WBNI-FM

Infobox Radio station
name = WBNI-FM


city = Roanoke, Indiana
area = Fort Wayne, Indiana
branding =
slogan =
airdate = 1978
frequency = 94.1 MHz
format = Public radio, Classical music
power =
erp = 6,000 watts
class = A
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = Northeast Indiana Public Radio
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.nipr.fm/ nipr.fm]
affiliations = National Public Radio

WBNI-FM (94.1 FM) is a Fort Wayne, Indiana-area public radio station owned and operated by Northeast Indiana Public Radio. The station is a member station of National Public Radio. Local programming originates from the Northeast Indiana Public Radio broadcasting facility in Centennial Park. [NIPR brochure]

The station currently transmits from a tower in Roanoke, in addition to a translator on 88.7 FM located in Fort Wayne's Centennial Park. All programming is also carried by WCKZ in Orland.

History

WBNI began broadcasting in 1978 as WIPU-FM at 89.1 MHz on the campus on Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne (IPFW) with a very limited schedule using university staff and students. When the university decided it could no longer afford to maintain the station, it was taken over by a non-profit organization that became known as Northeast Indiana Public Radio.

Renamed WBNI, the station moved to studios in the historic YWCA facility on North Wells Street. The schedule was gradually expanded and effective radiated power was also increased. Programming was mostly classical music, jazz, and folk music with some news and information programs from National Public Radio, including "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered." The station began airing occasional tapes of local concerts, including the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1993, Northeast Indiana Public Radio's 600-foot transmitter tower was erected in Centennial Park and effective radiated power was raised from 31,000 watts to 50,000 watts, greatly expanding the coverage area in northeast Indiana, southern Michigan, and northwest Ohio. A new broadcasting facility was dedicated in the spring of 1994. Programming remained much the same until early 2002, when a sister station, WBOI, began broadcasting from the same building and using the Orland tower. [Interview with Bruce Haines, NIPR general manager]

When WBOI began broadcasting from the Orland tower, WBNI gradually increased its classical music programming, while WBOI took over the jazz and folk music programs. WBNI also gave up its news and information programs, which were taken over by WBOI. Within a year WBOI took over the 89.1 mHz frequency in Fort Wayne. WBNI's programming was moved to the Orland transmitter and a new 10-watt translator on the Fort Wayne tower, operating on 88.7 mHz. The Orland station is now licensed as WCKZ. [Eyewitness account by Robert E. Nylund, NIPR program host since July 1992]

In February 2007, Northeast Indiana Public Radio management announced plans to acquire the transmitter of WCKZ, a rock music station operating at 94.1 mHz. NIPR took over the frequency and power of WCKZ and began field tests in April. General manager Bruce Haines announced that WCKZ began broadcasting classical music on May 1, providing the Fort Wayne metropolitan area with a stronger signal for the classical music programming currently carried on WBNI. The transmitter covers most of Allen County and all or portions of Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Grant, Blackford, and Jay counties in Indiana. The station continued to use the Orland transmitter, now known as WCKZ, and the Fort Wayne translator. WBNI is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to "Roanoke-Fort Wayne" on 94.1. [Interview with NIPR staff, NIPR flyer]

In November 2007, WBNI replaced the directional antenna on the tower in Roanoke with an omnidirectional antenna, resulting in a better signal in the coverage area. There was no change in effective radiated power, which remains at 6,000 watts. [Doug Gruber, WBOI program director]

In 2008, Joan Baumgartner Brown was selected as president and general manager of Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR). The veteran local nonprofit leader oversees operations at both WBNI and WBOI. Brown replaced Bruce Haines beginning August 4. [ [http://insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=30143 NIPR Names New President and General Manager - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick ] ] Haines has become president and general manager of WFWA (Channel 39), Fort Wayne's PBS television station. [ [http://www.wfwa.org/staff_and_board_page/staff_and_board.html WFWA - Public Broadcasting for Northeast Indiana ] ]

94.1 FM history

The station was also Modern adult contemporary as "Star 94.1" with the call signs WGL-FM and WYSR. The WYSR calls continued as the station flipped to Rhythmic oldies as "Groovin' Oldies 94.1" in 1998. In 2001, the station acquired the WCKZ calls from sister station 102.3 and retooled the format on that frequency to Urban AC as "94.1 The Wiz". Most recently, the station was Classic rock under the moniker "Z94".

By August 2006, Z94's parent company, Summit City Radio, announced a station realignment and sale that would include the return of heritage rock station, Rock 104 WXKE at its previous location on the dial at 103.9. It was also announced that Summit City would be selling 94.1 to Northeast Indiana Public Radio in early 2007. All radio personalities, promotions, and the classic rock format moved to 103.9 FM. During this period, WCKZ simulcast Rock 104 while Northeast Indiana Public Radio raised the money needed to purchase the station. They announced plans to take over WCKZ and begin transmitting WBNI's classical music programming by May 1, 2007. [Interview with NIPR staff, February 2007]

In April 2007, Northeast Indiana Public Radio acquired the station, placing WBNI's classical music format and calls on the 94.1 signal. The WCKZ call letters moved to 91.3 in Orland and currently simulcasts 94.1's programming.

WBNI Today

Much of WBNI's programming today originates with National Public Radio or other public radio outlets, utilizing computerized automation. It continues to broadcast the Metropolitan Opera. When WBNI is not carrying the Met, local volunteers produce a Saturday edition of the "Matinee" program from 1:30 to 6 p.m.

There are still a few locally-produced classical programs such as the morning "Con Brio" program and the afternoon "Matinee" program. There is also a long-running "Symphonic Sessions" program, usually hosted by Glenn Bogle, on Wednesdays from 8 to 10 p.m. Other locally-produced classical programs include "Guitar Showcase," hosted by local guitarist Bob Ferguson, and "Best Seat in the House," co-hosted by Dick VerWiebe and Janice Furtner. The station now offers classical music 24 hours a day and is available on the World Wide Web at www.nipr.fm.

Throughout its history WBNI has utilized mostly volunteers to host its local programming. Like other National Public Radio stations, WBNI is supported by contributions from listeners, businesses, and corporations. There are also spring and fall on-air pledge drives, usually lasting a little over a week.

WBNI has long been known for its special holiday programming in December and January, including celebrations of the "12 Days of Christmas" and Hanukkah.

Although WBNI no longer has regular news broadcasts, it does give regular weather forecasts and bulletins from the National Weather Service.

WBNI's longtime general manager, Bruce Haines, was succeeded by Joan Baumgartner Brown in August 2008. Colleen Condron is program director and WBOI news director. Janice Furtner is the music director and host of the weekday "Con Brio" broadcasts, as well as the host of recorded concerts by local music groups. WBNI resumed taping selected Fort Wayne Philharmonic concerts for the 2008-09 season with the opening concert on September 20, 2008. [Robert E. Nylund]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.nipr.fm/ Northeast Indiana Public Radio website]
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