WNNT-FM

Grayson Headley, trading as the Northern Neck and Tidewater Broadcasting Company, received a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission to build a new 250-watt daytime-only AM station, broadcasting on 690 kHz AM, at Warsaw on July 6, 1948.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=65826 |title= History Cards for WNNT|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) Construction had begun by early 1949 on a site near the Cobham Park Baptist Church; the station would be an independent outlet concentrating on local interest programs.{{cite news|work=Rappahannock Record|page=1|date=February 10, 1949|title=Work Starts On Radio Station Near Warsaw|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-feb-10-1949-1886640/|access-date=July 29, 2020}} WNNT launched July 3,{{cite news|title=New Opening Date: July 3|page=11|work=Rappahannock Record|access-date=July 29, 2020|date=June 30, 1949|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-jun-30-1949-1886645/}} bringing the first radio station to the Northern Neck.{{cite news|work=Rappahannock Herald|pages=25, 26|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=RR19890629&e=-------en-20-RR-1--txt-txIN-WNNT-------|title=Monday Marks 40th Year For WNNT Radio In Warsaw|first=T.|last=Dickenson|date=June 29, 1989}} Charles E. Stuart, a partner in the project, became part-owner of WNNT in 1950 and then died in 1951, at which time Headley became sole owner again.{{r|hc}}

In 1961, Grayson Headley, who also owned a loan company and a construction firm in the region and sat on the board of directors of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56337430/|work=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=September 2, 1961|title=Grayson Headley, 46, Business Executive, Dies|page=4|access-date=July 29, 2020}} died at the age of 46;{{cite news|title=Grayson Headley Dies In Hospital|page=4|date=September 7, 1961|work=Rappahannock Herald|access-date=July 29, 2020|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/obituary-clipping-sep-07-1961-1886664/}} his widow, Patricia, became the owner,{{r|hc}} one of only a handful of single women to own broadcast stations.{{r|forty}} Under her ownership, WNNT doubled its service to the Northern Neck on March 1, 1967, when WNNT-FM, originally at 100.9 MHz, signed on, simulcasting the AM frequency during the day and continuing its programming after dark.{{Cite news|page=7|work=Rappahannock Herald|date=March 2, 1967|access-date=July 29, 2020|title=FM Radio Station Now On The Air|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-mar-02-1967-1886667/}} In 1973, the stations began to broadcast a country music format.{{cite news|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=RR19731011.1.1&srpos=4&e=-------en-20-RR-1--txt-txIN-WNNT-------|date=October 11, 1973|access-date=July 29, 2020|title=WNNT To Change Format For Music|work=Rappahannock Herald|page=1}} After Patricia married Pat Dewey, the Northern Neck and Tidewater Broadcasting group expanded in 1975 with the launch of a station on the lower Northern Neck, WKWI at Kilmarnock; the Kilmarnock station was built as a partnership with Dean Loudy, former WNNT general manager and morning personality.{{r|forty}}

The WNNT stations were sold for $400,000 to Linwood "Lynn" Wadsworth in 1993.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-08-20.pdf|access-date=July 29, 2020|date=August 20, 1993|work=Radio & Records|page=28|title=Transactions}} In 1999, Wadsworth and the then-owner of WWTL (700 AM) in Walkersville, Maryland, reached an interference reduction agreement in 2001, whereby WNNT would surrender its AM license to allow a facility upgrade for WWTL.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WmApwYzyzzwC&q=%22WNNT%28AM%29%22&pg=PA21565|work=FCC Record (DA 01-1927)|title=Re: Elijah Broadcasting Corp., Walkersville, Maryland|pages=21562–21575|date=July 18, 2001|access-date=July 29, 2020}}

In 2006, Lynn Wadsworth sold WNNT-FM to Real Media, Inc.; at the same time, his brother Danny sold WRAR-FM at Tappahannock to Real Media, which was owned by four employees of the Tappahannock FM outlet.{{cite news|url=http://www.northernnecktoday.com/radio_changes.htm|title=Dialing up change in the Northern Neck|date=2006|work=Northern Neck Today|access-date=July 29, 2020}} Wadsworth quit his duties as morning personality on WNNT-FM as part of the sale.{{r|dialing}} Two years later, WNNT-FM moved from 100.9 to 107.5 MHz as part of a modification proceeding that allowed Richmond-area outlet WDYL (then at 101.1 FM) to move to 100.9 and increase its power.{{cite web|url=https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/6520031236.pdf|work=Federal Communications Commission|title=Memorandum Opinion and Order (DA 08-1407)|date=June 11, 2008|access-date=July 29, 2020}} The frequency change also brought a power increase for WNNT-FM, which increased its effective radiated power to 6,000 watts.{{cite news|url=https://hokiesports.com/news/2008/11/5/20081105aaa_695.aspx|work=Hokie Sports|date=November 5, 2008|title=Warsaw's WNNT-FM increases power, moves to 107.5 FM|access-date=July 29, 2020}}

WNNT-FM is the Northern Neck affiliate of the Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network and NASCAR racing from the Motor Racing Network, Performance Racing Network and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. On weekdays, the station carries a local swap shop program.{{Cite web |title=WNNT Program Schedule |url=http://realradio804.com/wnnt-program-schedule/ |access-date=July 29, 2020 |website=RealRadio804}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.realradio804.com/ RealRadio804]
• {{FM station data|743139|WNNT}}

{{NorthernNeck Radio}}

{{Country Radio Stations in Virginia}}

NNT

Category:Country radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1967

Category:1967 establishments in Virginia