WGNA-FM

Infobox Radio station


name = WGNA
airdate = November 1973
erp = 50 kW
branding = "Country 107.7 FM"
slogan =
frequency = 107.7 MHz
area = Albany, New York
format = Country music
power = 12.5 kW | erp = 50 kW
class = B
callsign_meaning = W Good News Albany (tag of aborted launch format)
owner = Regent Communications
website = [http://www.wgna.com/ www.wgna.com]

WGNA (also known as "Country 107.7 FM") is a country music-formatted radio station licensed to Albany, New York and serving New York's Capital District. The station is owned by Regent Communications, and broadcasts at 12.5 kilowatts from the Helderberg Mountains tower farm in New Scotland. WGNA holds the distinction of having the longest unchanged format (in terms of commercial stations) in the Capital District having been a country music station since its launch in November 1973.

Since 1990, WGNA-FM has been the #1 station (12+) in most ratings trends and books in the Albany market though WGY, WFLY, and WYJB have all unseated WGNA from this position at some times. Despite attempts by direct competitors, most notably WCDA in the mid-90s, Power Country (96.3FM) in the late 90s and most recently Pamal's simulcast of Froggy 107.1FM (Glens Falls) on its Albany 104.9FM signal in 2005, WGNA-FM has faced little significant direct competition on the Country music front and, until recently, has had a very stable grouping of air talent. As of 2007, most of WGNA's on-air talent have been part of the Country 107.7FM team for more than 10 years including Sean McMaster and Richie Phillips of the "Sean & Richie" morning show, midday host, Kevin Richards; Lou Roberts who now hosts the nightly show "Cryin', Lovin', or Leavin'" Show and program director Buzz Brindle who left the station in April, 2006 . Former midday host and music director Bill Earley also departed WGNA in April, 2006 after having been with the station for 19 years. Weekend part-time host John Stanley has been with the WGNA continuously since 1974.

History

Though a beacon of stability in Capital Region radio, WGNA originally was not slated to take the country format it has dominated. The 107.7 frequency had been awarded to the then-owners of Christian formatted WHAZ and it was due to sign on with a Christian format itself with the GNA in the calls standing for "Good News Albany". These plans went on hold when WHAZ's owner died several weeks prior to the planned sign-on of WGNA and, in a pinch, his children took over the station. The station signed on with a country music format on December 5, 1973 at 6:00pm. For 5 days the music played uninterrupted with announcers beginning their shifts on December 10 at 6:00am. Going against WOKO, WGNA became a success and made the format permanent with WHAZ eventually being sold off and, in 1978, WOKO leaving the format. A decade later, then-WGNA owner Barnstable Broadcasting purchased WOKO and turned it into an AM simulcast of the WGNA with some breaks for sports coverage.

In the early 1990s, Barnstable sold WGNA to the radio group headed by Merv Griffin who in turn later sold the entire group to Capstar Broadcasting around 1996; two years later, the WGNA stations ended up as part of AMFM, Inc. After AMFM merged with Clear Channel Communications in 2000, WGNA was sold with WABT, WQBK-FM/WQBJ, and WTMM to Regent Communications in the aftermath of the sale due to market concentration concerns (and, in WGNA's case, revenue share concerns as well). In February 2002, the AM simulcast ended when Regent sold the station to ABC Radio which used it to bring its Radio Disney format to the Capital Region under the calls WDDY.

Recognition and influence

At the time of its launch, WGNA was one of the first FM country music stations in the Northeast and with its powerful signal was able to reach and even rate in markets far from the Capital District where country music was either nonexistent or on low-power AM stations. Country music stations in Glens Falls, Utica, the Hudson Valley and even Springfield, Massachusetts owe some debt to WGNA's success and/or influence in those areas.

Nationally, WGNA has been a nominee several times for the "Medium Market Station of the Year" award at both the Country Music Association Awards and by the Academy of Country Music. In terms of air talent, afternoon personality Kevin Richards was the winner of the CMA's 2006 Medium Market Personality of the Year award. As well as morning show hosts, Sean McMaster and Richie Phillips winning the CMA Personality of the year award in 2000, and a couple New York State Broadcasters Awards for Personality of the year.

CountryFest

Every year, most recently at the Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, New York WGNA hosts a major festival known as the WGNA CountryFest. Previous CountryFests have been at the Saratoga Race Track in Saratoga Springs,NY.

External links

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* [http://www.wgna.com WGNA Homepage]