WNNK
Encyclopedia
WNNK-FM is a hot adult contemporary music formatted radio station
serving the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, area. Its studio is located in Linglestown, Pennsylvania
and its transmitter is located on an Antenna farm alongside WHTM-TV
in Enola, Pennsylvania
.
ratings for the Harrisburg / Carlisle / Lebanon market. Beginning in the late 1990s, Wink 104 was the subject of a rapid-fire series of mergers and acquisitions. Originally owned by Key Market Investors, Wink 104 was sold to Capstar in 1995. In 1999, a short-lived broadcast startup known as "AM/FM" ("America's Music For the Millennium") purchased Wink 104 from Capstar. Less than a month later, AM/FM itself was purchased by Clear Channel
, placing Wink 104 under Clear Channel's control. However, due to FCC ownership limitations, Clear Channel was forced to divest several stations, resulting in the sale of Wink 104 to then-startup Cumulus Media.
An interesting footnote to this series of acquisitions is that during the Clear Channel ownership period, Wink 104 and WTPA (then and now a classic rock station) fell under the same ownership. Aside from the relationship of the two call signs, the situation was also made interesting due to fact that a substantial percentage of WTPA's on-air imaging and DJ banter consisted of attacks on Wink 104 and its personalities. Once both stations wound up under Cumulus Media control, WTPA DJs were forced to immediately cease all on-air references to Wink 104. Today, both stations co-exist peacefully.
In 2001, shortly after the dust settled on the ownership changes, Clear Channel launched WHKF in an attempt to deflate Wink 104's market dominance by stealing the younger portion of WNNK's audience. This ultimately led to Clear Channel's adult-oriented station WRVV
taking the overall #1 position in the market; not because of improved ratings at WRVV, but because of decreased listenership at WNNK. Cumulus Media reacted to WHKF by launching their own youth-oriented station, Hot 92
. Although WHKF never approached Wink 104 in the ratings, it did cause Wink 104 to change formats from Hot AC to AC in March 2002. The logic to this maneuvering was that Wink 104 would continue to dominate the adult demographic, while Hot 92 would either dominate the young demographic or severely cripple WHKF's ratings.
Wink 104 is generally regarded as the original "Wink" station in contemporary radio, and has inspired other stations including the relatively close Wink 108 in State College, Pennsylvania
(WIKN) and Wink 106 in Corning, New York (WNKI).
Slogans used by Wink 104 include (in no particular order) "four in a row with no talk", "five / six in a row", "long music marathon", "we only stop the music twice an hour", "your 10 in a row station", "the best songs of the 80s, 90s, and today", and "#1 for today's hit music, free money, and fun". Their current slogan is "today's best music".
From inception until 2003, Wink 104's studios and offices were located in a standalone building in uptown Harrisburg. Due to the consolidation with WTPA, WTCY
, and WWKL, as well as the expenses involved with ongoing repairs, the studios and offices for all of the Cumulus Media stations were moved to a single location in an office park in Susquehanna Township (a suburb of Harrisburg).
package from JAM. From 2001 until mid-2002, Wink used a combination of the "KDWB
1996", "KDWB 1997", and "Fly 92" packages from Reel World Productions. Previously, the "Z World" package from JAM was used.
Until 2001, Wink 104 still used studio-grade CD players for music, and a combination of carts
and AudioVault for commercials, jingles, and other non-programming elements. In 2001, Wink 104 began using Prophet
, a computer-based automation system, almost exclusively.
In 2002, Bruce Bond was fired from the station and the show was canceled. Wink 104's official explanation was that the show, which typically featured subject matter geared towards a mature audience, was not compatible with their new "family friendly" programming.
On June 27, 2008, Bond was indicted on 65 charges related to money laundering
, identity Theft
, and mail fraud in New York, New York. He was held on $250,000 bond. Bond was jailed at Rikers Island
in New York. He pleaded guilty
to charges of second-degree grand larceny
, identity theft, and the possession of forgery devices on September 24, 2008, accepting a sentence of two and one-third to seven years in prison.
