WNKI

Infobox Radio station
name = WNKI


city = Corning, New York
area =
branding =
slogan = "Wink106 All the Hits"
airdate = 1940s (as WKNP-FM)
frequency = 106.1 MHz
format = Pop Contemporary Hit Radio
erp = 800 watts
haat = 57.0 meters
class = B
facility_id = 53611
coordinates = coord|42|12|0.00|N| 76|51|30.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WCLI-FM (1980-1980)
WZKZ (1980-1993)
WKNP (1947-1980)
owner = Backyard Broadcasting
licensee = Backyard Broadcasting Elmira Licensee, LLC
sister_stations = WNGZ, WPGI, WRCE, WWLZ
webcast =
website = http://www.wink106.com
affiliations =

WNKI (106.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Pop Contemporary Hit Radio format. Licensed to Corning, New York, USA, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area. The station is currently owned by Backyard Broadcasting and licensed to Backyard Broadcasting Elmira Licensee, LLC. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WNKI |title=WNKI Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ]

History

The station went on the air as WKNP in the 1940s under the ownership of the Corning Leader newspaper. Its original frequency was 95.1 FM. By 1950, it had moved to another frequency, then the current 106.1 FM. A sister AM station, WCLI, signed on in 1947.

It broadcast from a building at Erie Avenue (now Dennison Parkway) and Walnut Street in Corning. The Erie Railroad mainline passed nearby and passing freight and passenger trains used to shake the building -- and the recorded music on the turntables, according to Leader columnist Dick Peer. [http://www.the-leader.com/about_us/]

Disc jockey Bob Shaddock, who became one of the market's iconic radio personalities, developed the skill of picking up the needle from the 78 RPM records and making announcements while trains passed, according to Peer.

The newspaper sold the stations in 1953.

On 1980-10-20, the station changed its call sign to WZKZ. Known as KZ-106, the station played a live-assist automated adult contemporary format. It was the top-rated station in the Elmira-Corning market for much of the decade.

In 1993, Pro Radio Inc. bought the stations. The FM call letters were switched on Oct. 8, 1993, to the current WNKI cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=53611&Callsign=WNKI |title=WNKI Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ] The change was controversial in that several popular personalities were let go as Pro Radio launched a top 40 format under the name Wink 106 with a staff of air personalities who were popular on other stations in the market. The change made some unwanted headlines when a presumably irate listener got into the main office (then at 99 W. First St.) after hours and doused it with fox urine.

Pro Radio eventually sold to Backyard Broadcasting, the current owner, which moved the stations to Elmira Heights. In 1997, the AM and FM split, with Backyard selling WCLI to Eolin Broadcasting, which also owned WCBA, WCBA-FM, and WGMM.

References

External links

*FMQ|WNKI
*FML|WNKI
*FMARB|WNKI

Elmira-Corning Radio