This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2020) |
Broadcast area | Bloomington-Normal |
---|---|
Frequency | 96.7 MHz |
Branding | Rock 96.7 |
Programming | |
Format | Active rock |
Affiliations | United Stations Radio Networks Westwood One |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
WBBE, WWHX | |
History | |
First air date | December 21, 1973 |
Call sign meaning | Win |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 4617 |
Class | A |
ERP | 3,900 watts |
HAAT | 125 meters (410 ft) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | Rock 96.7 Online |
WIHN (96.7 FM) is a commercial radio station in Normal, Illinois, United States, and serving the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It broadcasts an active rock radio format known as Rock 96.7. It is owned by Elizabeth Neuhoff's Neuhoff Corp., through licensee Neuhoff Media Bloomington, LLC, with studios on Brickyard Drive in Bloomington. On weekday mornings, WIHN carries the nationally syndicated "Bob & Tom Show," based at WFBQ Indianapolis.
The station signed on the air Friday, December 21, 1973, from studios located on the second floor of the Castle Theater Building on Washington Street in Bloomington, Illinois. These studios were previously occupied by WJBC/WBNQ until their earlier move to the transmitter site on Greenwood Avenue.
The WIHN transmitter was located at Nord Farm on the West side of Bloomington/Normal. The antenna was side-mounted at the maximum allowable height of 300 feet (91 m) [1] on an already existing communications tower owned by Dr. Stanley Nord with a studio/transmitter link from downtown. The Collins 3 kW transmitter was housed within an enclosure constructed inside one of the farm buildings.
The station was conceived by David S. Wolfenden who formed McLean Communications Corporation for the purpose of applying for the allocated channel 244A (96.7 MHz) at Normal, Illinois. Besides Wolfenden, who became President of the corporation and the station's general manager, other McLean principals included Andrew Rector, Wilbur Winn, William Brady, Bert Jackson and several other local businessmen. Prior to the formation of McLean, a local ministry had briefly pursued the channel and withdrawn.
At the same time as McLean's application, two Chicago individuals had formed a corporation and had applied for 244A as well. Ensuing negotiations over a number of months resulted in this group withdrawing their bid leaving McLean as the sole applicant.
With the idea of a modern, upbeat format in mind, Wolfenden looked for call letters depicting excitement phonetically: a phrase. Because on-air contests were envisioned as part of the format, the WIN theme came to mind. After much searching it appeared that WIHN was available — but it was not. WIHN belonged to "...the oil screw Oregon, sunk....", used for signal flag communications. With minimal arm-twisting by McLean's Washington FCC attorney, Tom Fletcher, the Coast Guard released the call.
Two well-known early station personalities were Doug Blair the program director, and Jerry Holtz. WIHN was one of the first stations nationally to air Casey Kasem's American Top 40 until WBNQ took it over in the early 1980's and was replaced by Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 a few years later.
In 2009, Wolfenden shipped a carton of historical documents from his home in Newport, Rhode Island to Andy Rector, President of ACC Electronix, 420 Wylie Drive in Normal, Illinois, to be included in the archives of the McLean County Historical Society as have been the records of WJBC/WBNQ. Rector was one of the original founders of McLean Communications and remains a resident of Normal. Wolfenden continues to be actively involved in radio and TV in the New England area.
WIHN flipped to its rock format in early 1995. It was known as "I97" with a logo designed to look like an Interstate designation shield. WIHN, along with then-sister station 92.9 WSNI was sold by Kelly Communications in the early 2000s to AAA Entertainment. AAA kept the rock format but rebranded the station as "96.7 I-Rock." In 2006, AAA sold the station to Connoisseur which had formed the previous year in Bloomington/Normal along with 100.7 and 97.9. Connoisseur retained the format and branding through its sale to Neuhoff Media in 2015. Neuhoff rebranded the station as "Rock 96.7".
WRCL is a commercial broadcast radio station serving the mid Michigan area. It plays Rhythmic Contemporary Hits on the FM dial at 93.7 MHz, naming itself Club 93-7. The transmitter is in Tuscola County, but the studios are in Burton, east of Flint. It station is owned by Townsquare Media.
KZCH, also known as "Channel 963," is a Mainstream Top 40 radio station serving the Wichita area. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet broadcasts with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Derby, Kansas. Its studios are located on East Douglas Avenue in Downtown Wichita, and the transmitter is just north of downtown.
WBNQ is the most powerful FM radio station in McLean County, Illinois, United States, broadcasting on at 50,000 watts of effective radiated power. It has had a contemporary hit radio music format since 1975.