WNNK-FM's HD2 subchannel is the originating source for another Cumulus station in Harrisburg, urban adult contemporary
formatted "95.3 The Touch" (WTCY
). The "Touch" format is rebroadcast on translator W237DE at 95.3 FM
. WNNK-FM's HD2 subchannel became the "home" for the programming when the original home at 1400 AM
became sports
WHGB "ESPN 1400" (now simulcast on WNNK-FM's HD3 subchannel). Now 95.3 is GONE and ESPN took over 95.3. Now there is not one full time Urban/ Urban AC station in Harrisburg. The closet ones are WAMO 100
in Pittsburgh. Other closer ones are in Philadelphia which are: Hot 107.9 WPHI, 100.3 WRNB
, Power 98.9 WUSL
, and 105.3 WDAS
along I-81
and I-78
, the signal collides with B104
's signal right around Reading, Pennsylvania
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
serving the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, area. Its studio is located in Linglestown, Pennsylvania
Linglestown, Pennsylvania
Linglestown is a census-designated place in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded and laid out in 1765 by Thomas Lingle....
and its transmitter is located on an Antenna farm alongside WHTM-TV
WHTM-TV
WHTM-TV "ABC 27" is the ABC-affiliated television station for South Central Pennsylvania that's licensed to Harrisburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter on the ridge north of I-81 along the Cumberland and Perry County line...
in Enola, Pennsylvania
Enola, Pennsylvania
Enola is a census-designated place located along the Susquehanna River in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,627 at the 2000 census. Norfolk Southern operates Enola Yard, a large rail yard and locomotive shop in Enola...
.
History
Wink 104 actually began life with the call letters and moniker "WTPA" in the early 80s. In the mid-80s, the call letters were changed to "WNNK", and the station became known as "Wink 104". Throughout the 80s and 90s, Wink 104 was consistently ranked #1 in the ArbitronArbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings for the Harrisburg / Carlisle / Lebanon market. Beginning in the late 1990s, Wink 104 was the subject of a rapid-fire series of mergers and acquisitions. Originally owned by Key Market Investors, Wink 104 was sold to Capstar in 1995. In 1999, a short-lived broadcast startup known as "AM/FM" ("America's Music For the Millennium") purchased Wink 104 from Capstar. Less than a month later, AM/FM itself was purchased by Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
, placing Wink 104 under Clear Channel's control. However, due to FCC ownership limitations, Clear Channel was forced to divest several stations, resulting in the sale of Wink 104 to then-startup Cumulus Media.
An interesting footnote to this series of acquisitions is that during the Clear Channel ownership period, Wink 104 and WTPA (then and now a classic rock station) fell under the same ownership. Aside from the relationship of the two call signs, the situation was also made interesting due to fact that a substantial percentage of WTPA's on-air imaging and DJ banter consisted of attacks on Wink 104 and its personalities. Once both stations wound up under Cumulus Media control, WTPA DJs were forced to immediately cease all on-air references to Wink 104. Today, both stations co-exist peacefully.
In 2001, shortly after the dust settled on the ownership changes, Clear Channel launched WHKF in an attempt to deflate Wink 104's market dominance by stealing the younger portion of WNNK's audience. This ultimately led to Clear Channel's adult-oriented station WRVV
WRVV
WRVV is an FM radio station broadcasting in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Its format is classic hits broadcasting on 97.3 MHz with a power of 15 kilowatts from the WHP-TV tower in Susquehanna Township, Pennsylvania. Its slogan is "The River 97.3 WRVV, Harrisburg, York, Lancaster, Lebanon: Rock without...
taking the overall #1 position in the market; not because of improved ratings at WRVV, but because of decreased listenership at WNNK. Cumulus Media reacted to WHKF by launching their own youth-oriented station, Hot 92
WWKL
WWKL is a rhythmic contemporary music formatted radio station serving the Harrisburg metropolitan area. The Cumulus Communications outlet is licensed to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. There is no relation with HOT 92 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania or HOT 100 in Altoona, Pennsylvania...
