WNTR

WNTR
City Indianapolis, Indiana
Broadcast area Indianapolis, Indiana
Branding 107.9 The Mix
Slogan Better Variety for a Better Workday
Frequency 107.9 MHz(also on HD Radio)
First air date 1984 (as WTPI)
Format AC
HD2: Smooth Jazz
ERP 22,000 watts
HAAT 232 meters
Class B
Facility ID 47143
Callsign meaning W iNdianapolis T Radio
Former callsigns WTPI (1984–2005)
Owner Entercom Communications
(Entercom License, LLC)
Webcast Listen Live
Website indysmix.com

WNTR is a commercial radio station located in Indianapolis, Indiana, broadcasting on 107.9 FM. WNTR airs a AC format under ownership of Entercom. Its studios are located on North Meridian Street, and its transmitter tower is on the northwest side.

History

Indiana Broadcasting Company was granted a construction permit to build WISH-FM on July 21, 1960.[1] The radio station, today known as WNTR, first went on the air on October 22, 1961[2] as WISH-FM, a sister station to WISH (1310 AM) and WISH-TV (Channel 8). In November 1963,[3] both of the radio stations were sold to Don Burden's Star Stations of Indiana and became WIFE and WIFE-FM. Lucky 13 WIFE was a Top 40 dynasty into the 1970s, while the FM operation was an automated beautiful music station. However, Burden ran afoul of the FCC and his stations had their operating licenses revoked in May 1976, forcing a sale. The new ownership maintained the stations for several years during a time when AM was continuing to rapidly lose market share to FM. WIFE-FM was ordered off the air, and signed off on September 2, 1976.[4] The frequency remained vacant until granted to Peoples Broadcasting Corporation on May 10, 1982.[5]

On October 15, 1984,[6] the increasingly valuable FM station was relaunched, using the call letters WTPI, as assigned on August 13, 1984.[7] WTPI was called "the Top for Indianapolis," relating to its location at the top of the Indianapolis FM dial. The first program director at WTPI was Mark Edwards and the station's new studios overlooked Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. Longtime morning personality, Steve Cooper (a.k.a. Jim Carr) was with the station for its entire lifetime. Cooper also did stints at WNDE (1260) and WIFE (1310). Overnights were handled by Mike O'Brien (a.k.a. Dave Heck, now an engineer at Emmis Radio) for nearly 20 years. The station was known for "Night Breeze" a nightly light AC and Jazz show in the 1990s. Over the years, WTPI was the radio home of Jennifer Carr, Paul Poteet, Oleta Martin, Pat Moore, Jerry Curtis, Gia Berns, and Kelly Jack, to name a few.

The radio station eventually moved from Monument Circle to the 3100 block of North Meridian Street, and finally to it current site at 9245 North Meridian. Long-time WTPI program director was Gary Havens.

Recent History

On October 3, 2005, current owner Entercom dropped the adult contemporary music format in favor of adult hits, and changed the call letters to WNTR. The station's on-air identifier was "107.9 The Track." Programming featured a somewhat "Jack-like" format proclaiming "We Play Everything." A popular live syndicated show featuring Tom Kent occupied the evening shift on WNTR. They also broadcast American Top 40 The 1980s with Casey Kasem on Saturday at 6:00 am and also on Sunday at 8:00 am.

On November 13, 2009, WNTR began stuntingwith Christmas music with a format flip coming after Christmas Day. On December 28, 2009, at 12:28 p.m., WNTR was rebranded as "My 107.9", retaining the adult hits format.

On May 22, 2013 at 5PM, after playing Kesha's Blow, and a goodbye message, followed by Simple Minds' Don't You (Forget About Me), WNTR began stunting with micro-formats (Rock as Rock 107.9, all Garth Brooks as Garth 107.9, Christmas music as Yule 107.9, all boy bands as Heartthrob 107.9, all Midwestern-born artists as 107.9 Heartland Radio, and sounds of nature as Earth 107.9). The following day at 5 PM, an AC format was introduced under the name "107.9 The Mix", with Dave Smiley from sister station WZPL[8] launching the station with Fall Out Boy's My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up).[9]

Format

WNTR is licensed to broadcast in the HD Radio format.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1960/B%201%20Radio%20Yearbook%201960.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1963/B%20A-M%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201963.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1964/Section%20B1%20A%20M%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201964.pdf
  4. ↑ "The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis".
  5. ↑ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-06-07-BC-OCR-Page-0094.pdf#search=%22107.9%22
  6. ↑ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Annuals/Archive-BC-YB-IDX/80s-OCR-YB/1985-YB/1985-BC-YB-OCR-Page-0175.pdf#search=%22wtpi%22
  7. ↑ FCC Internet Services Staff. "Call Sign History".
  8. ↑ Lance. "WNTR Becomes 107.9 The Mix".
  9. ↑ "107.9 The Mix Indianapolis Launches". RadioInsight. 23 May 2013.
  10. ↑ FCC Internet Services Staff. "Station Search Details".
  11. ↑ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=41 HD Radio Guide for Indianapolis

Coordinates: 39°53′42″N 86°12′04″W / 39.895°N 86.201°W / 39.895; -86.201

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