WNRS (AM)
| File:WNRS El Zorro 98.3-1420 logo.jpg | |
| Broadcast area | Utica, New York |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1420 kHz |
| Branding | El Zorro 1420 AM and 98.3 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Tropical music |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Arjuna Broadcasting Corp. |
| WXUR | |
| History | |
First air date | WNRS: October 12, 1956[1] (as WALY) W252DO: December 2016 |
Former call signs | WALY (1956-1979) WKYZ (1979-1980) WRMV (1980-1985) WLIR (1985-1987) WYUT (1987-1994) |
Call sign meaning | WiNneRS (previous format) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | WNRS: 2760 W252DO: 60893 |
| Class | D |
| Power | WNRS: 1,000 watts day 64 watts night W252DO: 250 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°3′40″N 75°1′44″W / 43.06111°N 75.02889°W |
| Translator(s) | 98.3 W252DO (Herkimer) |
WNRS (1420 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish language tropical music format. Licensed to Herkimer, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica area. Owned by Arjuna Broadcasting Corp., the station also simulcasts on translator station W252DO at 98.3 FM.[2][3]
The format is known as El Zorro 98.3 FM 1420 AM.[4]
History
The station went on the air as WALY in 1956,[1] often programming a full service music format. However on occasion, it would program other formats like top 40.[5] Eventually, the station settled for beautiful music programming.[6] The station changed callsigns several times in the late 1970s and 1980s, to WKYZ in 1979, WRMV in 1980, and WLIR in 1985. On March 2, 1987, the station changed its call sign to WYUT to match its FM sister WYUT-FM, but signed off in 1991. On July 20, 1994, both WYUT and WYUT-FM returned to the air as WNRS and WXUR, respectively.[7] On June 26, 2009, Arjuna Broadcasting Corp. moved the Imus in the Morning show to WNRS from WXUR, which had just flipped to an active rock format.
On March 5, 2010, WNRS lost its ESPN Radio affiliation to Galaxy Communications station WTLB. Adopting the brand "The Fox," WNRS retained Imus, brought in Premiere Sports, added syndicated programs, The Dan Patrick Show and The Jim Rome Show, for middays, and simulcast WBBR (Bloomberg Radio) in afternoon drive until sunset. (WNRS is believed to be the only AM station to use "The Fox" branding.)
On March 4, 2013, WNRS dropped its Premiere and Bloomberg affiliations and affiliated with The True Oldies Channel. Imus in the Morning was once again retained (and would continue on WNRS until the show ended on March 29, 2018).[8] When the True Oldies Channel ended in June 2014, WNRS retained its oldies format and changed its affiliation to Good Time Oldies, which had recently been launched by Westwood One.
On December 1, 2016, WNRS added a FM simulcast at 98.3, to cover areas not served by WNRS' nighttime signal.[9]
For much of 2020, WNRS was plagued with a litany of technical difficulties, resulting in the station's programming not being heard for days at a time. On November 2, 2020, WNRS dropped its oldies format in favor of Spanish-language tropical music; such a format had never before been heard in Central New York. With the format change came new branding as "El Zorro" - the Spanish word for "Fox".[10]
References
- ^ a b Kibbs, Tom (February 4, 1957). "WALY reception verification" (PDF). Retrieved April 23, 2017.
- ^ "WNRS Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ http://fccdata.org/?facid=60893
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/pg/WNRSTheFox/posts/ WNRS Facebook
- ^ http://blog.backspinradio.net/2014/01/music-survey-waly-herkimer-ny-top-twenty-january-7-14-1964/
- ^ "200 Years Of Herkimer County" book, published 1991 by the Herkimer County Historical Society
- ^ "WNRS Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ Don Imus to retire March 29
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/cnyradio/posts/1260772920651052?comment_id=1260848487310162&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R0%22%7D
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/WNRSTheFox/posts/2013093592166288?__tn__=-R
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID WNRS ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Template:FMQ
- W252DO at FCCdata.org
  | This article about a radio station in New York is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |