WKNL

WKNL
Broadcast areaSoutheastern Connecticut
Frequency100.9 MHz
Branding100.9 K-Hits
Programming
FormatClassic hits
Ownership
OwnerHall Communications, Inc.
WCTY, WICH, WILI, WILI-FM, WNLC
History
First air date
January 1, 1970; 54 years ago (1970-01-01)
Former call signs
WTYD (1970–2000)[1]
Call sign meaning
"Kool New London"
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID48547
ClassA
ERP6,000 watts
HAAT99 meters (325 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°26′27.3″N 72°8′27.2″W / 41.440917°N 72.140889°W / 41.440917; -72.140889 (WKNL)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitebighitsbigfun.com

WKNL (100.9 FM, "100.9 K-Hits") 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]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKNL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ Cronin, Anthony (May 4, 2005). "Florida radio company to buy two Willimantic stations". The Day (New London, CT).
  4. ^ "WKNL Returns to Classic Hits".
  5. ^ a b c "WTYD now playing oldies". The Day. March 11, 2000. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  6. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1971 (PDF). 1971. p. B-36. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
  7. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 12, 1976. p. 26. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  8. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 14, 1984. p. 92. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  9. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 27, 1989. p. 56. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  10. ^ "Newsline". Billboard. December 3, 1994. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  11. ^ a b c Kool 101 Meets Roxy Radioinsight - December 17, 2012

External links[edit]