WRNX

WRNX (100.9 FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Amherst, Massachusetts. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC.

WRNX
Broadcast areaPioneer Valley
Frequency100.9 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingKix 100.9
Programming
FormatCountry
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WHYN, WHYN-FM
History
First air date
November 12, 1990[1]
Former call signs
WHCI (1987-1990)
Technical information
Facility ID25906
ClassA
ERP870 watts
HAAT211 meters (692 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
42°15′7.33″N 72°38′39.33″W
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitemykix1009.iheart.com

The station was assigned the WRNX call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on September 21, 1990.[2]

Programming

WRNX airs a country music format.[3] The format change to country music from WRNX's longtime adult album alternative format was part of sister station WPKX's move to the Hartford, Connecticut market, where it became WUCS.[4]

In addition to its usual music programming, WRNX has served as the flagship station for University of Massachusetts Amherst athletics broadcasts.[5] The station has carried all of the school's men's basketball, hockey and football games plus coaches shows and women's basketball games since 2002.

They also carry NASCAR races.

Ownership

In spring 2003, Pamal Broadcasting Ltd. (James Morrell, chairman/CEO) reached an agreement to acquire WPNI and WRNX from Western Massachusetts Radio Co. (Thomas G. Davis, president), for a reported sale price of $8 million.[6] The broker for this transaction was Doug Ferber of Star Media Group, Inc. At the time of the purchase, WRNX broadcast a rock-leaning adult album alternative music format.[7]

In the summer of 2006, iHeartMedia, under its former name of Clear Channel Communications (John Hogan, CEO, radio), reached an agreement to acquire WRNX from Pamal Broadcasting Ltd (James Morrell, chairman/CEO) in exchange for five radio stations on other states.[8] The other stations in the deal are WBPM and WGHQ in upstate New York, WZRT and WSYB in Rutland, Vermont, and WPYR in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[9] Published reports state that no cash changed hands in this transaction.[10]

Alumni

Rachel Maddow, host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC and former Air America Radio personality, got her start through a contest to find a new sidekick for The Dave in the Morning Show.[11][12] Maddow says, "I was crashing with friends in Massachusetts, working odd jobs, when they told me to try out. And they hired me on the spot. Radio came to me, I didn't come to it."[13]

References
  1. "Directory of Radio Stations in the U.S.". Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). New Providence, NJ: R. R. Bowker. 1999. p. D-207. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access Database. FCC Media Bureau.
  3. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.
  4. "Morning Host Steve Cantara Exits WRNX". All Access Music Group. March 10, 2011.
  5. "UMass & WRNX Extend Radio Deal For Two More Years". Official University of Massachusetts Amherst Athletics Website. January 20, 2006.
  6. "Changing hands". Broadcasting & Cable. April 6, 2003.
  7. Fybush, Scott (January 31, 2003). "'The Duke of Portland' is Dead". NorthEast Radio Watch.
  8. "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable. July 10, 2006.
  9. Fybush, Scott (May 29, 2006). "CBS To Sell Buffalo, Rochester Clusters". NorthEast Radio Watch.
  10. Freebairn, William (May 17, 2006). "Radio swap in works". The Republican.
  11. Leibovich, Mark. "Rachel Maddow". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  12. Lehoczky, Etelka (August 31, 2004). "Left and centered: Air America radio's Rachel Maddow is out, brilliant, and ready to defend the other L word: liberal". The Advocate.
  13. Bagby, Dyana (January 28, 2005). "Two 'L-words'; Morning host adds 'lesbian' to 'liberal' radio's success". Southern Voice Atlanta. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
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