WNSL

Last updated
WNSL
Broadcast area Laurel-Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Frequency 100.3 MHz
BrandingSL100
Programming
Format Top 40 (CHR)
Affiliations Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WJKX, WZLD
History
First air date
March 10, 1959;65 years ago (1959-03-10) [1]
Call sign meaning
Voice of the New South in Laurel, the company which owned the station was Voice of the New South, Inc. until 1983.
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 16784
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 324 meters (1,063 ft)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website sl100.iheart.com

WNSL (100.3 FM, "SL100") is a top 40 (CHR) music formatted radio station licensed to Laurel, Mississippi, serving the Laurel-Hattiesburg Arbitron market.

Contents

Programming

SL100 is an affiliate of the syndicated Johnjay and Rich. It is also an affiliate of the syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest and Dawson McAllister Live .

In recent years the station ID can be heard as "WNSL Hattiesburg-Laurel". The studios are on U.S. 98 in West Hattiesburg, MS.

History

WNSL-FM went on the air March 10, 1959, a simulcast of WNSL AM 1260 (today's WHJA at 890 AM). WNSL-AM-FM was founded by Granville Walters, a former news reporter and host at WAML, the first radio station in Laurel. Walters was the general manager of WNSL until 1983, and for most of those years, he reported the news in the morning drive slot. For years, WNSL-AM-FM had a country music format (the AM moniker was Dixie's 1260 for a time), and it was famous for the "Masonite Whistle", a music and news program broadcast from 6:00 - 6:30 a.m. and sponsored by Masonite Corporation, for the benefit of its employees. A common phrase used in the program was "for those getting up or those getting in", presumably to cater to employees of the night and morning shifts. This program continued as a simulcast on both AM and FM stations, despite changes in formats and call letters, until 1984. At one point, the FM format was changed to R&B and was known as Soul-100, before adopting the current Top 40 format in the late 1970s. The AM format remained country until the change in FM format. Then, the AM station broke off completely as R&B outlet WQIS "Super Q 1260".

In 1981, WNSL built a new transmitter tower near Moselle, Mississippi, with an ERP of 33,000 watts. In 1985, when WNSL built a new transmitter tower near Ellisville, Mississippi, the transmitter in Moselle became the new transmitter tower for WQIS. WNSL successfully tapped into the Hattiesburg market, targeting students at the University of Southern Mississippi, competing with Top 40 station WHSY "Y-104". In 1983, Granville Walters retired and sold his part in WNSL/WQIS to Bob Holladay, who was the son of Mr. Walters' partner, Ed Holladay of Meridian. Under Bob Holladay's watch, the station gained prominence as a Top 40 station. Holladay managed to lure DJs from other larger markets, particularly Meridian, to WNSL. The new tower built in 1985 was 1,000 feet over average terrain, and WNSL upgraded to an ERP of 100,000 watts. This new tower was capable of handling multiple stations and initially was shared with WHER-FM 103.7 in Hattiesburg, an easy listening FM station; upon the inauguration of the new tower, WNSL changed its legal identification to WNSL Laurel-Hattiesburg-Meridian in an effort to tap into the Meridian radio market and compete with Top 40 station WJDQ "Q-101". As part of the campaign, Holladay hired Mike Golden, a former news anchor with WTOK-TV in Meridian, as news director. The station also arranged for a relayed broadcast at 100.5 on cable in Meridian, as the radio signal was not strong in areas on the north side of Meridian. This campaign proved to yield little fruit, and within 18 months, the legal identification was changed back to WNSL Laurel-Hattiesburg and Mike Golden was gone.

Holladay expanded the company through acquisition of other stations but eventually sold WNSL and WQIS to Design Media in 1988. Design Media sold the stations to Cumulus Media in 1999. In October 2000, Cumulus announced an agreement to sell this station to Clear Channel Communications as part of a large station swap and sale, including seven Cumulus stations in the Laurel-Hattiesburg radio market. [3] The deal was approved by the FCC on December 19, 2000, and the transaction was consummated on January 18, 2001. [4]

As part of the transition, around 2002, these stations consolidated studios to a space on U.S. 98 in West Hattiesburg, MS. The building where WNSL Studios was for over 40 years in Laurel, MS has been torn down, leaving an old transmitter shed, the foundation and the parking lot.

Related Research Articles

KVDU is a commercial radio station licensed to Gonzales, Louisiana. It airs an urban adult contemporary radio format. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station serves the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. It operates as a Class C3 with 18kW/101.8m from a site near the I-10 and I-12 junction in Baton Rouge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMIM</span> Radio station in Luna Pier, Michigan

WMIM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Luna Pier, Michigan, and serving the Toledo metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and it airs a country music radio format, concentrating on the hits from the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s. It uses the moniker Nash Icon, a format programmed on several other Cumulus-owned stations around the country, including WSM-FM Nashville. On weekends, a syndicated country oldies show with Terri Clark is heard, along with specialty shows playing Bluegrass music and Southern Gospel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNTR</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Indianapolis

WNTR is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. WNTR is owned by Cumulus Media and it airs an adult contemporary radio format. Its studios and offices are on North Shadeland Avenue, off Interstate 465.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWKL</span> Radio station in Hershey, Pennsylvania

WWKL is a commercial radio station licensed to Hershey, Pennsylvania, and serving South Central Pennsylvania, including Harrisburg, Lancaster and York. It is owned by Cumulus Media and it broadcasts a rhythmic contemporary format. The studios are on Vartan Way in Harrisburg.

