WGPR ("The New 107-5 WGPR") is a FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan. Owned by the International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, the station operates on 107.5 MHz.

[edit] History

[edit] Early History

WGPR was founded on December 6, 1961. It was the first full-time FM stereo radio station in Michigan, and was a pioneer black-owned broadcaster. The station has featured some variation of R&B format for over 40 years, and was the first independently programmed FM urban/R&B station in the market. It is reported that the station's callsign meant, Where God's Presence Reigns.

The Electrifyin' Mojo was heard on WGPR-FM during the early 1980s.

Once a top 10-rated station in the Detroit market, WGPR has suffered from diminished ratings over the past 20 years, largely due to the 1989 debut of Mix 92.3 WMXD. Nevertheless, the station has a loyal and devoted audience.

The station was co-owned with WGPR-TV channel 62, which the Freemason group established in 1975. On September 29, 1975, Amyre Porter, Doug Morrison and Sharon Crews became the nation's first African-American primetime news team. This station, which would adopt the CBS affiliation in 1994 following WJBK's switch from CBS to Fox, was sold to CBS in 1995 and re-called WWJ-TV.

[edit] The New 107.5 WGPR Today

Today WGPR features a mix of Urban Adult Contemporary hits and Urban Oldies. Before June 2008 the station was known as "The Rhythm 107-5" or "The Jazzy 107-5", and for several years featured Smooth Jazz mixed in with its current format. In June 2008, the station reverted to the straight Urban AC format it had aired prior to the introduction of the R&B/jazz hybrid in the early 2000s.

Former Logo of WGPR as "The Rhythm"

Saturdays are "Old School" Saturdays, featuring a wide variety of R&B, soul and dance-oriented oldies. Saturdays are called Old School Saturdays which is more ambiguous than the typical schedule. Genres played on OSS include disco, funk, 1980s electronic music, dance music, Motown Sound, urban oldies, and 1970s R&B. This program has been prone to technical errors. These errors include skipping CDs, varying volume levels between tracks, a song ending midway through and sometimes accidental but simultaneous mix-in of multiple song tracks. Sundays are devoted mostly to gospel programming.

The New 107.5 WGPR currently ranks at #18 (2.6) in the Detroit market according to the October 2009 PPM Ratings release.

[edit] Airstaff

The current lineup (as of February 2009) Starting the day from 5am-10am its Mason Radio In The Morning with John Mason. Mid-days from 10am-3pm its Sylvia Simone. On the ride home from 3pm-7pm is Mike Allen. Wrapping up the lineup from 7pm-12am is Tony Rankin, and from 12am-5am Cliff Coleman and Dallas Keith alternate.

Weekend's/Fill-ins include Lady BG and Jeff Lowe.

[edit] Sources

• Michiguide.com - WGPR History

[edit] External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WGPR
• Radio Locator information on WGPR