WNRQ

Last updated

WNRQ
WNRQ 105.9TheRock logo.png
Broadcast area Greater Nashville
Frequency 105.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding105-9 The Rock
Programming
Format Classic rock
Subchannels HD2: Black-oriented news (Black Information Network)
Ownership
Owner
WLAC, WRVW, WSIX-FM, WUBT
History
First air date
1953;71 years ago (1953) (as WSOK-FM)
Former call signs
WSOK-FM (1953–1955)
WHCY (1955–1957)
WFMB (1957–1964)
WLAC-FM (1964–1978)
WKQB (1978–1981)
WJYN (1981–1983)
WLAC-FM (1983–1998)
Call sign meaning
Nashville's RoQ (pronounced as "Rock")
Technical information
Facility ID 34392
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 376 meters (1,234 ft)
Translator(s) HD2: 97.5 W248BQ (Nashville)
Links
Webcast Listen Live
HD2: Listen Live
Website 1059therock.iheart.com
HD2: nashville.binnews.com

WNRQ (105.9 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Nashville, heard in northern middle Tennessee and southern central Kentucky. It airs a classic rock format. It is owned by iHeartMedia, with studios in Nashville's Music Row district.

Contents

WNRQ is a Class C FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. The transmitter site is on Johnson Chapel Hill Road West in Brentwood, Tennessee, a Nashville suburb. [1] WNRQ broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 digital subchannel carries the Black Information Network (BIN), an all news service directed at the African-American community. It feeds FM translator W248BQ at 97.5 MHz.

History

The station signed on the air in 1953;71 years ago. Its original call sign was WSOK-FM. The station was owned by Cal Young, who happened to own 1470 WSOK-AM, according to FCC records. Cal Young sold 1470 WSOK-AM to Robert Roundsaville in 1957 and became what is known today as WVOL. In that same year, Cal Young sold WSOK-FM (at that time the call sign was WHCY) to Great Southern Broadcasting Company, and the new call sign became WFMB. In 1964, WFMB was sold again to WLAC, Inc. WFMB switched to WLAC-FM, becoming the sister station to WLAC 1510 AM. WLAC-FM had an easy listening format, airing quarter-hour sweeps of mostly instrumental cover versions of popular adult music, along with Hollywood and Broadway show tunes.

In 1978, WLAC-FM switched to album oriented rock (AOR), as "Rock 106," WKQB.

On December 24, 1980, at 12 noon, the album oriented rock (AOR) format came to an end and a format change to "The Joy of Nashville," WJYN, the latter reflecting a former easy listening format. In 1983, the call sign was changed back to WLAC-FM and went to an Adult Contemporary Format.

In 1998, Dick Broadcasting, owner of WGFX, and SFX Broadcasting, the then-owner of WLAC-FM, agreed to trade the intellectual property of the stations. The trade, to have taken place February 2, 1998, would have moved WLAC-FM to 104.5 FM, and moved WGFX's classic rock format to 105.9 under SFX ownership. However, when the agreement fell apart, SFX decided to go ahead with launching a classic rock format anyway, and flipped WLAC-FM to WNRQ on January 30. [2]

Current format

The current format features harder-edged classic rock. Most of the station's playlist first hit the Nashville-area airwaves on the now-country-formatted WKDF during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as WKQB, "Rock 106" (from 1978 to 1981).

It was also Nashville's station for the syndicated John Boy and Billy morning show, heard on numerous Southern stations with the same format as WNRQ. The station stopped airing John Boy and Billy in the spring of 2020. It later had a local wake-up program, "The Josh Innes Show". [3] The show also aired on WEGR in Memphis and WLLZ in Detroit.

The current morning show is hosted by Rock Radio veteran Jeremy "Loper" Loper and long time local co-host Tim Battle, under the name "The Loper Show." Loper was lured to Nashville's WNRQ from Columbus, Ohio's Active Rock WRKZ-FM 99.7 The Blitz where he hosted "Loper and Randi in The Morning." Some of the DJs for WNRQ are voicetracked from other iHeartRadio stations. In afternoon drive time, the station airs Big Rig from WXTB Tampa.

Former disc jockeys

HD Radio

WNRQ broadcasts two HD Radio channels; WNRQ-HD1 simulcasts the analog station, while WNRQ-HD2 serves as the Nashville affiliate of the Black Information Network, and is the originating channel for translator station W248BQ (97.5 FM).

