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Smile FM History

Smile FM is a network of Michigan Non-Commercial Educational stations, that broadcasts news (national, state and local), local weather 24 hours a day (from meteorologist Rob Dale), short-form educational & local community interest programming, along with religious contemporary music. Much of the programming originates from a studio in Williamston, Michigan, and is relayed (with local inserts) by an expanding number of stations throughout the state. Smile FM also has studios in Lapeer and Emmet counties.

Currently 13 stations. Smile FM was originally two separate networks. The first, "The Light", was founded on December 2, 1996 when WLGH Lansing, Michigan began broadcasting. The second, "Joy FM", began on December 12, 2000 with WHYT, Imlay City, Michigan. While both played religious contemporary music, The Light was a CHR (contemporary hit radio) reporter. Due to confusion with other stations using the same names that were not affiliated, it was decided a new station name was needed to eliminate the confusion. In June of 2004 the two names were combined to form Smile FM in a "wedding ceremony" conducted at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing.

Applications for eight additional stations were filed with the FCC in the fall of 2007, many of them in the Detroit area. The Smile FM network is notable for putting stations on the air rapidly and efficiently.

Smile FM has often recycled the call letters of famous Michigan stations of the past for their stations. WDTR and WHYT were once used by Detroit stations. WTAC was the leading top 40 station in Flint during the 1960's. WAIR and WKPK were on a stations in northern Michigan.