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WLNH-FM (98.3
MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...
) — branded as
Frank FM Frank FM is the branding used by Binnie Media for its radio stations airing a classic hits radio format. The Frank FM format was similar to the Jack FM format in that these stations play around 1000 songs in regular rotation at any time as oppo ...
— is a radio station located in
Laconia, New Hampshire Laconia ( ) is a city in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,871 at the 2020 census, up from 15,951 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Belknap County. Laconia, situated between Lake Winnipesaukee and ...
, United States. The station broadcasts to the Lakes Region and
Concord, New Hampshire Concord () is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the county seat, seat of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County. As of the 2020 United States census the population was 43,976, making it the List of municipalities ...
. The format is classic hits music, and on air it is identified as "The Soundtrack of the Lakes Region". WLNH-FM is owned by Binnie Media.


History

WLNH was known for its statewide competition, ''New Hampshire Idol''. A smaller version of the highly successful ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'', ''NH Idol'' was a singing competition for residents in New Hampshire aged 16 – 30. The 2006 winner was Jacob Heal, who won the grand prize of having a demo CD produced by Jimmy Landry, an A&R consultant and in-house producer for
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...
. Every December, the WLNH Children's Auction, a nationally registered
501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of ...
organization, organizes the long-standing WLNH Children's Auction. WLNH is a major contributor to the WLNH Children's Auction. In 2005, WLNH was able to raise $181,000 for the local community. Over the last 25 years, WLNH has brought in over $1 million for the community. The WLNH Children's Auction relies heavily on the community and local organizations for help. Contributors generously gave over 2,300 items in 2005. WLNH-FM, along with 16 other stations in northern New England formerly owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by WBIN Media Company, a company controlled by
Bill Binnie William Harrison "Bill" Binnie is an American industrialist, investment banker, and philanthropist, who is currently president of the Carlisle Capital Corporation, president of the media company New Hampshire 1 Network and owner of Carlisle One M ...
, on May 22, 2012. Binnie already owned WBIN-TV in
Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...
and WYCN-LP in Nashua. The deal was completed on November 30, 2012. On May 24, 2019, WLNH-FM changed its format from
adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
to classic hits, branded as "Frank FM"; the programming is largely simulcast with Nashua sister station
WFNQ WFNQ (106.3 FM broadcasting, FM; "Frank FM") is a radio station in Nashua, New Hampshire, serving the Manchester, New Hampshire, Manchester area with a classic hits radio format. It is owned by Binnie Media. The station's studios are on Church ...
, though WLNH breaks away for local commercials and IDs. The "Frank FM" network, which also includes WBYY in Somersworth, transitioned to a hot adult contemporary format during 2021. After morning host Marc Nazzaro (who used the air name "DJ Nazzy") was laid off from "Frank FM" in January 2023 as part of a refocus of Binnie Media's resources on its news and talk programming, vice president of programming Heath Cole told the ''
Concord Monitor The ''Concord Monitor'' is the daily newspaper for Concord, the state capital of New Hampshire. It also covers surrounding towns in Merrimack County, most of Belknap County, as well as portions of Grafton, Rockingham and Hillsborough count ...
'' that "the music format that we do will change". On February 1, 2023, WLNH-FM, along with the rest of the "Frank FM" network, returned to a classic hits format; the stations also dropped their remaining on-air staff, who were reassigned to other positions within the company.New Hampshire's Frank-FM Returns to Classic Hits
Radioinsight - February 1, 2023


References


External links

* * LNH-FM Classic hits radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1965 1965 establishments in New Hampshire Laconia, New Hampshire {{NewHampshire-radio-station-stub