WNRQ-HD2

WNRQ-HD2 was at first a Clear Channel Communications-provided channel called "Vinyl Vineyard", but due to technical difficulties, the simulcast of sister station 1510 WLAC was moved to the HD2 signal. On August 25, 2014, the WLAC simulcast was replaced by an alternative rock format, branded "Alt 98.3" (reflecting its simulcast on translator station W252CM) made its debut, replacing the WLAC simulcast. On September 2, 2016, the format changed to classic country, branded as "The Big Legend 98.3"; this format served as a brand extension of sister station WSIX-FM. [4] On March 31, 2017, WNRQ-HD2 returned to alternative rock, branded as "Alt 97.5" (reflecting its simulcast on translator W248BQ), featuring the same airstaff as "Alt 98.3" and broadcasts of Nashville Sounds baseball; origination of the "Big Legend 98.3" classic country format moved to WSIX-HD2. [5] On December 16, 2018, WNRQ-HD2 changed its format to gospel music, branded as "97.5 Hallelujah FM". [6]

On June 29, 2020, fifteen iHeart stations in markets with large African American populations, including W248BQ/WNRQ-HD2, began stunting with African American speeches, interspersed with messages such as "Our Voices Will Be Heard" and "Our side of the story is about to be told," with a new format slated to launch on June 30. [7] [8] That day, W248BQ/WNRQ-HD2, along with the other fourteen stations, became the launch stations for the Black Information Network, an African American-oriented all-news network. [9]

WNRQ-HD3

WNRQ-HD3 was a simulcast of sister station WLAC until 2013, when the simulcast moved to WNRQ-HD2. WNRQ-HD3 was then removed; it resumed broadcasting in 2016 carrying Air1, feeding translator station W223BV (92.5 FM). WNRQ-HD3 was again discontinued on January 1, 2020, when Educational Media Foundation, owner of Air1 and W223BV, transferred origination of the translator's programming to the HD2 channel of WLVU.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWWQ</span> Radio station in Atlanta, Georgia

WWWQ is a commercial radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia, carrying a top 40 (CHR) format known as "Q99.7". Owned by Cumulus Media, WWWQ serves the Atlanta metropolitan area as the regional affiliate for The Daly Download with Carson Daly and is the flagship station of The Bert Show and Elliott & Nina. WWWQ's studios are located in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, while the station transmitter resides in Atlanta's Druid Hills neighborhood. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WWWQ broadcasts over three HD Radio channels with the second and third subchannels simulcast over low-power FM translators and is available online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLAC</span> Radio station in Nashville, Tennessee

WLAC is a commercial radio station in Nashville, Tennessee. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a talk radio format. The studios are in Nashville's Music Row district. It identifies itself as "TalkRadio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC" using the dial position of its FM translator at 98.3 MHz, as well as its AM frequency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KEEY-FM</span> Country music radio station in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area

KEEY-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to St. Paul, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul radio market. It broadcasts a country music radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The radio studios and offices are on Utica Avenue South in St. Louis Park. KEEY-FM carries two syndicated programs from co-owned Premiere Networks: CMT Nights with Cody Alan, heard overnight, and The Bobby Bones Show, heard Sunday evenings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQQL</span> Radio station in Anoka–Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota

KQQL is a commercial radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul radio market and is licensed to suburban Anoka. It plays classic hits and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Utica Avenue South in St. Louis Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFBW</span> Radio station in Vancouver, Washington

KFBW is a commercial radio station licensed to Vancouver, Washington, and broadcasting to the Portland metropolitan area. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station airs a mainstream rock radio format with emphasis on the late 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, branded as "105.9 The Brew". The transmitter is located in Portland's west hills and the studios are in Tigard, Oregon.

WGFX is a commercial radio station licensed to Gallatin, Tennessee, and serving the Nashville metropolitan area. It is branded as 104.5 The Zone, broadcasting a sports radio format. It is owned by Cumulus Media, with studios in Nashville's Music Row district. Most of its daytime schedule has local hosts, with programming from Fox Sports Radio heard nights and weekends.

WPRT-FM is an ESPN Radio-affiliated sports FM radio station broadcasting at 102.5 MHz. It is licensed to the city of Pegram, Tennessee, but serves the Nashville and Clarksville/Hopkinsville markets. The station's studios are located in southeast Nashville along the Murfreesboro Road, and the transmitter is located between Clarksville and Dickson in the unincorporated community of Cumberland Furnace.

