Sovereign Communications

Sovereign Communications, LLC[1] is an American radio broadcasting company which owns seven radio stations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, with offices in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.[2][3][4] The company is owned and operated by William C. Gleich and Tim Sabean.[5]

After their February 2010 purchase of 11 stations from Northern Star Broadcasting, the company holds "something close to a local monopoly" on radio stations in the Sault Ste. Marie region.[6][7][8] The transaction was publicly valued at $3,425,000 in cash.[5] Several Northern Star employees (both on-air and in management) lost their jobs as a result of the purchase. As well, 97.9 WIHC out of Newberry, Michigan went dark that same month after not being purchased from Northern Star in the deal, only returning two years later under new ownership.[6][9] At present, Sovereign Communications owns every locally produced, non-simulcasted FM station in the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan market, except for the two classic hits stations owned by Darby Advertising under their "Radio Eagle" format (WUPN & WMJT).

In May 2007, the company started the WSOO Scholarship, available to a student at Lake Superior State University with a "demonstrated interest and involvement in communication". To qualify for the scholarship, the student must be a resident of the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and preference is given to applicants who graduated from a Chippewa County high school. The WSOO scholarship covers "full tuition and required fees" at the university for one year.[10]

Radio stations

Sault Ste. Marie, MI

• 1230 WSOO Full service
• 1400 WKNW ESPN/Sports
• 99.5 WYSS Contemporary Hits[8]
• 101.3 WSUE Rock
• 105.5 WMKD Country

Newberry, MI

• 1450 WNBY Classic Country
• 93.9 WNBY-FM Classic Hits

References

1. "Change in Official Mailing Address for Broadcast Station". Federal Communications Commission. April 21, 2006. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
2. "Sovereign Communications, LLC". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
3. Staff reports (February 9, 2010). "Sovereign Communications acquires more radio stations". Sault Ste. Marie Evening News. Archived from the original on 2011-01-11. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
4. "Sovereign Communications". www.michiguide.com. Archived from the original on 2003-08-22.
5. "Sovereign secures MI Upper Peninsula radio group". Radio Business Report. March 26, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
6. "Sovereign Communications makes big cuts in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan". Radio-Info.com. February 10, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
7. "Sovereign Buys 11 U.P. Michigan Radio Stations". All Access. February 10, 2010.
8. Helwig, David (February 10, 2010). "Major shake-up in Sault radio". Soo Today. Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
9. Staff reports (February 10, 2010). "Radio jobs lost in transition". Sault Ste. Marie Evening News. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
10. Solomon, E.C. (May 1, 2007). "Sovereign Communications, WSOO start scholarship at LSSU" (Press release). Lake Superior State University. Retrieved March 11, 2011.