Alpena SuddenValues
Serving Alpena, Gaylord, Grayling, Cheboygan, Tawas and Oscoda areas
WATZ has a long, rich heritage in the broadcast industry. The station was the first commercial broadcast facility in Alpena, and one of the first in Northern lower Michigan. We hope you enjoy this short history.
WATZ has its origin to the mid 1940`s when the Midwestern Broadcasting Company decided to locate a broadcast facility in Alpena. Company founders in partnership developed WATZ INC. which remains a part of the company to this day.
As part of the process, the company started an aggressive construction effort of broadcast properties throughout Northern Michigan in what was to eventually become known as "The Paul Bunyan Network" .
Early broadcast holdings and startups by the company included its flagship station WTCM in Traverse City, WATC in Gaylord, WATT in Cadillac, among others. The company then moved from Radio to television when WPBN (Paul Bunyan Network) Channel 7 in Traverse City, and later WTOM (Top Of Michigan) channel 4 in Cheboygan were established. A majority of those properties have since been sold by Midwestern Broadcasting, but do remain on the air.
