WBNS-FM

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WBNS-FM
FanLogo-WBNS-FM-Columbus-Ohio.png
CityColumbus, Ohio
Broadcast areaColumbus metropolitan area
Frequency97.1 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding97.1 The Fan
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatSports radio
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerTegna Inc.
(RadiOhio Incorporated)
Sister stations
WBNS, WBNS-TV
History
First air date
1957
Call sign meaning
Carried over from WBNS
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID54701
ClassB
ERP20,500 watts
HAAT238 meters (781 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
39°58′16.0″N 83°01′40.0″W / 39.971111°N 83.027778°W / 39.971111; -83.027778
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
WebcastListen live (via TuneIn)
Websitewww.971thefan.com

WBNS-FM (97.1 FM) – branded 97.1 The Fan – is a commercial sports radio station licensed to serve Columbus, Ohio, and services the Columbus metropolitan area. Owned by Tegna Inc., it and WBNS (1460 AM) are the only two radio stations currently owned by Tegna; the studios for both stations are co-located with WBNS-TV (channel 10) in Columbus's Brewery District.

WBNS-FM is the FM flagship for the Ohio State Sports Network,[1] the Columbus Blue Jackets Radio Network,[2] and the Columbus Crew, and the market affiliate for the Cleveland Browns Radio Network,[3] the NFL on Westwood One Sports and ESPN Radio, the latter in a shared affiliation with WBNS. The WBNS-FM transmitter tower is co-located with WBNS-TV's tower west of Downtown Columbus. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WBNS-FM is also available online.

History[]

Experimental years and beautiful music[]

WBNS-FM transmission tower (right), next to the WBNS-TV tower.
WBNS-FM's HD Radio Channels on a SPARC Radio with PSD.

WBNS (AM) was established in 1922 and in 1929 was acquired by the Wolfe Family, which also owned the major daily newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch. WBNS experimented with FM broadcasts as early as 1940 with station W8XVH, which became W45CM and later WELD. But few people owned FM receivers in those days, so management took the station off the air in the early 1950s. The modern-day station signed on in 1957 as WBNS-FM, at first largely simulcasting the AM station.

In 1970 it began airing a beautiful music format, playing quarter-hour sweeps of instrumental cover versions of popular songs, Broadway and Hollywood show tunes. In the 1980s, the station began playing more soft adult contemporary vocals, in an effort to appeal to a younger audience.

Oldies and AC[]

In November 1991 the station moved from easy listening, to oldies, calling itself "Oldies B-97.1". The playlist was made up of Top 40 hits of the 1960s and 70s. 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 began using the "Mix" name and became "Mix 97.1-80s, 90s, Now." Meanwhile, co-owned WBNS 1460 AM had good ratings as an all-sports AM station, as more cities were getting FM sports outlets. Management decided to capitalize on its sports franchise.

Sports format[]

On January 26, 2009, at 2 PM, WBNS-FM began a simulcast of AM sister station WBNS "1460 The Fan." WBNS-FM became "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, The Columbus Dispatch announced it was selling its broadcasting assets, including WBNS-AM-FM-TV, to Tegna Inc., for $535 million in cash. The deal was expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, pending Federal Communications Commission approval.[4] The sale was completed on August 8.[5]

Over time, WBNS-FM became the exclusive home of local Columbus-based sports shows, while WBNS 1460 AM airs the national ESPN Radio Network feed.

References[]

  1. ^ OSU Radio Network - Ohio State Buckeyes.com
  2. ^ Blue Jackets Radio Network - Blue Jackets.com
  3. ^ "97.1 The Fan is the new radio home for the Cleveland Browns". 10tv.com. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  4. ^ Miller, Mark K. (June 11, 2019). "Tegna Buying Dispatch's WTHR, WBNS For $535M". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheckMedia. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  5. ^ "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[]

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