WUPS
Encyclopedia
WUPS is a 100 kW radio station broadcasting at 98.5 licensed to Harrison, Michigan
and serving central and northern Michigan, with its chief focus on the Mount Pleasant
area. The station is owned by John Salov and broadcasts a classic hits
format.
During certain atmospheric conditions (with stronger antennas) WUPS 98.5 can be heard as far south as the Flint, Saginaw and Lapeer area. However, this is rare and often mixes with WNWN-FM
in Coldwater, MI as you go farther south.
The station signed on in 1961 to complement its sister station, WHGR 1290 (whose call letters stood for Houghton Lake/Grayling
/Roscommon
). In the beginning, the station, known as WJGS (for owners Jacob and Garnett Sparks), was 19,000 watts. In the 1960s, a fire destroyed the WJGS/WHGR studios right before Christmas
. They ended up broadcasting from a trailer until a new building was built.
Throughout most of the 1960s and through the 1980s, WJGS was automated MOR.
In 1983, Sparks Broadcasting sold the stations to Shea Broadcasting, who sold it to Melling Tool and Die in 1988. WJGS's power was increased to 100,000 watts, flipped to CHR
and became WUPS. The station was of course named after the United Parcel Service
, for their longtime slogan is "We Deliver the Hits".
With its central location in Houghton Lake, WUPS's signal is heard in most of northern and central Michigan, with a coverage area stretching from Gaylord southward to Alma. For a short time in the early 1990s, the station was simulcasted to the Traverse City, MI area on WMLB 98.1 (now WGFN
).
Throughout most of the 1990s, WUPS's format changed several times: adult top 40, hot AC, all-1970s, all-1970s-1980s, classic hits/hot AC hybrid and its current format, 1960s-1980s classic hits.
In 1998, Salov bought out Melling and created a huge controversy in 2001 when he sold WHGR - then satellite-fed standards
- to Clear Channel
for $250,000, making it their first property in northern Michigan. However, they bought out WHGR for only one reason: to shut it down. They wanted to expand their Grand Rapids, MI station, WOOD
-AM 1300 to 25,000 watts, and the only way to do so was to shut down WHGR. The move stunned many people in the Houghton Lake area who had grown up with the station.
Today, WUPS broadcasts from studios on M-18
/M-55
in Prudenville, as their old studio was destroyed to make way for a Wal-Mart
in Houghton Lake many years ago. The station previous broadcasted from the top of Mid Michigan Community College
in Mount Pleasant, MI.
WUPS recently changed its city of license from Houghton Lake to Harrison with no change in transmitter location or signal. To maintain local radio service to Houghton Lake, country music
sister station WTWS
(The Twister) moved to Houghton Lake.
Harrison, Michigan
Harrison is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,108. It is the county seat of Clare County.The city is named after U.S. President William Henry Harrison....
and serving central and northern Michigan, with its chief focus on the Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Mount Pleasant is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Isabella County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,946. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 26,675....
area. The station is owned by John Salov and broadcasts a classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format.
During certain atmospheric conditions (with stronger antennas) WUPS 98.5 can be heard as far south as the Flint, Saginaw and Lapeer area. However, this is rare and often mixes with WNWN-FM
WNWN-FM
WNWN-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Coldwater, Michigan with studios in Battle Creek, it first began broadcasting in 1950 under the WTVB-FM call sign at 98.3 on the FM dial and spent most of its early existence as a simulcast of sister station WTVB before...
in Coldwater, MI as you go farther south.
The station signed on in 1961 to complement its sister station, WHGR 1290 (whose call letters stood for Houghton Lake/Grayling
Grayling, Michigan
Grayling is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Crawford County. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. Grayling takes its name from the Grayling fish that was once prevalent in its lakes and streams....
/Roscommon
Roscommon, Michigan
Roscommon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,133. It is the county seat of Roscommon County....
). In the beginning, the station, known as WJGS (for owners Jacob and Garnett Sparks), was 19,000 watts. In the 1960s, a fire destroyed the WJGS/WHGR studios right before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. They ended up broadcasting from a trailer until a new building was built.
Throughout most of the 1960s and through the 1980s, WJGS was automated MOR.
In 1983, Sparks Broadcasting sold the stations to Shea Broadcasting, who sold it to Melling Tool and Die in 1988. WJGS's power was increased to 100,000 watts, flipped to CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
and became WUPS. The station was of course named after the United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, for their longtime slogan is "We Deliver the Hits".
With its central location in Houghton Lake, WUPS's signal is heard in most of northern and central Michigan, with a coverage area stretching from Gaylord southward to Alma. For a short time in the early 1990s, the station was simulcasted to the Traverse City, MI area on WMLB 98.1 (now WGFN
WGFN
WGFN is one of four radio stations in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan that simulcast a classic rock format, with The Bob & Tom Show & Nights with Alice Cooper, called "The Bear"...
).
Throughout most of the 1990s, WUPS's format changed several times: adult top 40, hot AC, all-1970s, all-1970s-1980s, classic hits/hot AC hybrid and its current format, 1960s-1980s classic hits.
In 1998, Salov bought out Melling and created a huge controversy in 2001 when he sold WHGR - then satellite-fed standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
- to Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
for $250,000, making it their first property in northern Michigan. However, they bought out WHGR for only one reason: to shut it down. They wanted to expand their Grand Rapids, MI station, WOOD
WOOD (AM)
WOOD is a news/talk radio station broadcasting at 1300 kHz and 106.9 FM in Michigan, United States. WOOD-AM is licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan and WOOD-FM to Muskegon, Michigan.-Full-service station:...
-AM 1300 to 25,000 watts, and the only way to do so was to shut down WHGR. The move stunned many people in the Houghton Lake area who had grown up with the station.
Today, WUPS broadcasts from studios on M-18
M-18 (Michigan highway)
M-18 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for through the central region of the state connecting US Highway 10 near North Bradley with M-72 in rural Crawford County near the community of Luzerne...
/M-55
M-55 (Michigan highway)
M-55 is a state trunkline highway in the northern part of the US state of Michigan. M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan; the others are M-46 and M-72. The highway crosses through rural forest and farmlands to connect...
in Prudenville, as their old studio was destroyed to make way for a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
in Houghton Lake many years ago. The station previous broadcasted from the top of Mid Michigan Community College
Mid Michigan Community College
Mid Michigan Community College is a two-year public college founded in 1965. The college has three locations including one in Harrison, Michigan and two in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The main campus is in Harrison, MI on of land. It contains the majority of the programs the college offers, and the...
in Mount Pleasant, MI.
WUPS recently changed its city of license from Houghton Lake to Harrison with no change in transmitter location or signal. To maintain local radio service to Houghton Lake, country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
sister station WTWS
WTWS
WTWS, known as 92.1 The Twister, is a 920-watt radio station broadcasting at 92.1 FM in Houghton Lake, MI, with a country music format.Formerly licensed to Harrison, Michigan and operated as a satellite of public radio station WVXU Cincinnati for several years and owned by Xavier University , the...
(The Twister) moved to Houghton Lake.