WRNS-FM (95.1

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 ...

) is a radio station located in

Kinston, North Carolina Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States, with a population of 19,900 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791. Kinston is located in the ...

, in the United States. Its format is contemporary country. The station has a non-directional signal of 100,000 watts, that reaches "from the capital to the coast". The station has served Kinston and eastern North Carolina since the 1960s, when it was WFTC-FM. At one time, it was the only country station in the area and had one of the highest market shares of any station. Known for its generosity, the station has held a radiothon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital annually for the past 5 years. The station is constantly ranked as the #1 station in its market by

Arbitron Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio broadcasting audiences. It was founded as the American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by mergin ...

. The WRNS-FM transmitter antenna is located on

WCTI-TV WCTI-TV (channel 12) is a television station licensed to New Bern, North Carolina, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for Eastern North Carolina. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which provides certain services to Greenville-l ...

's tower north of Trenton, North Carolina. Studios are located in New Bern. WRNS-FM was simulcast on WRNS (960 AM) until April 2017, when the AM station switched to

sports radio Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sport, sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often-low comed ...

programming. In September 2017, Dick Broadcasting announced the purchase of

Alpha Media Alpha Media LLC is a radio broadcasting company based in Portland, Oregon, and led by Bob Proffitt. The group does business under the Alpha Media name. It was formed from the merger of Alpha Broadcasting, L&L Broadcasting, and Main Line Broadc ...

stations in three markets — 18 stations and two translators in total, at a purchase price of $19.5 million. The acquisition of WRNS-FM by Dick Broadcasting was consummated on December 20, 2017. Jim Mantel, who spent 18 years on

WGAR-FM WGAR-FM (99.5 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, featuring a country music format. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves Greater Cleveland and surrounding Northeast Ohio as the local affiliate for ''The Bobby Bon ...

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

and was named to the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2017, retired in 2018 after hosting the morning show since 2010, joined by Crystal Legends in 2012. Bobby Bones moved from co-owned

WQSL WQSL (92.3 FM), also known as "The River", is an adult hits radio station licensed to Jacksonville, North Carolina. The station simulcasts on WQZL 101.1 FM Belhaven, North Carolina. History WQSL was "Q92" when it was Top 40 and then it was a ...

WQZL WQZL (101.1 FM), also known as "The River", is a radio station licensed to serve Belhaven, North Carolina. It has a format of adult hits as "92.3 & 101.1 The River". The station's antenna is in Washington, but the signal reaches New Bern, Gree ...

to replace Mantel, and Legends, also program director, moved to middays.

References

External links

WRNS-FM website

FCC History Cards for WRNS-FM
Country radio stations in the United States RNS-FM Radio stations established in 1968 1968 establishments in North Carolina Lenoir County, North Carolina {{NorthCarolina-radio-station-stub