WNEL

The Inter-American Radio Corporation applied for a construction permit to build a new radio station in Caguas on July 30, 1946, and was granted the permit for a 250-watt outlet on 1450 kHz on December 26 of that year.{{Cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/3e49e63c-6469-4867-7223-2143193ec75f|title=FCC History Cards for WNEL|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} The firm was owned by the Biascochea family of San Juan.{{Cite news|date=June 17, 1947|work=El Mundo|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/?a=d&d=mndo19470617-01.1.4&srpos=9&e=-------en-25--1-byDA-img-txIN-%22WRIA%22+%22Caguas%22---------|title=Nueva radioemisora se establecerá en Caguas|trans-title=New radio station to be established in Caguas|first=Andrés|last=Martínez García|language=es|page=4}} WRIA went on the air on July 21, 1947, with a twelve-hour inaugural program.{{Cite news|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/?a=d&d=mndo19470723-01.1.4&srpos=12&e=-------en-25--1-byDA-img-txIN-%22WRIA%22+%22Caguas%22---------|date=July 23, 1947|first=Andrés|last=Martínez García|language=es|title=Caguas cuenta con estación emisora|trans-title=Caguas counts with a radio station|page=4|work=El Mundo}} The young station became embroiled in a conflict with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). On November 15, 1950, the commission revoked WRIA's broadcast license and ordered the station to cease operating within 15 days for failure to follow FCC engineering rules and regulations.{{Cite news|id={{ProQuest|1285685748}}|title=FCC Roundup|page=79|work=Broadcasting|date=November 20, 1950}} The station requested a formal hearing, being allowed to continue operating in the process, and was granted one by the commission in January 1951.{{Cite news|page=87|title=WTNJ WRIA Case: FCC Suspends Revocation|id={{ProQuest|1285679660}}|date=January 22, 1951|work=Broadcasting}} The station argued financial issues had caused the engineering shortfalls.{{Cite news|page=106|id={{ProQuest|1401198363}}|work=Broadcasting|title=WRIA to Keep License|date=November 12, 1951}} After the hearing, the station's technical facilities improved to the point where one commissioner, Paul A. Walker, set aside the revocation ruling in October 1950.{{Cite magazine|title=FCC Approves WRIA Set-Up|page=6|magazine=Billboard|date=October 27, 1951|id={{ProQuest|1040152324}} }} The commission then granted WRIA a renewal.{{r|BC511112}}

WRIA became WMIA on July 4, 1952.{{r|hc}} By 1953, the station was including time information every five minutes, calling itself "{{lang|es|italic=no|El Reloj de Borinquen}}" (The Clock of Borinquen).{{Cite news|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/?a=d&d=mndo19530310-01.1.8&srpos=67&e=------195-en-25--51-byDA-img-txIN-%22WMIA%22+Caguas---------|work=El Mundo|type=Advertisement|page=8|title=Ahora WMIA, La Reloj del Borinquen|trans-title=Now WMIA, The Clock of Borinquen|date=March 10, 1953}} The station changed its call sign again to WNEL on February 8, 1955.{{r|hc}} The studios were heavily damaged in a 1979 fire; the station was able to remain on the air by hastily moving to an office above a Chase Manhattan Bank branch.{{Cite news|url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/?a=d&d=mndo19790217-01.1.29&srpos=33&e=-------en-25-mndo-26-byDA-img-txIN-%22WNEL%22+%22Radio+Tiempo%22-------es--|page=15-B|title=Fuego Causó $640,000 de Pérdidas en 3 Negocios Caguas|trans-title=Fire Caused $640,000 in Losses to 3 Businesses in Caguas|work=El Mundo|date=February 17, 1979|language=es}}

{{RadioTranslators

|callsign = WNEL

|call1 = W241CW

|freq1 = 96.1

|watts1 = .25

|city1 = Caguas, Puerto Rico

|fid1 = 203170

}}

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{{AM station data|68355|WNEL}}

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{{Puerto Rico Radio}}

NEL

Category:Radio stations established in 1947

Category:1947 establishments in Puerto Rico

Category:Caguas, Puerto Rico

Category:Oldies radio stations

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