NTIA / PTFP: Public Broadcasting Coverage

MICHIGAN


State population (2000 census)		9,938,444

Population receiving a FM public radio signal		9,523,773	95.8%
(from both in and out-of-state stations)
Population in uncovered areas		414,671

Stations in State	FM stations	27
	FM translators	7
	AM stations	3

1989 PTFP Study:	Population receiving a
	FM public radio signal	8,700,000	94%

Broadcast Coverage Maps

FM Stations - Detail FM Stations - Printable

Public Radio Stations in State

Main stations in bold followed by associated repeaters and translators
Translators are shown at the end of the narrative.
Facilities in italics operated by out‑of‑state broadcasters
Location in ( ) - actual location of transmitting facilities
N - New facility since 1989 study # - Station now meets study criteria

FM Stations

WGVU
88.5
Allendale WVXM¹ N
97.7
Manistee

   WGVS #
95.3
Whitehall WNMU
90.1
Marquette

WUOM
91.7
Ann Arbor WCMU
89.5
Mt. Pleasant

   WFUM
91.1
Flint    WCML
91.7
Alpena

   WVGR
104.1
Grand Rapids    WUCX N
90.1
Bay City

WDET
101.9
Detroit    WCMW N
103.9
Harbor Springs

WKAR
90.5
East Lansing    WCMB N
95.7
Oscoda

WYCE #
88.1
Grand Rapids    WCMZ N
98.3
Sault Ste Marie

WVXH¹ N
92.1
Harrison    WWCM N
96.9
Standish

WGGL²
91.9
Houghton WVXA¹ N
96.7
Rogers City

WIAA
88.7
Interlochen WBLV
90.3
Twin Lake

   WICA
91.5
Traverse City    WBLU #
88.9
Grand Rapids

WMUK
102.1
Kalamazoo WEMU
89.1
Ypsilanti

WLNZ N
89.7
Lansing

AM Stations

WKAR
870
East Lansing WGVS N
850
Muskegon

WGVU N
1480
Grand Rapids

¹Operated by WVXU, Cincinnati, OH.
² Operated by MN Public Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN.
General Comments
Public radio service in Michigan is provided primarily by stations licensed to the state's universities. Additional service comes from stations licensed to non-profit groups. Licensees of five main station facilities -- WGVU, WUOM, WKAR, WNMU and WCMU -- also operate public television stations. Several broadcasters provide service to large regions. Many communities in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula receive public radio from multiple stations. In addition to 27 FM stations and eight FM translators, public broadcasters in the state operate three AM stations, two of which began broadcasting in the 1990s.
FM Service
The 1989 PTFP study reported that 16 FM stations and three translators served the state. Several new stations have extended coverage to territory identified in the 1989 study as unserved. WCMU Mt. Pleasant added five repeater stations to extend service throughout the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula and into the Upper Peninsula. WNMU established five translators to extend service in the Upper Peninsula. WVXU in Cincinnati established three satellite fed repeater stations, two of which provide first service in their areas. Three stations^__WBLU Grand Rapids, WGVS Whitehall and WYCE Grand Rapids -- that were on the air in 1989 did not meet the criteria for inclusion in that year's study, but now meet the criteria for this study. WFBE Flint, which was included in the 1989 study, was sold in 1997 to a commercial organization.
The percentage of Michigan residents who receive public radio increased from 94% in 1989 to 95.8% currently. The number of people who cannot receive a public radio station decreased from 562,000 to 414,671.
AM Service
Three AM stations provide public radio service in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. WKAR(AM) 870 kHz signal covers about half the Lower Peninsula operating at 10 kW daytime only. WGVU acquired WGVU(AM) 1480 kHz in 1992, operating at 2 kW daytime and 5 kW directional nighttime. A second station, WGVS(AM) 850 kHz operating at 1 kW unlimited, was acquired by WGVU in 1999.
Service from Adjacent States
Four FM stations and two translators providing public radio service to Michigan residents are operated by broadcasters located in Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Public radio service is also received by Michigan residents along the state's southern border from stations in Indiana and Ohio and by residents of the Upper Peninsula from stations in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Unserved Areas
The Upper Peninsula
Much of the uncovered area on Michigan's Upper Peninsula is either sparsely populated or given over to the Ottawa and Hiawatha National Forests and other reserved areas.
Region A
Gogebic, Ontonagon and Iron counties at the far western end of the Upper Peninsula on the border with Wisconsin and along the shore of Lake Superior have 3,300 unserved residents. The area is the home of Ottawa National Forest.
Region B
An area of the western edge of Menominee County along the border with Wisconsin has 2,300 residents without public radio service.
Region C
Between Lakes Michigan and Superior, 26,100 residents of Delta, Alger, Schoolcraft, Chippewa, Mackinac and Luce counties are without public radio service.
The Lower Peninsula
Region D
In central Michigan, 24,200 residents of Roscommon, Crawford and Ogemaw counties are without public radio service.
Region E
In Huron, Sanilac and St. Clair counties, north of Detroit along the shore of Lake Huron, live 168,600 residents without public radio service.
Region F
In Berrien County, in the far southwest corner of Michigan's Lower Peninsula bordering Indiana and Lake Michigan, live 76,900 unserved residents.
Region G
Along Michigan's border with Ohio, 62,800 residents without public radio service reside in Hillsdale, Branch, Lenawee and Monroe counties. A portion of this region receives daytime AM Service from WKAR.
Translators listed by operating station
Facilities in italics operated by out‑of‑state broadcasters

WNMU Marquette, MI KSJN/KNOW Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

W296AX N 107.1 Escanaba W224AO 92.7 Houghton

W220AJ N 91.9 Manistique WXPR Rhinelander, WI

W217AA N 91.3 Menominee W265AI 100.9 Ironwood

W216AI N 91.1 Newberry

W297AE N 107.3 Stephenson