WSAM (1400 AM) is a radio station licensed to Saginaw, Michigan and broadcasting at 1400 kHz with 1,000 watts of power. The station is simulcasted with FM sister station WSAG-FM at 104.1 MHz and are collectively known as The Bay , in reference to their close proximity to the Saginaw Bay .
20-712: WSAM was one of the first broadcasters in the Tri-Cities , predated only by WBCM in Bay City (which signed on in 1925). The original licensee was the Saginaw Broadcasting Company, owned by Milton Greenebaum. A construction permit for WSAM was issued by the Federal Communications Commission in March 1940. The original frequency of WSAM was 1200 kHz with 100 watts of power. In June 1940, a license to cover
40-536: A manufacturing facility in Bay City making Ziploc products. Local media outlets include: WNEM , CBS TV5 operates out of Saginaw and is licensed to Bay City. WEYI , NBC 25 is also licensed to Saginaw. NewsRadio 790 WSGW and FM Talk 100.5 , are the area's local news, talk and sports affiliates. Other highly rated stations in the Tri-Cities include WIOG , WCEN , WHNN , and WKCQ . The Saginaw News , Bay City Times and Midland Daily News are available through
60-453: A population of at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000 people. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003. Like the better-known metropolitan statistical areas , a micropolitan area is a geographic entity used for statistical purposes based on counties and county equivalents . On July 21, 2023, the Office of Management and Budget released revised delineations of the various CBSAs in
80-423: A sister station at FM 98.1. It was originally known as WSAM-FM and its call letters were changed to WKCQ , and has had a country music format since its inception. In the 1980s, the station switched to an oldies format. Serendipitously, during WSAM's period as an oldies station, the long-held call letters lent themselves to the tagline "Play it Again, Sam". WSAM eventually becoming an adult standards station in
100-483: A special municipal body. The airport's name is an initialism formed from the names of the three owning communities: M idland , B ay County & S aginaw . MBS International Airport , located in Freeland, Michigan was formerly known as Tri-City Airport but was renamed to MBS International Airport in 1994 to prevent confusion with other airports named "Tri-City Airport”. Several large corporations have operations in
120-492: A wide local area. Because the designation is based on the core urban cluster's population and not on that of the whole area, some micropolitan areas are much larger than some metropolitan areas. For example, the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area had a 2010 census population of 154,908. That would put its total population ahead of roughly 100 individual locations classified as a metropolitan statistical area in 2010. The largest of
140-611: Is a Micropolitan Statistical Area anchored by the city of Midland and surrounding Midland County . As of the 2010 census , the Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA) had a population of 83,629. The Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area is a MSA anchored by the city of Bay City and surrounding Bay County . As of the 2010 census , the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 107,771. The Saginaw–Midland–Bay City Combined Statistical Area
160-542: Is a local eastside Saginaw landmark, and was originally constructed for both the radio station and television station WNEM . The TV station later abandoned their plans to broadcast from the MacDonald tower and moved to Indiantown . WSAM was one of the first to invest in Frequency Modulation as it added an FM antenna to its AM tower that same year. In 1955, WSAM was bought by Michigan broadcasting mogul Fred Knorr , who
180-520: Is a part of the larger area known as Mid/Central Michigan . It includes the smaller statistical areas of Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City. The Saginaw Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area consisting of Saginaw County , anchored by the city of Saginaw and including Saginaw Township . As of the 2010 census , the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had a population of 200,169. The Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area
200-590: Is the 4th largest CSA in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of the 2010 census, the CSA had a population of 391,569. The CSA combines what is known as the Tri-Cities of Saginaw , Midland , and Bay City . It includes Saginaw County in the Saginaw Metropolitan Statistical Area plus one the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Bay County and the micropolitan area of Midland County . In January 2009 local community and business leaders began to refer to
220-458: The 90s and early 2000s. The current format began in April 2005 with the purchase of WSAG at 104.1FM. The two stations are almost completely simulcasted and automated, except for some popular weekend polka shows on WSAM which are a holdover from the now-defunct adult standards format. Like most other adult contemporary music stations, The Bay switches to a format of continuous Christmas music during
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#1732890595164240-622: The Greater Tri Cities Region. The Michigan Sugar Company , which is a cooperative owned by 1,250 farmers, operates a factory and has its headquarters in Bay City. General Motors operates Powertrain plants in Flint, Bay City , and Saginaw . The Dow Chemical Company world headquarters is in Midland . Nexteer Corporation operates Saginaw Steering Systems in Saginaw . S.C. Johnson and Son has
260-536: The Greater Tri-Cities area as the Great Lakes Bay Region with the hope that a cooperative regional focus could spur economic development in the area. The term Great Lakes Bay region refers to the counties of Bay, Midland, Isabella , and Saginaw. Due to their close proximity, the governments of Bay County and the cities of Midland and Saginaw agreed to own and share a centrally located airport through
280-621: The United States, which recognized 542 micropolitan areas in the United States, four of which are in Puerto Rico . The term "micropolitan" gained currency in the 1990s to describe growing population centers in the United States that are removed from larger cities, in some cases by 100 miles (160 km) or more. Micropolitan cities do not have the economic or political importance of large cities, but are nevertheless significant centers of population and production, drawing workers and shoppers from
300-472: The areas, around Claremont and Lebanon, New Hampshire , had a population in excess of 218,000 in 2010; Claremont's population was only 13,355 in that year's census , and Lebanon's population was only 13,151. The following sortable table lists the 538 μSAs of the incorporated United States (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) with the following information: The following sortable table lists
320-456: The months of November and December, competing with crosstown classic hits WHNN for the holiday music audience. Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City Metropolitan Area The Saginaw–Midland–Bay City Combined Statistical Area is a United States metropolitan area defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) surrounding the Saginaw Bay and Saginaw River . The region
340-463: The region, as well as Great Lakes Bay (Regional Lifestyle Magazine). Tourism also makes up a large portion of the local economy. A popular spot along I-75 for "Up North" bound visitors is the outlets at Birch Run . Also, nearby Frankenmuth attracts year round visitors. Frankenmuth alone draws over three million tourists annually to its Bavarian-themed shops and restaurants. Frankenmuth also attracts tourists with festivals and other events throughout
360-521: The year. The Thumb lies within the east-central tourism region of the state Micropolitan Statistical Area Population United States micropolitan statistical areas ( μSA , where the initial Greek letter mu represents " micro- "), as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are labor market and statistical areas in the United States centered on an urban cluster (urban area) with
380-661: Was granted, moving WSAM up the dial to 1230 kHz which allowed for extended hours of nighttime operation, provided that co-channel WMPC in Lapeer signed off for the night. WSAM's studio and transmitter were originally located at Bay Road and Weiss Street on Saginaw's West side. The tower has been removed but the building still stands as part of an auto service garage. In 1942, WSAM moved to its current frequency of 1400 kHz with 250 watts of power. In 1949, WSAM moved to its current transmitter site on Whittier Street on Saginaw's East Side. The station's over 300 foot tall self-supporting tower
400-604: Was program director at WHLS in Port Huron before buying WKMH in Detroit. Knorr would later own the Detroit Tigers with partner John Fetzer . Following Knorr's death, the Saginaw Broadcasting Company was sold to Kenneth H. MacDonald of Ann Arbor in 1962. For much of the '60s and '70s, WSAM had a top 40 CHR format at the time. "Sam" saw local competition from 1210 WKNX up until the format gave way to FM radio. In 1968, "Sam" got
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