Smile FM is a network of non-commercial, contemporary Christian radio stations owned by Superior Communications, a nonprofit organization. Most programming originates from studios in Williamston, Michigan (just east of Lansing) and is relayed (with local inserts) by an expanding number of stations throughout the state. The network also has studios in Imlay City, Michigan.
 | |
| Programming | |
|---|---|
| Format | Religious; Contemporary Christian |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Superior Communications |
| History | |
| Founded | 1996[1] |
| Links | |
| Webcast | www |
| Website | www |
Smile FM was originally two separate networks. The first, The Light, was founded in December 1996, when WLGH Lansing, Michigan began broadcasting.[2] The second, Joy FM, began on December 12, 2000, with WHYT (renamed as WWKM and again as WDTR) in Imlay City. While both played contemporary Christian music, The Light aimed for a younger audience. In June 2004, the two networks were combined to form Smile FM in a "wedding ceremony" conducted at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing.[3][4] The new name eliminated confusion since many other unrelated stations used The Light and Joy FM names.
The network is notable for putting stations on the air at a low cost. They lease existing towers and manufacture some of their own equipment. Unlike many Christian stations, they play music with only a few short breaks for weather, news, announcements, and features. Smile FM has also pioneered the use of new technology to help distribute and customize its programming, including developing an emergency weather notification system that is faster and more reliable than the required EAS system (which they also operate).
The licenses for the four stations are split between four subsidiaries: Superior Communications, Michigan Community Radio, Northland Community Broadcasters and Smile FM.
In January 2008, Smile FM established WWKM (now WDTR) Imlay City as the flagship of an experimental Smile FM Praise network playing Christian contemporary worship music. Previously, the station had broadcast traditional Christian music and hymns. The Smile FM Praise experiment was ended in 2009 and plans made to move that station to the northern suburbs of Detroit.
The owners have often recycled the call letters of famous Michigan stations of the past for their stations. WDTR (now WRCJ), WHYT (now WDVD), and WVMV (now WDZH) were once used by Detroit stations. WTAC (now WSNL) was the leading top 40 station in Flint during the 1960s (and, ironically, a pioneering contemporary Christian station during the 1980s). WKPK was used by a popular top 40 station of the 1980s and 1990s in northern Michigan (now WSRT). WAIR was an oldies station in northern Michigan (now WFDX) and the calls were also used for a construction permit for a station in Honor (now WSRJ). WWKM was a now-defunct station in Harrison (and Smile FM's 88.5 FM station in the Alpena area, WSFP, once bore the calls of WWKM's sister station WKKM, which is now WTWS in Houghton Lake).
Others were named for the original formats of the stations. WLGH and WTLI were The Light. All of the stations beginning with WJ were in or scheduled to be in the Joy FM network. All call letters beginning with WDT (WDTE, WDTP, and WDTR) serve portions of the Detroit metropolitan area.
Smile FM Network Stations
The combined footprint of Smile FM's stations covers most of Michigan's densely populated area (though much of West Michigan relies on translators).
Stations owned and operated by Smile FM include:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOYH | 95.5 FM | Elaine, Arkansas | 6,000 | 85 m (279 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WLGH | 88.1 FM | Leroy Township, Ingham County, Michigan | 6,700 | 174 m (571 ft) | B1 | FMQ |
| WSMF | 88.1 FM | Monroe, Michigan | 1,200 | 41 m (135 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WHYT | 88.1 FM | Goodland Township, Michigan | 400 | 177 m (581 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WEJC | 88.3 FM | White Star, Michigan | 55,000 | 114 m (374 ft) | C1 | FMQ |
| WKPK | 88.3 FM | Michigamme, Michigan | 15,000 | 252 m (827 ft) | C2 | FMQ |
| WSMZ-FM | 88.3 FM | Crystal Valley, Michigan | 1,500 | 200 m (656 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WDTE | 88.3 FM | Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan | 5,500 | 50 m (164 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WJOM | 88.5 FM | Eagle, Michigan | 4,300[nb 1] | 40 m (131 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WSIS | 88.7 FM | Riverside, Michigan | 6,000 | 117 m (384 ft) | B1 | FMQ |
| WDTR | 88.9 FM | Imlay City, Michigan | 3,200 | 61 m (200 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WTLI | 89.3 FM | Bear Creek Township, Michigan | 50,000 | 312 m (1,024 ft) | C1 | FMQ |
| WSMB | 89.3 FM | Harbor Beach, Michigan | 12,000 | 145 m (476 ft) | C3 | FMQ |
| WDTP | 89.5 FM | Huron Charter Township, Michigan | 700 | 95 m (312 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WJOJ | 89.7 FM | Rust Township, Michigan | 31,000 | 143 m (469 ft) | C2 | FMQ |
| WTAC | 89.7 FM | Burton, Michigan | 15,000 | 110 m (361 ft) | B1 | FMQ |
| WSLI-FM | 90.9 FM | Belding, Michigan | 11,500 | 73 m (240 ft) | B1 | FMQ |
| WJOG | 91.3 FM | Good Hart, Michigan | 6,000 | 209.2 m (686 ft) | C2 | FMQ |
| WVMV | 91.5 FM | China Township, Michigan | 1,050 | 75 m (246 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WAIR | 104.9 FM | Lake City, Michigan | 2,800 | 149 m (489 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WJOH | 91.5 FM | Raco, Michigan | 5,500 | 100 m (328 ft) | A | FMQ |
| WYOR | 88.5 FM | Republic, Ohio | 100 | 32 m (105 ft) | A | FMQ |
Translators
Translators rebroadcasting Smile FM include:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | FCC info | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W242BH | 96.3 FM | Marshall, Michigan | 170 | 32.1 m (105 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WLGH; serves Battle Creek |
| W246CW | 97.1 FM | Long Lake Township, Michigan | 10 | 260.8 m (856 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WTLI; serves Traverse City |
| W247CU | 97.3 FM | Fort Gratiot, Michigan | 25 | 83 m (272 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WVMV; serves Port Huron |
| W262AF | 100.3 FM | Parchment, Michigan | 38 | 52.5 m (172 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WSIS; serves Kalamazoo |
| W273CI | 102.5 FM | Grand Haven, Michigan | 250 | 191 m (627 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WSMZ-FM; serves Muskegon |
| W280EL | 103.9 FM | Yates, Michigan | 10 | 119.3 m (391 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WVMV; serves northern Metro Detroit suburbs |
| W286CI | 105.1 FM | Saginaw, Michigan | 250 | 49 m (161 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WEJC |
| W299CB | 107.7 FM | Manistee, Michigan | 19 | 98 m (322 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WSMZ-FM |
| W272DG | 102.3 FM | Pittsfield Township, Michigan | 19 | 98 m (322 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WTAC; serves Ann Arbor |
| W244EN | 96.7 FM | Lapeer, Michigan | 250 | 276.5 m (907 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WTAC; serves Flint |
| W260CQ | 99.9 FM | Plainfield Township, Kent County, Michigan | 10 | 126 m (413 ft) | D | FMQ | repeats WSLI-FM; serves Grand Rapids |
| WLHT | 95.7 FM | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 40,000 | 147 m (482 ft) | B | FMQ | uses HD2 subchannel, repeats WSLI-FM |
Future stations
On October 6, 2022, it was announced that Smile FM has filed a $60,000 deal to purchase WGVU (1480 AM) in Grand Rapids from Grand Valley State University.[5] The station, along with WGVS (850 AM) in Muskegon, originally carried an oldies radio format until January 7, 2022, when both stations closed down.[6] Smile FM had already acquired WGVS effective June 28, 2022, for $25,000.