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WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Discussion pertaining to Lansing, Jackson, Owosso, and all areas from Alma to Hillsdale
ChrisWL1980
Posts: 813
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2019 2:36 am

Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by ChrisWL1980 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:46 pm

BillyBob2022 wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:02 am
If you follow Facebook, Dave Sommerville's kid, Jim, ran the two stations for quite a while, but has now retired and turned them over to HIS SON, Jeff. Both are automated. AM is Satellite talk/music and FM (new calls) is Satellite Sports. Last I heard. Gil Thomas was still alive (95) living in Florida. BTW if you remember WMLM (their bitter competition) it is now just down State Road. Founder and owner of WMLM Greg Siefker just died,
WFYC-AM is Fox Sports and WQBX-FM is WW1 Hot AC with Bob and Sheri mornings.



BillyBob2022
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Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by BillyBob2022 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:08 pm

conelrad wrote:
Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:28 pm
Way back in 1974, while at MSU, I worked at WFYC AM/FM in Alma. Our PD was Jon Heinlen. I lost touch with him. Does anyone know if he’s still around or where he is? Thanks.
Check my post below!!



BillyBob2022
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Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by BillyBob2022 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:21 pm

conelrad wrote:
Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:28 pm
Way back in 1974, while at MSU, I worked at WFYC AM/FM in Alma. Our PD was Jon Heinlen. I lost touch with him. Does anyone know if he’s still around or where he is? Thanks.
Check my post below!! I worked there from 1975-1979 Jon left long before I did in Jan 79. I have since reconnected with him; He's 74 and lives in Potterville. email me bstcmu78@yahoo.com and I can give you an address and phone number.
MisterGoodrich2U wrote:
Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:23 pm
I worked there 1980-81. The name does not ring a bell. The PD at the time was Phil....um, can't remember his last name. Thomas?

Sorry. That doesn't help much.



otrfan
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Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:52 pm
Location: Lansing

Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by otrfan » Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:29 pm

Calvert DeForest wrote:It's fun to remember the old days of small-market MOR radio. Every station had a unique flavor suited to the local audience it served. I loved tooling around the dial and checking out stations like WCER, WBCH, WRBJ, WFYC, etc. The banter and the features were as interesting as the music mix. It was like taking a road trip without leaving the house. When we did go on trips, checking out stations from different areas was just as much fun if not more. Always brought my boom box and plenty of cassettes to record "aircheck souvenirs". :D

There are still some small-market stations that take the local full-service approach, albeit with the assistance of automation. WION in Ionia and WCSR in Hillsdale are a couple of examples.
I worked briefly at WRBJ in St. Johns in the summer of '78. The owner's son who was getting ready to go the air for his mid day shift walked through the front office on his way into the studio, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. I said what's wrong? He said the station's/ PD/GM/Sales Mgr./Morning Guy just played Lawrence Welk's "A Theme from a Summer Place" back to back with "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath. Ever the trooper, he opened the mic and said "thanks for that great intro Bill".

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matt1
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Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by matt1 » Thu Feb 03, 2022 1:27 am

Back in 1981 & in 1982, WFYC played an album by an artist or group at around 10:00 at night (which that station was in MONO) including Sheena Easton's 1981 debut & America "Homecoming" from 1972!! The station ended at 11:25 at night & played the national anthem!! That station was blocked because I wanted to hear Ideal Radio (WIDL) in Caro back then NOT WFYC!!!



Willie108
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Location: Flint Twp.

Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by Willie108 » Thu Feb 03, 2022 7:57 am

Phil Mikus was the PD.



BillyBob2022
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Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by BillyBob2022 » Sat Apr 09, 2022 8:25 pm

matt1 wrote:
Thu Feb 03, 2022 1:27 am
Back in 1981 & in 1982, WFYC played an album by an artist or group at around 10:00 at night (which that station was in MONO) including Sheena Easton's 1981 debut & America "Homecoming" from 1972!! The station ended at 11:25 at night & played the national anthem!! That station was blocked because I wanted to hear Ideal Radio (WIDL) in Caro back then NOT WFYC!!!
Matti: My name is Bill Thompson and I was at WFYC from 1975-1979 and worked with Jon Heinlein for most of that time until he left. Sometime in the Mid-1970's (1976) Jon adjusted our format and I was working weekends. I suggested to him "floating" one side of a new album, doing news heads then the other side, Saturday nights before sign-off (10pm). He agreed and the 1st album I did was Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors". I guess it continued after I left i early 1979, It was a learning time for me as I graduated from CMU in 1978 but proved to work throughout the rest of my career!! Our late news was 11pm to 11:15p and Sign-Off.



matt1
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Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by matt1 » Sat Apr 09, 2022 8:26 pm

Thanks for that information!!



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conelrad
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Location: Rochester Hills, MI

Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by conelrad » Sun Sep 18, 2022 1:16 pm

BillyBob2022 wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:53 am
I began my commercial radio career at WFYC on Feb 2, 1975 (47 years ago) when Jon Heinlen was PD. It was the Sunday morning "God Squad" shift (6am-3pm). I worked under Jon, and with Rob Baykian and yes, even Jane Aldrich, until I left in January 1979. I located Jon, (74) and his wife, Bethany, living in Potterville a couple of years ago. I wrote and published a book on my life "My Life As A Great Lakes Broadcaster" and WFYC has a chapter in that book. If you want more about Jon, feel free to email me at bstcmu78@yahoo.com. I'm hoping to deliver a book to him tomorrow and I'll see what he has to say. BTW you may know me better as BILL THOMPSON???
Great post, Bill --- sorry about the belated reply to it. I just sent you an email re Jon. THANKS!



Frosty
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Re: WFYC/Alma - Jon Heinlen

Post by Frosty » Tue Sep 20, 2022 11:17 am

matt1 wrote:
Thu Feb 03, 2022 1:27 am
Back in 1981 & in 1982, WFYC played an album by an artist or group at around 10:00 at night (which that station was in MONO) including Sheena Easton's 1981 debut & America "Homecoming" from 1972!! The station ended at 11:25 at night & played the national anthem!! That station was blocked because I wanted to hear Ideal Radio (WIDL) in Caro back then NOT WFYC!!!
While doing the night shift in the first half of 1981, I would try to play half of a live album at about 10:30. That was so that I could call the cops for reports and put together a newscast for 11:05. Hard to do when spinning mostly vinyl records and trying to make the cop rounds, etc. It was kind of like automation. Probably carried on by the next night guy.



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