WMJZ-FM

WMJZ-FM (101.5 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to the city of Gaylord, Michigan. It broadcasts at the assigned frequency of 101.5 Megahertz with a power output of 50,000 watts. The station airs a classic hits format as Eagle 101.5, Classic Hits at Random, and is owned by Darby Advertising, a company headed by Kent Smith.

History

Beginnings

For many years, WMJZ operated at the class A frequency of 95.3 FM, and a power output of only 3,000 watts. The station first went on the air on February 20, 1984, as WZXM-FM with a CHR format, as the FM sister station of AM 900 WZXM, which had been on the air since 1950, first as WATC, which was originally part of Lester Biederman's Paul Bunyan Network. As WZXM was a daytime-only station at this time, the presence of WZXM allowed Otsego County to enjoy local radio service after FCC rules mandated shutdown of the AM station after sunset.

WZXM was sold in June 1986 to a Detroit broadcaster, then later a local group headed by Bill Rolinski. The call letters were changed to WMJZ as part of an AM and FM simulcast of adult contemporary and oldies music, provided by ABC Radio/SMN's Starstation satellite-delivered format along with a local community involvement.