WIXO is a radio station in Peoria, Illinois. It is owned by Cumulus Media, which also owns several other radio stations in the market. Cumulus purchased WIXO and its sister stations from Townsquare Media. Originally on 99.9 MHz before 2006, it moved to 105.7, a much higher-power license that reaches a large portion of Central Illinois.
WJBC is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Bloomington, Illinois, and serving the Bloomington-Normal region. It broadcasts a news/talk radio format and is owned by Cumulus Media, part of a five-station cluster. It has four full-time news anchors and one part-time reporter. The station calls itself "The Voice of Central Illinois".
WKZF (102.3 MHz is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Morton, Illinois, and serving the Peoria metropolitan area. It broadcasts a Rhythmic AC radio format and is owned by Midwest Communications, Inc. The radio studios and offices on the 12th floor of The Civic Center Plaza Building in Downtown Peoria.
WZPW is a radio station in Central Illinois with a rhythmic top 40 music format, licensed to Peoria, Illinois and broadcasting with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 19,200 watts. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, which purchased the station from Townsquare Media.
WPBG (93.3 FM) is a radio station with a classic hits format, and is licensed for Peoria, Illinois. The station was formerly known as 93.3 WMBD-FM, as well as KZ-93 (WKZW) through 1994, "Mix 93.3" prior to its conversion to oldies/classic hits. The station is owned by Midwest Communications, Inc.
WWHX is a commercial FM radio station in Normal, Illinois, serving the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It is owned by Neuhoff Media through licensee Neuhoff Media Bloomington, LLC. It airs a hot adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. The studios are at 1 Brickyard Drive in Bloomington.
WXAJ is a commercial radio station, licensed to Hillsboro, Illinois, and serving the Springfield metropolitan area. It is owned by the Neuhoff Corporation and broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format, known as "99.7 The Mix". The radio studios and offices are on South 4th Street in Southern View, Illinois, using a Springfield address.
WASK is a commercial AM radio station in Lafayette, Indiana. It broadcasts a sports radio format and is owned by Neuhoff Communications. The studios and transmitter are at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette. Most programming comes from ESPN Radio.
WIBL, known as "The Bull", is a commercial radio station in Central Illinois with a country music radio format. WIBL is licensed to Fairbury, Illinois, and serves the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It is owned by Pilot Media, which is a subsidiary of Great Plains Media. Great Plains' CEO is Jerry Zimmer, a longtime partner in the Zimmer Radio Group based in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. WIBL features "20 Songs in A Row" music sweeps at various times each day, resulting in approximately 70 minutes of music without commercials.
WHPI is a commercial radio station licensed to Farmington, Illinois, and serving the Peoria metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Top 40 - CHR radio format, simulcast with WPIA 98.5 FM. Both stations are owned and operated by Advanced Media Partners, LLC, and are known as 96.5 and 98.5 KISS FM.
WZND-LP is a low-power FM radio station licensed for Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, United States. The station is staffed by students of Illinois State University and airs music from genres including rock, hip-hop, classic, pop, and country. WZND has received many awards including the 2018 BEA Best College Station in the Nation award.
WJGL is a commercial FM radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. The station is owned by Cox Radio, a division of the Cox Media Group. WJGL airs a classic hits radio format that leans towards classic rock, playing primarily rock songs from the 1970s, 80s and some 90s, while avoiding pop/dance artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna.
WCVS-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Virden, Illinois, and serving the Springfield metropolitan area. It broadcasts an adult hits radio format, branded as "96.7 BOB FM." The station is currently owned by Neuhoff Corp., through licensee Neuhoff Media Springfield, LLC.
WJBC-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pontiac, Illinois, in the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a country radio format, calling itself "93.7 Nash Icon." The transmitter is on County Road 3200 North in Weston, Illinois.
WSOY is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Talk radio format. Licensed to Decatur, Illinois, the station is owned by Neuhoff Corp., through licensee Neuhoff Media Decatur, LLC. Neuhoff owns four other local radio stations, WCZQ, WDZ, WDZQ and WSOY-FM. Studios and offices are located on North Water Street and the transmitter site is near St. Louis Bridge Road, sharing the same tower as WDZ.
WFMB-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Springfield, Illinois. It broadcasts a country music radio format and is owned by Neuhoff Corp., through licensee Neuhoff Media Springfield, LLC.
WPEO-FM is an FM radio station licensed to Farmer City, Illinois. It is owned by WPEO Radio Foundation, and it simulcasts a Christian talk and teaching radio format with co-owned WPEO 1020 AM in Peoria, Illinois. The radio studios and offices are just south of Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois.