WFSX (AM)
WFSX (1240 kHz) and WNOG (1270 kHz) are commercial AM radio stations that air an alternative rock format on WFSX and an all-sports radio format on WNOG. WFSX is licensed to Fort Myers, Florida and WNOG is licensed to Naples. The stations are owned by Sun Broadcasting. Most programming comes from the Fox Sports Radio Network.
| City | WFSX: Fort Myers, Florida WNOG: Naples, Florida |
|---|---|
| Frequency | WFSX: 1240 kHz WNOG: 1270 kHz WHEL: 93.7 HD2 |
| Branding | WFSX: Gelly 94.1 WNOG: Fox Sports Fort Myers |
| Slogan | WFSX: "Alternative Radio" |
| Programming | |
| Format | WFSX: Alternative rock WNOG: Sports |
| Affiliations | WNOG: Fox Sports Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sun Broadcasting, Inc. |
| WARO, WFSX-FM, WHEL | |
| History | |
First air date | WFSX: June 15, 1940 (as WFTM) WNOG: October 14, 1954 |
Former call signs | WFSX: WFTM (1939-1942) WAAC (1942-1943) WINK (1944-1999) WTLQ (1999-2003) WINK (2003-2010) WFSX (2010-2013) WFWN (2013-2016) WNOG: none |
Call sign meaning | FoX Sports (disambiguation) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | WFSX: 2882 WNOG: 51333 |
| Class | WFSX: C WNOG: B |
| Power | WFSX: 1,000 watts WNOG: 5,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 26°37′28.00″N 81°49′52.00″W |
| Translator(s) | See § Translators |
| Links | |
| Webcast | WNOG: Listen live |
| Website | WFSX: gelly941.com WNOG: foxsportsfm.com |
WFSX 1240 is also heard on an FM translator, 94.1 W231DC in Fort Myers. WNOG 1270 is also heard on two FM translators, 103.3 W277AP in Bayshore and 105.9 W290DB in Naples. According to the station's Facebook page, the 94.1 & 103.3 FM translators cover Lee County, Florida and 105.9 covers Collier County, Florida. WFSX 1240 is also broadcast via WHEL's HD2 channel.
History of WFSX
In 1939, a construction permit was issued to the Fort Myers Broadcasting Company to build a 250-watt radio station.[1] WFTM (for FT. Myers) began broadcasting the following year, Southwest Florida's first radio station. It switched its call sign to WAAC in 1942, becoming an affiliate of the CBS Radio Network, airing its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the Golden Age of Radio. The call letters changed to WINK in 1944, with a boost in power to 1,000 watts by day, but still running 250 watts at night. In 1954, Channel 11 WINK-TV went on the air. Because 1240 WINK was a CBS affiliate, WINK-TV also carried CBS programs, and still is Fort Myers' CBS affiliate today, even though it is under different ownership now. 96.9 WINK-FM signed on in 1964, and is still co-owned with the TV station, but not with 1240 WFSX.
In the 1970s and '80s, 1240 WINK carried a full service format, playing Middle of the Road music and running CBS News at the beginning of each hour. By the 1990s, the music had been eliminated and the station concentrated on news and talk. Between 1999 and 2003, the WINK call letters moved to AM 1200, with AM 1240 renamed WTLQ. Both stations ran separate talk programming. From 2003 to 2010, the WINK call sign returned to AM 1240. Then in 2010, the WINK call letters again moved to 1200 AM, as 1240 began a simulcast with co-owned 92.5 WFSX-FM, airing different talk shows than 1200 AM. (AM 1200 is now Spanish-language tropical music station WAXA.)
On December 7, 2020, WFSX split from its simulcast with WNOG and changed their format to alternative rock, branded as "Gelly 94.1".[2]
History of WNOG
On October 14, 1954, WNOG first signed on. In the 1960s, '70s and '80s, WNOG carried a full service format, playing Middle of the Road music and running NBC News at the beginning of each hour. In 1971, the station added an FM counterpart, 93.5 WNOG-FM (today 93.7 WHEL). By the 1980s, WNOG had become a talk station, carrying programming from NBC Talknet and the ABC Talkradio Network.[3]
Even though 1240 in Fort Myers and 1270 in Naples were separately owned, they began sharing talk shows, simulcast on both stations. In 2006, both stations came under common ownership when 1240 WINK was acquired by the Meredith Corporation, which already owned WNOG. Meredith later sold both stations to their current owner, Sun Broadcasting.
Switch to sports programming
Sun Broadcasting announced that as of July 22, 2013, Fox News and Talk programming would be dropped on 1240 AM and 1270 AM.[4] The stations became affiliates of NBC Sports Radio on July 22, 2013 at 6:00 a.m. On October 17, 2016, WFWN changed its call letters to WFSX and rebranded as "Fox Sports FM," to stress the FM translators.
Translators
On July 3, 2015, Sun Broadcasting acquired 97.3 W247AQ in Tropical Gulf Acres, Florida from Reach Communications for $35,000, to rebroadcast WFSX.[5] Effective April 20, 2017, the translator was relocated to Naples as W290DB, rebroadcasting WNOG at 105.9 FM. Two other translators were set up in Fort Myers and Bayshore to rebroadcast WFSX.
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | Facility ID | ERP (W) | Height (m (ft)) | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W231DC | 94.1 | Fort Myers, Florida | 138791 | 250 | 101 m (331 ft) | D | FCC |
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | Facility ID | ERP (W) | Height (m (ft)) | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W277AP | 103.3 | Bayshore, Florida | 139003 | 82 | 87 m (285 ft) | D | FCC |
| W290DB | 105.9 | Naples, Florida | 139101 | 250 | 82 m (269 ft) | D | FCC |
References
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1940 page 110
- Fort Myers is Ready For Gelly 94.1 Radioinsight - December 8, 2020
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1995 page B-87
- Facebook 92.5 Fox News, retrieved July 16, 2013.
- Station Sales Week Of 7/3: Disney Exits Sacramento. Lance Venta, RadioInsight July 3, 2015.
External links
- WFSX in the FCC's AM station database
- WFSX on Radio-Locator
- WFSX in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- WNOG in the FCC's AM station database
- WNOG on Radio-Locator
- WNOG in Nielsen Audio's AM station database