# WHZZ > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/WHZZ > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/WHZZ.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHZZ > Source revision: 1339302962 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For the radio station which held the call sign WHZZ from 1986 to 1991, see [WEIO](/source/WEIO). Radio station in Lansing, Michigan, United States WHZZ Lansing, Michigan United States Broadcast area Lansing-Jackson, Michigan Frequency 101.7 MHz Branding 101.7 Mike FM Programming Format Variety hits Ownership Owner MacDonald Broadcasting Sister stations WILS, WQHH, WXLA History First air date January 1967 (as WILS-FM) Former call signs WILS-FM (3/24/92-5/15/95) WLYY (4/15/91-3/24/92) WKKP (5/5/89-4/15/91) WILS-FM (1967-5/5/89) Call sign meaning Hitz (a reference to its former Top 40 format) Technical information[1] Licensing authority FCC Facility ID 39538 Class A ERP 4,100 watts HAAT 121 meters Transmitter coordinates 42°41′29″N 84°33′29″W / 42.69139°N 84.55806°W / 42.69139; -84.55806 Links Public license information Public file LMS Webcast Listen Live Website 1017mikefm.com **WHZZ** (101.7 FM, "Mike FM") is a [radio station](/source/Radio_station) licensed to [Lansing, Michigan](/source/Lansing%2C_Michigan) with a [variety hits](/source/Variety_hits) format. ## History The station has gone through many different formats over the years. After beginning as a simulcast of [WILS](/source/WILS) 1320 AM as **WILS-FM** in 1967, the station separated programming in the late 1960s with an automated [MOR](/source/Middle_of_the_road_(music)) format (with the exception of the Jerry Marshall morning show, which was simulcast with WILS-AM from 6 to 10 a.m.). In 1972, WILS-FM launched an automated Country format which was branded as "Hit Country", although the morning simulcast continued. In 1975, WILS-FM abandoned the Country format in favor of a 12-hour daily simulcast with WILS-AM, followed by split programming in the evening, which included an [AOR](/source/Album_Oriented_Rock) format from 6 p.m. to midnight, and a [Jazz](/source/Jazz) format from midnight to 6 a.m.. In 1978, WILS-FM abandoned the overnight Jazz and ended the simulcast with WILS-AM, programming the AOR format full time. The AOR format proved to be quite successful for the station, resulting in respectable ratings despite WILS-FM's 3KW signal. In August 1983 WILS-AM and WILS-FM's original owner Lansing Broadcasting, sold the station to Sentry Broadcasting (a division of [Sentry Insurance](/source/Sentry_Insurance)) The new management made changes quickly, deciding to automate sister station WILS-AM with a [Nostalgia](/source/Nostalgia) format; in December 1983, most of the WILS-FM air staff, including the highly rated morning team of Douglas "Doug" Burton and Danny "Dan" Ballard, were let go, and were replaced by announcers from WILS-AM. On April 14, 1984, WILS-FM abruptly changed to an [Adult Contemporary](/source/Adult_Contemporary) format using the brand name *WILS FM 102* to compete with top-rated [WFMK](/source/WFMK). The station's ratings plummeted and would not recover for over a decade as 101.7 FM went through unsuccessful tries at [Hot AC](/source/Hot_Adult_Contemporary) as WKKP, and then later as WLYY, and Country formats (the latter with a return to the WILS-FM calls in the early 1990s). The station also went through a number of ownership changes during this period. [Sentry Insurance](/source/Sentry_Insurance) dissolved their radio division and sold WILS to Northstar Broadcasting in 1986, and after going through an upper-management shakeup, Northstar sold the station to current owner [MacDonald Broadcasting](/source/MacDonald_Broadcasting) in 1989. In the spring of 1995, WILS-FM became WHZZ under their new moniker *Z101.7*. WHZZ filled the void as the new [Top 40](/source/Mainstream_Top_40)/[CHR](/source/Contemporary_Hit_Radio) station for Lansing after [WVIC-FM](/source/WMMQ) dropped its longtime CHR format to compete with country market leader [WITL](/source/WITL). WHZZ was frequently criticized by CHR aficionados for featuring an overly conservative adult-oriented playlist heavy on Hot AC chart currents and 1980's and 1990's gold, but the station enjoyed good Arbitron ratings during their Top 40/CHR run, and even reached #1 overall (12+) at least once. On September 13, 2005, WHZZ unexpectedly flipped to [adult hits](/source/Adult_hits) as "Mike FM". Two days after WHZZ's flip, the CHR format was picked up by [WJIM-FM](/source/WJIM-FM). ## See also - [Dave FM](/source/WZGC) - [Hank FM](/source/Hank_FM) - [Jack FM](/source/Jack_FM) - [Joe FM](/source/WMJO) - [Sam FM](/source/S.A.M.%3A_Simply_About_Music) ## Sources - [Michiguide.com - WHZZ History](http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-g/whzz.html) ## External links - [Facility details for Facility ID 39538 (WHZZ)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=39538) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System - [WHZZ](https://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP26&band=fm&callLetter=WHZZ) in [Nielsen Audio](/source/Nielsen_Audio)'s FM station database v t e Radio stations in the Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area (Michigan) By AM frequency 730 870 1110 1180 1240 1320 1390 1540 1580 By FM frequency 88.1 88.5 88.9 89.1 89.7 90.5 92.1 92.9 94.9 96.5 97.5 99.1 100.7 101.7 106.1 Translators 90.9 93.3 95.3 95.9 98.3 99.9 100.3 102.3 104.7 106.9 Digital radio by frequency & subchannel 90.5-1 90.5-2 100.7-1 100.7-2 100.7-3 By call sign KTGG W215CH W227DO W237BY W240CG W252CN W260BX W262BD W272EM W284AH W295BP WDBM WFMK WHZZ WILS WITL-FM HD2 HD3 WJIM WJIM-FM WJOM WJXQ WLMI WKAR WKAR-FM HD2 WLCM WLGH WLNZ WMMQ WQHH WQTX WUNN WVFN WWSJ WXLA Radio stations in Central Michigan Flint Lansing-East Lansing North Central Michigan Saginaw-Bay City-Midland South Central Michigan Thumb of Michigan Other nearby regions Ann Arbor Battle Creek Detroit Grand Rapids Kalamazoo See also List of radio stations in Michigan 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FCC-LMS-39538_1-0)** ["Facility Technical Data for WHZZ"](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityTechDetails.html?facilityId=39538). *Licensing and Management System*. [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission). --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [WHZZ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHZZ) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHZZ?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.