WGNR-FM (97.9 MHz) is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Anderson, Indiana, serving part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format and is an owned and operated by Moody Radio, based in Chicago. WGNR-FM holds periodic on-air fundraisers to support the station operations.

WGNR-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts. The transmitter is on West 53rd Street in Anderson, near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.[2]

History

On September 11, 1973, the station signed on with the call sign WLHN.[1][3] It was co-owned with WHUT 1470 AM (now WGNR). WLHN aired a middle of the road (MOR) format and was owned by Civic Broadcasting Corporation.[1][3]

In 1985, WLHN and WHUT were sold to Patch-Dunn & Associates for $2,276,000, and in 1987 they were sold to Jon Mark Lamey for $3,395,000.[4][5]

WLHN aired an adult contemporary format in the 1980s and 1990s.[6][7][8] In 1991, its call sign was changed to WXXP.[9] It continued to air an adult contemporary format, and was branded "Experience 98".[10][11]

In December 1997, the station was sold to the Moody Bible Institute, along with 1470 WHUT, for $5.5 million. The FM station adopted a Christian format.[12][13][14][8] The AM station flipped to Spanish-language Christian radio. In January 1998, the FM station's call sign was changed to WGNR-FM.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Broadcasting Yearbook 1975, Broadcasting, 1975. p. C-62. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WGNR
  3. ^ a b History Cards for WGNR-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. September 16, 1985. p. 92. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  5. ^ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. September 21, 1987. p. 79. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  6. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1987, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1987. p. B-95. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  7. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Market Place 1992, Broadcasting & Cable, 1992. p. A-114-115. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 1. January 7, 1998. p. 2. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  9. ^ a b Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  10. ^ "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 27. July 8, 1991. p. 1. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  11. ^ Ross, Sean; Rosen, Craig; Stark, Phyllis. "Vox Jox", Billboard. July 20, 1991. p. 14. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  12. ^ "Elsewhere", The M Street Journal. Vo1. 14, No. 44. November 5, 1997. p. 9. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  13. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. November 10, 1997. p. 89. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  14. ^ Application Search Details – BALH-19971031GG, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2019.

External links