WNYE (FM)

WNYE-FM
Broadcast area New York City
Branding Radio New York
Frequency 91.5 MHz FM
(also on HD Radio)
First air date AM in 1938, FM in 1942
Format Variety, Educational
ERP 2,000 W[1]
HAAT 281 m[1]
Class B1[1]
Facility ID 3539[1]
Owner NYC Media Group
(New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications)
Website Radio New York

WNYE is a public radio station owned by the City of New York.

Contents

History

WNYE is operated by the NYC Media Group, a division of the City of the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. The program started out as a high-frequency AM (Apex) station in 1938, switching to 42.1 MHz FM in 1942. In 1946, it moved to 91.7 MHz, in a new FM band. Then in 1948, it settled at 91.5 MHz.

In March 2007 the station was rebranded as "Radio New York, WNYE 91.5 FM," and in 2009 it launched its digital programming with a new transmitter located at 4 Times Square in the Conde Nast building of Manhattan.[2]

Programming

WNYE airs domestic and international programs as well as foreign-language productions. Included are National Public Radio (NPR) programs that WNYC, the primary NPR affiliate in the area, does not air, such as The Diane Rehm Show.[3]

On February 11, 2008, the station management announced a partnership with Seattle-based station KEXP-FM to produce a new format branded as Radio Liberation,[4] featuring indie-music shows and simulcasts.[5] The format started on March 24, 2008, replacing a number of BBC and NPR shows.[6] A prominent casualty of this change is the BBC Newshour which used to be broadcast from 8am to 9am. On June 1 2011 KEXP was replaced by the WFUV show, The Alternate Side.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d According to the Engineering details for WNYE-FM in their license application at the Federal Communications Commission, April 2009.
  2. ^ "Mayor Bloomberg, DoITT commissioner Cosgrave, and NYC Media Group president Arick Wierson launch new transmitter site for WNYE 91.5 FM Radio New York at 4 Times Square", press release PR-109-09, City of New York. March 5, 2009.
  3. ^ What's On Radio New York, 91.5 FM Radio New York schedule, official New York City web site.
  4. ^ "KEXP and Radio New York liberate listeners from the norm" (Press release). Pyramid Communications. 2008-02-11. http://kexp.org/newyork/press.aspx. Retrieved 2008-02-18. 
  5. ^ "Air raid", Time Out New York, Issue 651, Mar 19–25, 2008.
  6. ^ "Indie scene can be heard now on WNYE", Daily News, March 23, 2008.
  7. ^ "The Alternate Side Debuts On WNYE June 1", thealternateside.org, June 1, 2011.

External links