WKNL
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Southeastern Connecticut |
| Frequency | 100.9 MHz |
| Branding | Big 100.9 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Hall Communications, Inc. |
| WCTY, WICH, WILI, WILI-FM, WNLC | |
| History | |
First air date | January 1, 1970 |
Former call signs | WTYD (1970–2000)[1] |
Call sign meaning | "Kool New London" (former branding) |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 48547 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 6,000 watts |
| HAAT | 99 meters (325 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°26′27.3″N 72°8′27.2″W / 41.440917°N 72.140889°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | bighitsbigfun |
WKNL (100.9 FM, "Big 100.9") is a radio station licensed to serve New London, Connecticut. The station is owned by Hall Communications, Inc., which owns a number of stations in medium-sized markets along the eastern seaboard from Vermont to Florida.[3] It airs a classic hits music format.[4]
History
[edit]WKNL signed on January 1, 1970, as WTYD, a beautiful music station branded as "Tide 101".[5] At the outset, the station was owned by Thames Broadcasting Corporation, which also owned WNLC (1510 AM).[6] Thames Broadcasting sold the stations to Mercury Broadcasting Corporation in 1976;[7] in 1984, Mercury sold them to Drubner Broadcasting,[8] which then sold WTYD and WNLC to Andross Communications in 1989.[9] In 1990, WTYD shifted to an adult contemporary format.[5]
Hall Communications purchased WTYD and WNLC in 1995.[10] On March 10, 2000, Hall changed the station's format to oldies as "Kool 101", in response to WVVE (102.3 FM, now WMOS) dropping the format in December 1999;[5] the WKNL call letters had been assigned on February 25, 2000.[1] The oldies format (which subsequently shifted to classic hits) was dropped at midnight on December 17, 2012, when it changed to hot adult contemporary, branded as "100.9 Roxy FM"; at the time, sister station WNLC (98.7 FM) also programmed a classic hits format.[11] The last song on "Kool 101" was "Last Dance" by Donna Summer with the first song on "100.9 Roxy FM" being "Some Nights" by Fun.[11] On March 1, 2017, at 5:00 pm, WKNL flipped back to classic hits, branded as "100.9 K-Hits". The airstaff from Roxy remained on the station with the change.[11]
On December 20, 2024, WKNL rebranded as "Big 100.9".[12]
Previous logo
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKNL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Cronin, Anthony (May 4, 2005). "Florida radio company to buy two Willimantic stations". The Day (New London, CT).
- ^ "WKNL Returns to Classic Hits".
- ^ a b c "WTYD now playing oldies". The Day. March 11, 2000. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1971 (PDF). 1971. p. B-36. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 12, 1976. p. 26. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 14, 1984. p. 92. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 27, 1989. p. 56. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "Newsline". Billboard. December 3, 1994. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ a b c Kool 101 Meets Roxy Radioinsight - December 17, 2012
- ^ A Bigger WKNL in Eastern Connecticut Radioinsight - December 20, 2024
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 48547 (WKNL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WKNL in Nielsen Audio's FM station database