The station's original owners were backed by the Furniture Manufacturers Association of Grand Rapids.

It broadcast on Sundays and Wednesdays at 1170 kHz during its early years in order to avoid interference with stations in Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland, all of which could easily be heard in West Michigan.

It carried NBC's schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, game shows, soap operas and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio".

After a two-year dispute between competing buyers, the station was finally sold to Harry Bitner, former general manager of the Hearst newspaper chain, in 1948.

[3] For the first few years, it simulcast WOOD 1300 but later took on a beautiful music format and today is adult contemporary WSRW-FM.

As network programming moved from radio to television in the 1950s and 60s, WOOD began a full service, middle of the road format of popular adult music, talk, news and sports.

[5] WOOD's program director Phil Tower leads an airstaff that includes an all-news morning program, West Michigan's Morning News with Steve Kelly, Bret Bakita, and Lauren Smith.

The rest of the day is filled by: Glenn Beck, The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Sean Hannity, Dave Ramsey, Joe Pags and Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

WOOD Radio is the Grand Rapids home of University of Michigan Wolverines football and basketball.