WRVW is a radio station licensed to the city of Lebanon, Tennessee, but serving the nearby Nashville market. It is currently branded as 107.5 The River, broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format, and has become something of a heritage station for Top-40 music in middle Tennessee. It is owned by iHeartMedia and operates out of studios in the world-famous "Music Row" area. Its transmitter is located just north of downtown Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSIX-FM</span> Country music radio station in Nashville

WSIX-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Nashville, Tennessee. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station broadcasts a country music format. WSIX's studios are located in Nashville's Music Row district and the transmitter site is in Forest Hills, Tennessee.

KASE-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Austin, Texas. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a country music radio format. It shares studios and offices with four sister stations in the Penn Field complex in the South Congress district of south central Austin within walking distance of St. Edward's University. The transmitter site is off Waymaker Way in Austin, amid towers for other FM and TV stations.

WOLT is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It broadcasts a classic alternative radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WOLT carries the nationally syndicated "Woody Show" in morning drive time from co-owned KYSR Los Angeles. The studios are at 6161 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFUS</span> Radio station in Gulfport, Florida

WFUS is a commercial radio station licensed to Gulfport, Florida. It airs a country music format and is one of the eight stations in the Tampa Bay radio market owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It carries The Bobby Bones Show syndicated from Nashville in morning drive time. The studios are on Feather Sound Drive in Clearwater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIBA-FM</span> Radio station in Sauk City, Wisconsin

WIBA-FM (101.5 MHz) is a radio station licensed to Sauk City, Wisconsin and serving Madison and south central Wisconsin. The station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia and broadcasts a classic rock music format on its primary HD radio, while its HD2 channel carries an oldies format that is simulcast to analog translator station W265CV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJFX</span> Radio station in New Haven, Indiana

WJFX is a Top 40 radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is owned and operated by Adams Radio Group, through licensee ARG of Fort Wayne LLC. WJFX broadcasts three channels in the HD digital format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W227BF</span> Radio station in Shoreview, Minnesota

W227BF is a translator broadcasting Black Information Network programming from the HD2 subcarrier of iHeartMedia's KQQL. Licensed to Shoreview, Minnesota, it serves the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area inside the I-494/I-694 beltway. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. All the offices and studios are located in St. Louis Park and the transmitter is atop the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZID</span> Radio station in New Hampshire, United States

WZID is an American radio station with an adult contemporary format. WZID is located on Commercial Street in Manchester, New Hampshire. Its signal can be heard as far south as the Massachusetts Turnpike, as far east as southern Maine and as far west as Vermont. WZID also broadcasts in HD Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQRV</span> Radio station in Huntsville, Alabama

WQRV is a classic hits-formatted radio station serving the Huntsville, Alabama, market, which includes counties in northern Alabama and southern Alabama. Owned and operated by San Antonio–based iHeartMedia, the station's studios are located in Madison, Alabama, and its transmitter is located north of Elsanor Alabama.

KRGI-FM is a radio station broadcasting a new country format. Licensed to Grand Island, Nebraska, United States, the station serves the Grand Island-Kearney area. The station is currently owned by Legacy Communications, LLC and features programming from ABC Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and Jones Radio Network.

WLZX-FM is a radio station in Northampton, Massachusetts. The station has an active rock format, and is owned by Saga Communications. The station is also simulcast on WLZX and translator station W253CD, both in East Longmeadow, as well as the HD2 channel of WAQY in Springfield.

K296GB is a radio station located in North Highlands, California. The station's license is held by the Educational Media Foundation; its programming is provided by iHeartMedia. The station broadcasts a country music format branded as 107.1 The Bull. The station's programming can also be heard on KYRV's HD2 HD Radio subchannel and the iHeartRadio apps.

References

  1. ↑ "WNRQ-FM 105.9 MHz - Nashville, TN". radio-locator.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  2. ↑ "RR-1998-02-06" (PDF). American Radio History.
  3. ↑ "Josh Innes Show to Anchor Mornings at 105.9 the Rock Nashville".
  4. ↑ iHeart Debuts The Big Legend 98.3 Nashville Radioinsight - September 2, 2016
  5. ↑ "Alt Returning to Nashville". Radioinsight.com.
  6. ↑ "HALLELUJAH! 97.5 NASHVILLE FLIPS FROM ALTERNATIVE TO GOSPEL". Radioinsight.com. December 17, 2018.
  7. ↑ "IHEARTMEDIA LAUNCHES BLACK INFORMATION NETWORK". Radioinsight.com. June 30, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Several iHeartMedia Stations Stunting With Speeches, New Format To Be Announced Tomorrow". All Access. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  9. ↑ "iHeartMedia Debuts All-News BIN: Black Information Network". All Access. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.

36°02′10″N86°50′56″W / 36.036°N 86.849°W / 36.036; -86.849

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.