WLAV-FM

WLAV-FM (96.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock music format in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the dominant classic rock-formatted radio station in the market and is generally a top ten performer in the Grand Rapids ratings. WLAV-AM went on the air in 1940. In 1949, WLAV-TV 7 signed on, later becoming WOOD-TV 8.

WLAV-FM began broadcasting by 1948. The station was a simulcast of WLAV 1340 in its early days, but began to break the simulcast in the early 1970s to play AOR music at night. Also for a time in the early 1970s WLAV-FM played oldies under the tag line "Grand Rapids' Goldmine." In 1974, it became western Michigan's first full-time AOR station and was an instant success.

The success lasted for a while, but in the mid-1980s, WLAV began to fall apart. The station was sued for the death of two people and the injury of two people at its popular raft race event. To make matters worse, many of WLAV's top D.J.s began to leave. Morning host Laurie DeYoung left for Baltimore, because she thought it was time to move on. Tony Gates also left, in 1984, after he ran into some trouble. In 1986 popular morning personality Kevin Matthews left to work in St. Louis.