WFNQ
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{for|other radio stations that have held the WFNQ call sign|WFNQ (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WFNQ
| logo = WFNQ 106.3 Frank FM logo 2023.png
| city = Nashua, New Hampshire
| country = US
| area = Manchester, New Hampshire
| branding = 106.3 Frank FM
| airdate = {{start date and age|1987|10|19}}
| frequency = 106.3 MHz {{HD Radio}}
| format = Classic hits
| subchannels = HD2: VSiN (Sports gambling)
| erp = 6,000 watts
| haat = {{Convert|81|meters}}
| class = A
| facility_id = 23329
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|42|49|36.3|N|71|30|8.2|W|region:US-NH_type:landmark|name=WFNQ|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = "Frank"
| former_callsigns = WHOB (1987–2005)
| affiliations = New England Patriots Radio Network
| owner = Binnie Media
| licensee = WBIN Media Co., Inc.
| sister_stations = {{hlist|WEMJ|WJYY|WLNH-FM|WNNH|WNHW|WTPL}}
| webcast = {{ubl|{{listenlive|https://player.amperwave.net/11859}}|HD2: {{listenlive|https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/WFNQHD2}}}}
| website = {{URL|https://frankfmradio.com/}}
}}
WFNQ (106.3 FM; "Frank FM") is a radio station in Nashua, New Hampshire, serving the Manchester area with a classic hits radio format. It is owned by Binnie Media. The station's studios are on Church Street in Concord, and its transmitter is located in Merrimack, just west of the Merrimack Premium Outlets.
WFNQ can also be received in the northern portion of the Boston media market. The station has FM co-channel interference with Providence-market WWKX past this area.
WFNQ is the flagship station of a three-station network under the Frank FM branding. WLNH-FM (98.3) in Laconia (serving the Lakes Region) and WBYY (98.7) in Somersworth (serving the Seacoast Region) share WFNQ's playlist and branding, but have separate commercials. Additionally, WNNH (99.1) in Henniker previously served as a full simulcast of WFNQ for areas north and west of Manchester; it is now an active rock station.
History
The 106.3 allocation in Nashua was originally assigned to WOTW-FM, which went on the air in March 1948,{{cite news |title=Station WOTW Observes Eighth Birthday Today |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TKYrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2fwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7133%2C902920 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=Nashua Telegraph |date=September 13, 1954 |page=10}} lost its license in 1977,{{cite news |last1=Landrigan |first1=Dan |title=Two new radio stations to air |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7KErAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4846%2C3777990 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=The Sunday Telegraph |date=October 12, 1986 |pages=A1, A10}} and continued operating under an interim operator from 1978 to June 30, 1985.{{cite web|url=http://www.nhab.org/alumni/cohen.html|title=NHAB Alumni: Bob Cohen|date=March 24, 2002|publisher=New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters|access-date=January 17, 2010}}{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Cynthia |title=WOTW to cease operations for good June 30 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z5orAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ovoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3078%2C602557 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=Nashua Telegraph |date=June 4, 1985}} After the revocation of the licenses for WOTW-FM and WOTW (900 AM) and a nine-year licensing process,{{cite news |last1=Mertz |first1=Mary |title=AM station to hit the air soon |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1v4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=efwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2639%2C9410653 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=The Telegraph |date=December 30, 1987}} Gateway Broadcasting Associates was granted authority to build a new FM station in 1986; the AM frequency was separately awarded to Merrimack Valley Broadcasting, who would put WMVU on the air in 1992.{{cite news |last1=Bernstein |first1=Hattie |title=News, talk radio station will be music to their ears |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eZpKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lpQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1544%2C4115093 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=The Telegraph |date=March 19, 1992 |pages=1, 9}} Gateway, controlled by Mario DiCarlo, selected the call sign WHOB in reference to the station's honey bee logo, which was intended to symbolize that it would be "an industrious station".{{cite news |last1=Landrigan |first1=Dan |title=New FM station closer to startup |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rOAlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5514%2C766939 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=The Telegraph |date=December 3, 1986 |page=64}} Following several delays, WHOB signed on at 6{{nbsp}}a.m. on October 19, 1987.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1989|date=1989|page=B-189|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1989/B-2%20Radio%20Neb%20to%20Terr%201989-5.pdf|access-date=April 5, 2010}}{{cite news |last1=Connors |first1=William W. |title='Radio void' filled in Nashua as local FM station hits the air |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=25dKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R5QMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3561%2C7694653 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |work=The Telegraph |date=October 24, 1987 |page=40}} In its early years, WHOB primarily focused on the Nashua area, though its signal, originating from a tower in Hudson, reached from Concord to Route 128 in Burlington, Massachusetts.
{{multiple image
| align =
| direction = horizontial
| width = 100
| image1 = WFNQ logo.png
| image2 = WFNQ Frank 106.3.png
| image3 = WFNQ 106.3 Frank FM logo.png
| footer = Pre-2021 versions of the "Frank FM" logo; each version reflects the different formats used under this brand.