WOWW is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Germantown, Tennessee, and serving the Memphis metropolitan area. WOWW carries an adult album alternative radio format and calls itself "Radio Pig". It is owned and operated by Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. The station's studios and offices are in Southaven, Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRST</span> Radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico

KRST is a commercial radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country music radio format. The radio studios and offices are located in Downtown Albuquerque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLVP</span> Radio station in Aloha, Oregon

KLVP is a non-profit radio station licensed to Aloha, Oregon, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. The station is owned, and the broadcast license held, by the Educational Media Foundation. It airs the national contemporary Christian radio format known as "K-Love."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLXC</span> Radio station in Columbia, South Carolina

WLXC is an urban adult contemporary radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina that serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Cumulus Media outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast with an ERP of 6 kW. The station goes by the name Kiss 103.1 and its current slogan is "Columbia’s Best Variety of R&B."Its studios are located at the Tower building in Downtown Columbia, South Carolina and the transmitter is in Columbia northeast of downtown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAOA-FM</span> Radio station in Melbourne, Florida

WAOA-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Melbourne and covering Florida's Space Coast. Owned by Cumulus Media, it broadcasts a top 40 (CHR) radio format. It calls itself W A One A, named after Coastal Florida highway State Road A1A. The radio studios and offices are on West Hibiscus Boulevard in Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQGN-FM</span> Radio station in Connecticut, United States

WQGN-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Groton, Connecticut, and serving the New London–Groton area. It broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format and is owned by Cumulus Media. WQGN carries several nationally syndicated shows including The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show and the Carson Daly Top 30. Its studios and offices are located on Governor Winthrop Boulevard in New London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNKT</span> Radio station in Eastover, South Carolina

WNKT is a sports radio station licensed to Eastover, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Cumulus Media outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 40 kW. The station goes by the name “107.5 The Game”. Its studios are located in downtown Columbia, South Carolina and the transmitter is west of St. Matthews, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDVV</span> Radio station in Topeka, Kansas

KDVV is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Topeka, Kansas. It is owned by Cumulus Media. It airs a classic rock radio format that leans toward harder-edged songs from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. It carries the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Show in morning drive time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIOV-FM</span> Radio station in Ephrata, Pennsylvania

WIOV-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Radio License Holding CBC LLC, a part of Cumulus Media, and broadcasts a country music radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on South Reading Road, along PA 272, at Rothsville Road in Ephrata. The station's broadcast tower is located off Tower Road near Ephrata at.

WRBO is a radio station licensed to Como, Mississippi, and serving the Memphis metropolitan area. Owned by Cumulus Media, WRBO has an urban adult contemporary format playing both current and classic R&B music. The station's studios are located at the Memphis Radio Group building in East Memphis, and the transmitter site is in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

WKSM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Fort Walton Beach and serving the Emerald Coast of Florida. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format, calling itself 99 Rock. The radio studios and transmitter are on Hollywood Boulevard NW in Fort Walton Beach. WKSM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts.

WKLV-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Butler, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation.

WZKX is a commercial radio station licensed to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and serving the Gulfport–Biloxi-Pascagoula radio market. Due to its 100,000 watt power, the station is also heard all throughout the metro New Orleans radio market. It broadcasts a country music format and is owned by Coast Radio Group. Its studios are on Lorraine Road in Gulfport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHJA</span> Radio station in Laurel, Mississippi

WHJA is a radio station licensed to the community of Laurel, Mississippi, and serving the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, area. The station is owned by Donald Pugh, Sr., through licensee Eternity Media Group LLC. It airs a classic hip hop format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFFX</span> Radio station in Louisiana, United States

WFFX is a radio station licensed to Marrero, Louisiana, and serving the New Orleans metropolitan area with a hot adult contemporary format. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station was first established in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 1966 as WFOR-FM.

WFOR is an AM radio station licensed to serve Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. The station is owned by Eagle Broadcasting, LLC.

References

  1. ↑ "WNSL-FM" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1976. p. C-110 (364). Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WNSL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "Cumulus Media Inc. Announces Several Transactions". Business Wire. October 3, 2000. Laurel-Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Market Rank #208 of 276) -- WEEZ-AM, WJKX-FM, WHER-FM, WUSW-FM, WMFM-FM, WFOR-AM, WNSL-FM.
  4. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-20000817ADK)". FCC Media Bureau. January 18, 2001.

31°31′37″N89°08′06″W / 31.527°N 89.135°W / 31.527; -89.135

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.