WNAK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WNAK
Image:WNAK730CALIENTE.PNG
City of license Nanticoke, Pennsylvania
Broadcast area Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton
Branding Calienete
Frequency 730 kHz (analog)
Format Tropical and Adult Contemporary Spanish
Power 1,000 Watts (day)
12 Watts (night)
Class D
Former callsigns WHWL
Owner Route 81 Radio
Sister stations WLNP, WAZL, WCDL, WCOJ
Website http://www.wnakam.com

WNAK is an AM broadcasting radio station licensed to the city of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania and serves the Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Hazleton radio markets with a mix of Tropical and Spanish language adult contemporary format radio programming [1] simulcasting sister station WCDL located in Carbondale, Pennsylvania[2][3]. The station's programming is a mix of locally produced shows from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays followed by syndicated shows from Bustos Broadcasting[2]. WNAK broadcasts at a frequency of 730 kHz with 1,000 Watts of power during the daytime with a non-directional antenna. During the nighttime hours, the station must reduce its power substantially to just 12 Watts which limits its listen able area to just the local Naticoke area. The power reduction at nighttime is required by rules set by the Federal Communications Commission in order to avoid interference from CKAC (AM), a Canadian radio station also on 730 kHz.

[edit] History

The radio station has its origins as WHWL, the last three letters standing for the initials of Henry W. Lark, the station's former owner[4]. The station then changed hands and was owned by Radio Anthracite, Inc. with the call signs changing along the way to the present WNAK. The station changed ownership in 1958 to Attorney Martin Phillips and Wyoming Radio, Inc.[5]. In 1965, Bob Neilson, Charmaine Grove, and accountant Harold Detwiler (to be known collectively as Seven-Thirty Broadcasters, Inc.) purchased radio station WNAK from Attorney Martin Phillips and Wyoming Radio, Inc[6]. During the 1980's, WNAK started broadcasting with the Kahn-Hazeltine AM stereo system, the only northeastern Pennsylvania AM broadcasting station to use the system.

In 2003, Seven-Thirty Broadcasters and WNAK were acquired by the present day owners of the station, Route 81 Radio, based in West Chester, PA[7]. From 2004 until 2006, WNAK was simulcast on the former WNAK-FM located in Carbondale, Pennsylvania at 94.3 MHz. WNAK-FM is now known as "Lite 94.3" and broadcasts a soft rock format with the call signs WLNP. WLNP is still the sister station to WNAK and part of the Route 81 Radio group of stations. In 2005, WNAK was honored by the National Association of Broadcasters as the Adult Standards format station of the year in Pennsylvania[8]. The station switched from an Adult Standards format on October 15, 2007 to Spanish language programming simulcasting sister station WCDL, "Caliente (Hot) 1440", from Carbondale, Pennsylvania [2][3].

[edit] References

[edit] External References