View source for WMLQ

{{short description|Radio station in Manistee, Michigan}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name             = WMLQ
| logo             =
| city             = [[Manistee, Michigan]]
| area             = [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WMLQ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U]
| branding         = ''News 97 & 98''
| frequency        = 97.7 [[MHz]]
| translator       =
| airdate          = 1970 (as WMTE-FM)
| format           = [[All-news radio|News]]/[[Talk radio|Talk]] ([[WLDN]] simulcast)
| erp              = 2,500 [[watt]]s
| haat             = 157 meters
| class            = A
| facility_id      = 39787
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = WVXM (1/17/95-6/1/06)<br>WMTE-FM (3/25/91-1/17/95)<br>WRRK (1980s-3/25/91)<br>WMTE-FM (1970-1980s)
| affiliations     =
| owner            = Todd Mohr
| licensee         = Synergy Lakeshore Licenses, LLC
| sister_stations  = [[WKLA (AM)|WKLA]], [[WWMN]], [[WKZC]], [[WLDN]], [[WWKR]]
| webcast          =
| website          =
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}
'''WMLQ''' (97.7 FM, "News 97 & 98") is a [[radio station]] located in [[Manistee, Michigan]] broadcasting a [[all-news radio|news]]/[[talk radio|talk]] format, simulcasting [[WLDN]] 98.7 FM Ludington.
The station began broadcasting in 1970 under the '''WMTE-FM''' call sign (the current [[WMTE-FM]], at 101.5, is unrelated, but was a sister station of WMLQ for a short time in 2012 and 2013). In the 1980s, the station was '''WRRK''', playing [[Top 40]] music. From 1995 to 2006, the station simulcast [[WVXU]] in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]] as '''WVXM''', an affiliate of the "X-Star Radio Network," which featured a variety of programs, including news, talk, jazz, and adult standards.
After WVXU was sold to the owners of classical station [[WGUC]] in Cincinnati, all of WVXA's former repeater stations were sold off to other owners; 97.7 FM was purchased by Synergy Media, owners of [[classic rock]] station [[WWKR]] in [[Hart, Michigan]]. Synergy Media has installed a commercial Soft AC/Oldies/Easy Listening format on 97.7 FM as "The Coast."
The WMLQ calls were formerly used in the 1980s and 1990s at an FM station in [[Rogers City, Michigan]], which coincidentally also operated on the 97.7 FM frequency (it later moved to 96.7) and also played an AC format, under the name "Mello-Q." Also coincidentally, the original WMLQ in Rogers City later became WVXA, also an X-Star Radio Network affiliate; it is now WRGZ and simulcasts [[WATZ-FM]], a commercial [[country music]] station in [[Alpena, Michigan]].
On February 1, 2016, WMLQ switched to a simulcast of news/talk-formatted [[WLDN]] 98.7 FM Ludington. The "Coast FM" format is now heard on 101.5 WMTE-FM.
The station airs The Steve Gruber Show, the flagship program for [[The Michigan Talk Network]], on delay, in late mornings.
==References==
*[http://www.michiguide.com/dials/rad-m/wmlq.html Michiguide.com - WMLQ History]
==External links==
*{{FM station data|743604|WMLQ}}
{{News/Talk Radio Stations in Michigan}}
{{Ludington-Manistee Radio}}
{{coord|44.211|N|86.298|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}
[[Category:Radio stations in Michigan|MLQ]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1970]]
[[Category:1970 establishments in Michigan]]
{{Michigan-radio-station-stub}}