. Although WHKF never approached Wink 104 in the ratings, it did cause Wink 104 to change formats from Hot AC to AC in March 2002. The logic to this maneuvering was that Wink 104 would continue to dominate the adult demographic, while Hot 92 would either dominate the young demographic or severely cripple WHKF's ratings.
Wink 104 is generally regarded as the original "Wink" station in contemporary radio, and has inspired other stations including the relatively close Wink 108 in State College, Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
(WIKN) and Wink 106 in Corning, New York (WNKI).
Slogans used by Wink 104 include (in no particular order) "four in a row with no talk", "five / six in a row", "long music marathon", "we only stop the music twice an hour", "your 10 in a row station", "the best songs of the 80s, 90s, and today", and "#1 for today's hit music, free money, and fun". Their current slogan is "today's best music".
From inception until 2003, Wink 104's studios and offices were located in a standalone building in uptown Harrisburg. Due to the consolidation with WTPA, WTCY
WTCY
WHGB is a radio station broadcasting an sports format. Licensed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, it serves the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting under the call sign WFEC. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media and features sports programming from ESPN Radio...
, and WWKL, as well as the expenses involved with ongoing repairs, the studios and offices for all of the Cumulus Media stations were moved to a single location in an office park in Susquehanna Township (a suburb of Harrisburg).
Broadcast Schedule
- 5:30 - 10:00 AM: Wink Wakeup Show with Denny Logan, Sue Campbell, Matt (formally of the afternoon show aka Stretch), Jenna(covering news, sports, and weather), and John Wilsbach (with regular traffic reports).
- 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Mid-day music rotation hosted by Cheree Davis.
- 2:00 - 6:00 PM: Late afternoon music rotation hosted by "Hollywood Heffelfinger," with John Wilsbach reporting on afternoon traffic.
- 6:00 - 7:00 PM: Early evening music rotation hosted by "Daniel."
- 7:00 - 11:00 PM: Syndicated radio show: The Billy Bush Show
- Saturday Evenings, 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM: Saturday Night Rewind featuring music from the 80's1980sFile:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and 90's1990sFile:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
hosted by John O'Dea.
Production & imaging
Wink 104 currently uses the "Z+" jingleJingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
package from JAM. From 2001 until mid-2002, Wink used a combination of the "KDWB
KDWB
KDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, the radio format was known for over fifty years as a major contemporary hit radio Top 40 pop music outlet. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. It broadcasts in 5.1 cinema-quality...
1996", "KDWB 1997", and "Fly 92" packages from Reel World Productions. Previously, the "Z World" package from JAM was used.
Until 2001, Wink 104 still used studio-grade CD players for music, and a combination of carts
Fidelipac
The Fidelipac, commonly known as an NAB cartridge or simply cart, is a magnetic tape sound recording format, used for radio broadcasting for playback of material over the air such as radio commercials, jingles, station identifications, and music. Fidelipac is the official name of this industry...
and AudioVault for commercials, jingles, and other non-programming elements. In 2001, Wink 104 began using Prophet
Radio Computing Services
Radio Computing Services, also known as RCS Inc., is a provider of scheduling and broadcast software for radio, Internet and television stations. The company was established in 1979 by Dr. Andrew Economos. On January 26, 2006, Clear Channel Communications purchased RCS as a subsidiary...
, a computer-based automation system, almost exclusively.
