WATT — Mediated Wiki

{{Short description|Radio station in Cadillac, Michigan}} {{Other uses|Watt (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox radio station | name = WATT | logo = | country = US | city = Cadillac, Michigan | branding = News Talk 1240 | frequency = 1240 kHz | translator = W291DE (106.1 MHz, Cadillac) | airdate = {{Start date|1945|9|30}} | format = News-Talk-Sports | power = 1,000 watts | class = C | facility_id = 65928 | callsign_meaning = | former_callsigns = | affiliations = Michigan Radio Network | owner = MacDonald Garber Broadcasting | sister_stations = WKAD, WKHQ-FM, WLXT, WLXV, WMKT, WMBN | webcast = | website = | licensing_authority= FCC }}

'''WATT''' (1240 AM, "News Talk 1240") is a radio station broadcasting a news-talk-sports format. Licensed to Cadillac, Michigan, it began broadcasting in 1946.

WATT officially began broadcasting on September 30, 1945, as Cadillac's first radio station<ref>{{Cite news |date=1945-09-30 |title=Cadillac Gets Station |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bay-city-times-cadillac-gets-station/188278727/ |access-date=2026-01-06 |work=The Bay City Times |page=10|agency=United Press}}</ref> on the frequency of 1240 kHz.<ref>{{cite web |title=1240 AM WATT Media Kit |url=https://macdonaldgarberbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WATTMediaKit.pdf |publisher=MacDonald-Garber Broadcasting |access-date=January 3, 2026}}</ref> The station was founded by Les Biederman, a broadcast pioneer who had previously launched WTCM in Traverse City. WATT was a key member of Biederman’s Paul Bunyan Network, a group of small-market stations designed to provide localized news and entertainment to Northern Michigan communities.<ref>{{cite web |title=WTCM (AM) History |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1976/B-1-Radio-1976-YB-6.pdf |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=C-104 |access-date=January 3, 2026}}</ref> During its early years, WATT operated with a power of 250 watts and served as an NBC Radio Network affiliate, bringing national programming and block-style variety shows to Wexford County residents.<ref>{{cite web |title=Michigan Radio History Records |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-DX/Veries/Michigan/Michigan.pdf |publisher=World Radio History |access-date=January 3, 2026}}</ref>

In the 1970s, Les Biederman sold WATT to Kenneth MacDonald Sr., the founder of MacDonald Broadcasting. MacDonald, a former hall-of-fame broadcaster from Saginaw, purchased the station alongside its FM sister (WLXV) and properties in Petoskey.<ref>{{cite web |title=MacDonald Broadcasting Hall of Fame |url=https://www.michiganassociationofbroadcasters.com/hall-of-fame/ |publisher=Michigan Association of Broadcasters |access-date=January 3, 2026}}</ref>

In 1998, as part of a corporate reorganization of the family business, the Northern Michigan stations—including WATT—were spun off into a separate entity called MacDonald-Garber Broadcasting, headed by Patricia MacDonald-Garber.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cadillac Chamber of Commerce Member Directory |url=https://www.cadillac.org/list/member/macdonald-garber-broadcasting-91 |publisher=Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce |access-date=January 3, 2026}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/HistoryCards/65928.pdf FCC History Cards for WATT] *[http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-a/watt.html Michiguide.com - WATT History] {{AM station data|65928|WATT}}

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ATT Category:Radio stations established in 1946 Category:1946 establishments in Michigan Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States Category:Cadillac, Michigan