}}
At one time a CHR station, the station began mixing in modern rock in 1996,{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-960417.html|title=New England Radio Watch|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=April 17, 1996|access-date=January 18, 2010}} and had shifted to hot adult contemporary by 1999, when DiCarlo retired and sold WHOB to Tele-Media.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-991029.html|title=Citadel Gets Huge, Shuffles Binghamton's AMs|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=October 29, 1999|work=North East RadioWatch|access-date=January 18, 2010}} Tele-Media sold WHOB, along with WNNH in Henniker and WLKZ in Wolfeboro, to Nassau Broadcasting Partners in 2004.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/040119/nerw.html|title=Anchor in Florida Lands 'BZ in Headlines|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=January 19, 2004|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|access-date=January 18, 2010}} Nassau dropped the hot AC format in favor of the "Frank FM" classic hits format (the second Nassau station, after WFNK in Lewiston, Maine, to do so) and the WFNQ callsign on March 17, 2005.{{cite news|url=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050319/BUSINESS/103190003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070110091615/http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20050319%2FBUSINESS%2F103190003|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 10, 2007|title=Frankly, it's not WHOB anymore|last=Kennedy|first=Eileen|date=March 19, 2005|work=The Telegraph|access-date=January 18, 2010}}
The station, along with 16 other Nassau stations in northern New England, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by WBIN Media Company, a company controlled by Bill Binnie, on May 22, 2012. Binnie already owned WBIN-TV in Derry and WYCN-LP in Nashua.{{cite news|title=Carlisle Capital Corp. Wins Bidding For Rest Of Nassau Stations|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/106283/carlisle-capital-corp-wins-bidding-for-rest-of-nas|access-date=May 22, 2012|newspaper=All Access|date=May 22, 2012}}{{cite news|title=WBIN Media acquires 17 N.E. radio stations|url=http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120523/NEWS02/705249976|access-date=May 24, 2012|newspaper=New Hampshire Union Leader|date=May 23, 2012}} The deal was completed on November 30, 2012.{{cite news|last=Kitch|first=Michael|title=Binnie closes on purchase of WLNH|url=http://www.laconiadailysun.com/index.php/newsx/local-news/64052-binnie-s-radio-franchise|access-date=December 1, 2012|newspaper=Laconia Daily Sun|date=December 1, 2012}}
On June 1, 2015, WFNQ shifted its format to classic rock. It switched back to classic hits in 2018.
File:WFNQ 106.3 WNNH 99.1 Frank FM logo.png
On April 1, 2019, WNNH in Henniker began simulcasting WFNQ, bringing the station's programming to areas north and west of Manchester, including Concord.Frank Expands in New Hampshire, https://radioinsight.com/headlines/175811/frank-expands-in-new-hampshire/ On May 24, 2019, WLNH-FM in Laconia and WBYY in Somersworth began carrying WFNQ's programming, but with separate advertising, forming a regional network.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Binnie Media Makes Trio Of Flips In New Hampshire |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/177088/binnie-media-makes-trio-of-flips-in-new-hampshire/ |access-date=May 26, 2019 |work=RadioInsight |date=May 24, 2019}} The "Frank FM" network transitioned to a hot adult contemporary format during 2021;{{Cite web|title=Binnie Makes Musical Shifts In New Hampshire|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/218175/binnie-makes-musical-shifts-in-new-hampshire/|access-date=January 7, 2022|website=RadioInsight|date=January 6, 2022 |language=en-US}} during this transition, on September 3, 2021, WNNH left the network and launched its own active rock format.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=99.1 The Bone Debuts In Concord |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212368/99-1-the-bone-debuts-in-concord/ |access-date=January 7, 2022 |work=RadioInsight |date=September 2, 2021}}
File:WFNQ 106.3 Frank FM logo 2022.png
After morning host Marc Nazzaro (who used the air name "DJ Nazzy") was laid off from "Frank FM" in January 2023 as part of a refocus of Binnie Media's resources on its news and talk programming, vice president of programming Heath Cole told the Concord Monitor that "the music format that we do will change".{{cite news |last1=Duckler |first1=Ray |title=Even without his longtime role as on-air disc jockey, Nazzy still knows how to throw a party |url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/Nazzy-still-sounds-snazzy-after-leaving-Binnie-49624235 |access-date=February 2, 2023 |work=Concord Monitor |date=January 22, 2023}} On February 1, 2023, WFNQ, along with the rest of the "Frank FM" network, again returned to a classic hits format; the stations also dropped their remaining on-air staff, who were reassigned to other positions within the company.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/248183/new-hampshires-frank-fm-returns-to-classic-hits/ New Hampshire's Frank-FM Returns to Classic Hits] Radioinsight - February 1, 2023
HD Radio
On May 24, 2023, the format of WFNQ's second HD Radio channel was changed from a simulcast of active rock-formatted WNNH to VSiN's sports gambling network.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/252468/binnie-media-brings-vsin-to-new-hampshire/ Binnie Media Brings VSiN to New Hampshire] Radioinsight - May 24, 2023
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://frankfmradio.com/}}
- {{FM station data|23329|WFNQ}}
{{Manchester, New Hampshire radio}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wfnq}}
Category:Classic hits radio stations in the United States
Category:Nashua, New Hampshire