Bruce Bond
Bruce Bond was the host of Wink 104's afternoon drive, titled The Bruce Bond Late Afternoon Show. This show was noteworthy for both its format and the time slot in which it aired. The Late Afternoon Show was an all-talk show with multiple concurrent hosts; while this itself is not unusual, its presence on an otherwise all-music formatted station is highly unorthodox. Even more unusual was the fact that the show aired on weekdays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, otherwise known as the "afternoon drive" and the second most-expensive portion of the day (generally second only to the morning drive) for advertisers. Typically, this time slot is reserved for carefully calculated and heavily-tested programming. Wink 104 saw tremendous success with the format, however, and aside from a few brief interruptions, ran the show live from 1995 until 2002.In 2002, Bruce Bond was fired from the station and the show was canceled. Wink 104's official explanation was that the show, which typically featured subject matter geared towards a mature audience, was not compatible with their new "family friendly" programming.
On June 27, 2008, Bond was indicted on 65 charges related to money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, identity Theft
Identity theft
Identity theft is a form of stealing another person's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name...
, and mail fraud in New York, New York. He was held on $250,000 bond. Bond was jailed at Rikers Island
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
in New York. He pleaded guilty
Plea
In legal terms, a plea is simply an answer to a claim made by someone in a civil or criminal case under common law using the adversary system. Colloquially, a plea has come to mean the assertion by a criminal defendant at arraignment, or otherwise in response to a criminal charge, whether that...
to charges of second-degree grand larceny
Grand Larceny
Grand Larceny is a 1987 thriller film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Marilu Henner, Ian McShane, Omar Sharif and Louis Jourdan.-Plot summary:...
, identity theft, and the possession of forgery devices on September 24, 2008, accepting a sentence of two and one-third to seven years in prison.
HD radio
Cumulus Broadcasting began upgrading its stations to HD Radio broadcasting in 2005. One of the first ten stations to be upgraded was WNNK-FM.WNNK-FM's HD2 subchannel is the originating source for another Cumulus station in Harrisburg, urban adult contemporary
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
formatted "95.3 The Touch" (WTCY
WTCY
WHGB is a radio station broadcasting an sports format. Licensed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, it serves the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting under the call sign WFEC. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media and features sports programming from ESPN Radio...
). The "Touch" format is rebroadcast on translator W237DE at 95.3 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. WNNK-FM's HD2 subchannel became the "home" for the programming when the original home at 1400 AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
became sports
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
WHGB "ESPN 1400" (now simulcast on WNNK-FM's HD3 subchannel). Now 95.3 is GONE and ESPN took over 95.3. Now there is not one full time Urban/ Urban AC station in Harrisburg. The closet ones are WAMO 100
WAMO (AM)
WAOB is a radio station that is currently silent pending a conversion to a Religious format to debut in February 2010. The city of license for the station is Millvale, Pennsylvania. It had specialized in programming to Pittsburgh's African-American community...
in Pittsburgh. Other closer ones are in Philadelphia which are: Hot 107.9 WPHI, 100.3 WRNB
WRNB
WRNB is an Urban Adult Contemporary station broadcasting at 100.3 FM. Licensed to Media, Pennsylvania, it serves the Philadelphia market and is owned by Radio One. The station originally operated as WSNJ-FM in Bridgeton, New Jersey, first broadcasting on 98.9 in the 1950s before moving to 107.7...
, Power 98.9 WUSL
WUSL
WUSL, known as "Power 99 FM", is a mainstream urban radio station, owned by Clear Channel Communications and licensed to Philadelphia...
, and 105.3 WDAS
WDAS-FM
WDAS-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio station that features R&B and Classic Soul, and is licensed to the city of Philadelphia. The station is widely regarded as one of the originators of the Urban AC format which mixes R&B oldies with non-rap contemporary R&B and is now found in many major...
Signal Note
Because of Wink 104's proximity to Allentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
along I-81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
and I-78
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...
, the signal collides with B104
WAEB-FM
WAEB-FM, commonly known as "B104", is a CHR/Pop radio station located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States and owned by Clear Channel Communications. WAEB-FM broadcasts at 104.1 MHz FM.-History:...
's signal right around Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
.