“Honey Radio” WHND-AM. Ever heard that catchy name? This is its story. Let’s dive into the history of WHND-AM in Detroit.
WHND-AM’s story starts back in 1956. It wasn’t always WHND-AM. It began as WMIC featuring rock and roll. It was owned by the McIntyre Broadcasting Company. In 1959, the call letters changed to WQTE. The format shifted to Adult Contemporary then Top 40.
But only a year later, WQTE found success with Easy Listening. Then in 1974, Greater Media bought the station.
The call letters then changed to WHND. It became “Honey Radio.” WHND began shadowcasting their FM station WHNE. They featured oldies rock and roll. Later, WHNE 94.7FM switched to Adult Contemporary in 1976. That left WHND AM560 as the standalone oldies station.
“Honey Radio” was one of the first all-oldies stations in the nation. It specialized in early rock and roll. Think doo-wop hits. It broadcasted at AM 560. It played songs that were Detroit hits.
The playlist incorporated records that never made the national charts. WHND was fully automated initially. It used Drake-Chenault’s “Classic Gold” format. But it went live in 1978 with consultant Paul Christy.
By 1987, “Honey Radio” recreated the sound of early 1960s Top-40 radio. The DJs were passionate about the music. They had a strong community presence.
However, by the late 1980s, FM oldies stations emerged. These included WKSG 102.7 and WOMC 104.3. WOMC became the dominant oldies station. WHND’s ratings fell. It switched to Satellite Music Network’s “Kool Gold” format.
In 1994, “Honey Radio” ended. Greater Media began brokering time to Spanish-language broadcasters. In 1996, WHND became WLLZ. WLLZ featured Spanish programming.
Crawford Broadcasting bought AM560 in 1997. They changed the format to Christian Talk. It became “AM 560, the WMUZ Word Station.” On August 11, 2003, the call letters officially changed to WRDT.
Today, WRDT offers Christian and conservative talk. It is “The Word AM 560, Detroit’s Christian Talk.” It uses a brokered programming system. National religious leaders are heard on WRDT.
WRDT broadcasts in AM Stereo. It uses 500 watts daytime power and 14 watts nighttime power. Its transmitter is in Ferndale, MI. The low dial position gives good coverage.
The station also broadcasts on FM translator W296DY at 107.1 MHz. Also on WMUZ-HD3.
So, next time you’re tuning through the AM dial, remember WHND-AM. It transitioned from “Honey Radio” to Christian Talk. Its history reflects Detroit’s evolving radio landscape.