From the 1970s until September 1986, WIOG operated on 106.3 MHz licensed to Saginaw. 106.3 FM signed on in 1969 as WSBM, featuring a MOR/adult contemporary music format. Later in the 1970s the calls became WIOG and the format shifted to AOR. In 1980, with the addition of some disco records to its AOR playlist, WIOG moved to a Top 40 format, eventually taking on the name "Hits 106" and becoming one of the most popular radio stations in the market. The 102.5 frequency was originally home to WNEM-FM, a Beautiful Music station which was one of the pioneers of FM Stereo broadcasting in Michigan. With its big signal, WGER was one of the most successful easy-listening stations in Michigan; as late as 1985, when it was using TM Programming's beautiful-music package, the station was posting #1 ratings among adult listeners aged 25–49 in the Saginaw and Flint markets, according to TM promotional literature of the time After the owner of WIOG bought WGER then sold the old station at 106.3, WIOG and WGER switched call signs in September 1986. WGER moved its beautiful music to the lower powered 106.3 and WIOG's CHR format was planted at 102.5. The move paid off, as WIOG quickly became a powerhouse in mid-Michigan broadcasting. In the fall of 1986, aided by its new, more powerful signal and a "Free Money" promotion where they gave away a chance for $1,000 to $10,000 every hour during an economic recession in the area, the station attained an Arbitron rating of 30.3%, becoming the highest-rated radio station in the entire country . WIOG got strong competition in the early 1990s from 100.5 WTCF "The Fox", which soon surpassed them as the dominant CHR station. Due to the competition and to a desire to appeal to more adult listeners, WIOG shifted to being a Hot Adult Contemporary station in May 1992. WTCF's departure from the CHR format in 1999, however, left the door open for WIOG to move back to CHR, which it did that July. Today WIOG remains one of the most popular stations in the Tri-Cities market, though its showing in the Flint market is more modest due to competition from CHR WWCK-FM, rhythmic WRCL and active rocker WWBN. Notable DJs at WIOG at the time include Dean Myers, Scott "Shannon" Seipel, Renee Andrews, Bob Hughes, Jim Alexander, Rick Donahue, Keith Michaels, Steve Kelly and Tim Murphy. Rick Belcher was the Program Director at the time of WIOG's rating's domination.
Recent shows
As with all of previous Citadel Broadcasting stations being bought out by Cumulus Media, WIOG has undergone some changes in the past period. Notable shows as of current are the Early Shift and the Playhouse. Recognized D.J.s of the recent time and past are Demas, who resigned due to personal reasons. Mile High, one of the longest lasting D.J.s on the station is the past decade, also resigned. The Playhouse, originally done by Mile High, Then Wack took over until 2011, then Swifty took over from 6-Midnight. Mile High, Swifty, and Wack no longer work at WIOG, and Kelsey hosts the show now.
