WYNK-FM (101.5

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 ''101.5 WYNK'' – is a

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

licensed to serve

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

. Owned by

iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc., formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a company founded by ...

, the station covers the

Baton Rouge metropolitan area The Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area, as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, or simply the Baton Rouge metropolitan area or Greater Baton Rouge, is a sprawling metropolitan statistical area surrounding the c ...

and is the local affiliate for ''

The Bobby Bones Show ''The Bobby Bones Show'' is an American, nationally syndicated country music radio show aired during the morning hours. The Bobby Bones Show, which originally aired from Austin, Texas, now broadcasts from studios at WSIX-FM in Nashville. Premie ...

''. The WYNK studios are located in Baton Rouge, while the station transmitter resides in nearby Plaquemine. Besides a standard

analog transmission Analog transmission is a transmission method of conveying information using a continuous signal which varies in amplitude, phase, or some other property in proportion to that information. It could be the transfer of an analog signal, using an an ...

, WYNK is available online via

iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast, radio streaming and Music Streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. Founded in August 2008, iHeartRadio serves as the national umbrella brand for iHeart ...

History

The FM adjunct to WYNK (1380 AM), WYNK-FM signed on the air on September 1, 1968, owned by the Miss Lou Broadcasting Corporation. The two stations simulcast country music, WYNK-FM has kept the same call letters and country format ever since. Originally powered at 33,300 watts, WYNK-FM got a boost to 100,000 watts in the early 1970s, then relocated to a taller tower in the early 1980s, allowing the station to be heard from

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

to Lafayette. McGregor sold WYNK and WYNK-FM in the 1980s to Narragansett Broadcasting, a company that would eventually be acquired by Capstar. In 2000, Capstar merged with

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

-based Clear Channel Communications;Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005 page D-237
/ref> WYNK was sold to Davidson Media in 2007, switching to a

Christian radio Christian radio refers to Christian media radio formats that focus on Christian religious broadcasting or various forms of Christian music. Many such formats and programs include contemporary Christian music, gospel music, sermons, radio dramas, ...

format. In 2014, Clear Channel changed its name to

, after its successful

streaming platform. WYNK-FM originally served as the flagship station for nationally syndicated ''

Big D and Bubba The Big D and Bubba Show is a nationally syndicated radio show airing six days a week on approximately 120 country music FM radio stations. The show is syndicated by Compass Media Networks. Live shows are broadcast from 6 to 10 AM (Eastern Ti ...

'' from 1999 until 2003, then they aired again until late 2013 when

Bobby Bones Bobby Estell, (born April 2, 1980) known professionally as Bobby Bones, is an American radio and television personality, best known for hosting the nationally syndicated '' The Bobby Bones Show'', originating from the iHeart Studios in Nashvill ...

took over; the program currently airs on competing station

WTGE WTGE (100.7 FM broadcasting, FM, "100.7 The Tiger") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The station broadcasts a Country radio, country music Radio format, format and is owned by Guaranty Broadcasting Compa ...

HD2 station

WYNK airs an

oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music. Since 2 ...

format on its HD2 channel, Downtown Radio 97.7. The station was established in October 2011. During New Year’s becoming 2017, the station flipped to simulcast

WJBO WJBO (1150 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, calling itself "WJBO Newsradio 1150 AM & 98.7 FM." It carries a news/talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios are on Hilton Avenue, east of downtown ...

, then in 2020,

moved over to 98.7 on FM making Downtown Radio 97.7 come back.

References

External links

* {{IHeartMedia Radio stations in Louisiana Country radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1968 1968 establishments in Louisiana IHeartMedia radio stations Mass media in Baton Rouge, Louisiana