WBNS-FM
WBNS-FM (97.1 FM, 97.1 The Fan) is a radio station in Columbus, Ohio, United States, airing a sports radio format. The station is owned by Tegna Inc., along with WBNS (1460 AM) and WBNS-TV (channel 10). The WBNS radio stations' studios and offices are located in Columbus's Brewery District neighborhood; WBNS-FM's transmitter tower is co-located with WBNS-TV on Twin Rivers Drive, behind the WBNS Television studios and west of Downtown Columbus.
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| City | Columbus, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Columbus, Ohio |
| Frequency | 97.1 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 97.1 The Fan |
| Slogan | Ohio's Sports Destination |
| Programming | |
| Format | Sports radio |
| Affiliations | Columbus Blue Jackets Radio Network ESPN Radio NFL on Westwood One Ohio State Sports Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Tegna Inc. (RadiOhio Incorporated) |
| Sister stations | WBNS, WBNS-TV |
| History | |
| First air date | 1957 |
| Call sign meaning | derived from sister station WBNS (AM) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 54701 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 20,500 watts |
| HAAT | 238 meters (781 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 39°58′16.0″N 83°01′40.0″W |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
WBNS-FM features a combination of local programming and ESPN Radio programming. Along with sister station WBNS (AM), it is the FM flagship of the Ohio State Sports Network,[1] the exclusive flagship for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets,[2] and the Columbus affiliate for the NFL on Westwood One.
History
WBNS (AM) experimented with FM as early as 1940 with station W8XVH, which became W45CM and later WELD, but took the station off the air in the early 1950s. The modern-day station debuted as WBNS-FM in 1957, and in 1970 began airing a music format. In the mid-1970s, an Easy Listening music format was adopted.
In November 1991 the station moved from Easy Listening, to Oldies, and the station became "Oldies B-97.1". Almost ten years later, in July 2001, WBNS-FM moved to Modern AC as "The New 97.1", with a mix of pop alternative music.
Eventually, the station evolved with a Hot AC format as "97.1-More Music, More Variety." In August 2005, the station adopted the Hot AC-friendly "Mix" name and became "Mix 97.1-80s, 90s, Now."
Conversion to sports format
On January 26, 2009, at 2 PM, the station began a simulcast of AM sister station WBNS ("1460 The Fan"), airing a sports format, as 97.1 The Fan. The final song played on Mix 97.1 was "Leave Out All The Rest" by Linkin Park.
On June 11, 2019, Dispatch announced it was selling its broadcasting assets, including the WBNS stations, to Tegna Inc. for $535 million in cash. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, pending Federal Communications Commission approval.[3] The sale was completed on August 8.[4]
References
- OSU Radio Network - Ohio State Buckeyes.com
- Blue Jackets Radio Network - Blue Jackets.com
- Miller, Mark K. (June 11, 2019). "Tegna Buying Dispatch's WTHR, WBNS For $535M". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheckMedia. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
- "TEGNA Completes Acquisition of Dispatch Broadcast Group’s Leading, Top Ranked Stations in Indianapolis, IN and Columbus, OH", Tegna Inc., August 8, 2019; Retrieved August 8, 2019.
External links
- 97.1 The Fan
- WBNS in the FCC's FM station database
- WBNS on Radio-Locator
- WBNS in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
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