also co-hosts Brian and the Judge, a talk-news radio show on Fox News Radio, with Judge Andrew P. Napolitano...
, Robert Wuhl
Robert Wuhl
-Early life:Wuhl was born in Union, New Jersey to a Jewish family, including a father who worked as a produce distributor. After attending Union High School, Wuhl headed to the University of Houston, where he was active in the drama department and the Epsilon-Omicron Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon...
, Jim Bohannon
Jim Bohannon
James E. "Jim" Bohannon is an American broadcaster who has worked in both television and radio.During the 1980s he was a fill-in for Larry King when King had his popular nighttime national radio program. He also does much work with the Smithsonian Associates...
and Red Eye Radio with News content from CNN, Fox and MarketWatch
MarketWatch
MarketWatch operates a financial information website that provides business news, analysis and stock market data to some 6 million people. MarketWatch offers personal finance news and advice, tools for investors and access to industry research. Along with its flagship website, the company operates...
.
A new afternoon drive show featuring local legendary broadcasters Bill Bonds
Bill Bonds
Bill Bonds is an American television anchor and reporter, best known for his work at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, Michigan. Born in 1933, Bonds became an Action News anchorman beginning in the early 1970s.-Early career:...
& Rich Fisher (Bonds & Fisher) debuted on October 3, 2011. Co-hosting and producing is Rachel Nevada, a respected Detroit radio veteran.