WNKI
 | |
| City of license | Corning, New York |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Elmira-Corning area |
| Slogan | Wink106 All the Hits |
| Frequency | 106.1 MHz |
| First air date | 1940s (as WKNP-FM) |
| Format | contemporary hit radio |
| ERP | 40,000 watts |
| HAAT | 162.0 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 53611 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 42°12′0.00″N 76°51′30.00″W / 42.2000000°N 76.8583333°W |
| Former callsigns |
WCLI-FM (1980-1980) WZKZ (1980-1993) WKNP (1947-1980) |
| Owner | Community Broadcasters, LLC |
| Sister stations | WNGZ, WPGI, WRCE, WWLZ |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wink106.com |
WNKI (106.1 FM) Wink 106 is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format. Licensed to Corning, New York, USA, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area. The Arbitron #1 rated station in the market. The station is currently owned by Community Broadcasters, LLC.[1]
History
The station went on the air as WKNP in the 1940s under the ownership of the Corning Leader newspaper. Its original frequency was 95.1 FM. By 1950, it had moved to another frequency, the current 106.1 FM. A sister AM station, WCLI, signed on in 1947.
It had broadcast from a building at Erie Avenue (now Dennison Parkway) and Walnut Street in Corning. The Erie Railroad mainline passed nearby, and passing freight and passenger trains used to shake the building along with the recorded music on the turntables, according to Leader columnist Dick Peer.
Disc jockey Bob Shaddock, who became one of the market's iconic radio personalities, developed a skill of picking up the needle from the 78 RPM records and making announcements while trains passed, according to Peer.
The newspaper sold the stations in 1953.
On October 20, 1980, the station changed its call sign to WZKZ. Known as KZ-106, the station played a live-assist automated adult contemporary format. It was the top-rated station in the Elmira-Corning market for much of the decade.
In 1993, Pro Radio Inc. bought the stations. The FM call letters were switched on Oct. 8, 1993, to the current WNKI [2] The change was controversial in that several popular personalities were let go as Pro Radio launched a top 40 format under the name of Wink 106 with a staff of air personalities who were popular on other stations in the market. The change made some unwanted headlines when a presumably irate listener entered the main office (then at 99 W. First St.) after hours and doused it with fox urine.[citation needed]
Pro Radio eventually sold to Backyard Broadcasting, the current owner, which moved the stations to Elmira Heights. In 1997, the AM and FM split, with Backyard selling WCLI to Eolin Broadcasting, which also owned WCBA, WCBA-FM, and WGMM.
On May 6, 2013, it was announced that Backyard Broadcasting was selling the Elmira/Corning and Olean, NY clusters, including WNKI/WPGI/WNGZ/WRCE/WWLZ, to Community Broadcasters, LLC in Watertown, New York. The sale was consummated on August 26, 2013 at a price of $3.6 million.
Programing
- Mornings - The Wink Wakeup Crew: Scott and Ally in the Mornings
- Middays - Jessica Brander
- Afternoons - Chase Daniels
- Nights - Brody
Weekends
- Brody
- Ryan Seacrest
- Rat & Puff
- Kane
- Grooves
References
- ↑ "WNKI Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ↑ "WNKI Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
External links
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WNKI
- Radio-Locator information on WNKI
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WNKI
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