WNGZ (AM)

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For the radio station in Montour Falls, New York that held the call sign WNGZ from 1973 to 2020, see WCIM (FM).
WNGZ
WNGZ WINGZ 93 logo.png
CityWatkins Glen, New York
Broadcast areaCorning, New York
Elmira, New York
Lansing, New York
Ithaca, New York
Frequency1490 kHz
BrandingWingz 93
Programming
FormatActive rock
Ownership
OwnerSeven Mountains Media
(Southern Belle, LLC)
WCBF, WMTT-FM, WNKI, WPHD, WZHD
History
First air date
1968 (1968)
Former call signs
WGMF (1968-1999)
WBZD (1999)
WGMF (1999-2004)
WTYX (2004-2008)[1]
WRCE (2008-2020)
Former frequencies
1500 kHz (1968-1984)
Call sign meaning
WiNGZ
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID49446
ClassC
Power880 watts (unlimited)
Transmitter coordinates
42°21′11″N 76°52′13″W / 42.35306°N 76.87028°W / 42.35306; -76.87028
Translator(s)
  • 93.1 W226BA (Elmira)
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
Websitewingz93.com

WNGZ (1490 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Watkins Glen, New York. The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media. The station, which has historically been prone to numerous format changes in the past decade, previously carried a classic country format.

FM translators[]

The following FM translator simulcasts WNGZ and is used in the station branding.[2] It also provides high fidelity stereophonic sound for the format.

Broadcast translators of WNGZ
Call sign Frequency
(MHz)		 City of license Facility
ID		 ERP
(W)		 Class FCC info
W226BA 93.1 Elmira, New York 156749 250 D FCC LMS

History[]

The station originally signed on in 1968 as WGMF,[3] a daytime-only station on 1500 kHz (the same frequency as clear channel WTOP in Washington). The station later moved to 1490 kHz to broadcast 24 hours a day. In 2004, the station aired an adult standards format as WTYX. The station was assigned the WRCE call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on January 22, 2008.[1]

WRCE's tower collapsed on December 14, 2009, killing a worker and causing the station to go silent.[3] A new tower was constructed in 2010 by chief engineer Benjamin Van Patten.

From June 30 to July 4, 2011, WRCE ran a simulcast of "The Bunny", a temporary radio station run by the band Phish for their weekend long Superball IX concert festival at Watkins Glen International, also run on Sirius XM's Jam On station and the Phish website. The station had an eclectic mix of music from Phish and other artists, and had a live broadcast all eight sets of music performed by Phish over the weekend.

Along with the rest of Backyard Broadcasting's New York assets, WRCE was sold to Community Broadcasters, LLC effective August 26, 2013 at a price of $3.6 million.

Shortly after purchasing the station, Community Broadcasters ended the simulcast of 104.9 WNGZ and its affiliation with the Motor Racing Network, Performance Racing Network, Indy Racing Network, and Watkins Glen International Raceway. The station carried the ESPN Radio Network for a very short period in 2014 before the station switched formats to a satellite-provided classic country format also in 2014.

In 2019, Community Broadcasters sold its New York assets to Seven Mountains Media. On July 3, 2020, WRCE adopted an active rock format branded "Wingz 93" and its call sign was changed to WNGZ.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  2. ^ "New Home".
  3. ^ a b Fybush, Scott (2009-12-21). KDKA's Fred Honsberger Dies. NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  4. ^ "Seven Mountains Media Flips Five Stations In Elmira", RadioInsight. July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.

External links[]

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