[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 2 (Thursday, January 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              AM 1450 WMIQ

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor AM 1450, Iron 
Mountain and Kingsford, Michigan's Information Station. On January 25, 
1996, the station will celebrate 50 years of continuous broadcasting 
and community service.
  On April 4, 1946, the first organizational meeting of the Iron 
Mountain Kingsford Broadcasting Co. was held to license a new radio 
station for the area. William and Frank Russell, along with the Delta 
Broadcasting Co. and the Lake Superior Broadcasting Co., were the 
driving force behind this organizing group. The new radio station was 
to be a news station operated by the Iron Mountain News, the area's 
daily newspaper.
  Construction on the broadcast facility began on November 14, 1946 and 
on November 21, the new station was officially named WMIQ, with William 
Goodrich serving as its first general manager. On Saturday, January 25, 
1947, WMIQ began broadcasting at 8:00 a.m. Governors Sigler of Michigan 
and Goodland of Wisconsin both wired the station to offer words of 
congratulation.
  During the past 50 years, programming has included national and local 
news coverage, the ``Scandinavian Cheer Hour'' broadcast from the 
Bethel Mission Covenant Church in Swedish, live musical performances, 
the WMIQ Playhouse and Sunday morning services from First Lutheran 
Church. WMIQ also has a long history of national and local sports 
coverage.
  WMIQ ownership changed hands in 1968 when Jim Klungness and Charles 
Henry purchased the radio station. WMIQ currently has sister stations 
WIMK-FM in Iron Mountain and WUPK-FM in Marquette. WMIQ has been very 
active in the community over the years by supporting the Caring House 
for domestic violence victims, the Can-A-Thon food drive, the March of 
Dimes and Easter Seals.
  WMIQ has been an integral part of the Iron Mountain and Kingsford 
communities for the past fifty years. Its great work keeping the public 
apprised of current events has earned WMIQ the title of Michigan's 
``Information Station.'' I know my Senate colleagues join me in 
congratulating WMIQ for a half century of service to its broadcasting 
audience.

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