WRNX

{{short description|Radio station in Amherst, Massachusetts}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WRNX

| logo = WRNX logo.png

| logo_size = 200px

| city = Amherst, Massachusetts

| country = US

| area = Pioneer Valley

| branding = Kix 100.9

| frequency = {{Frequency|100.9|MHz}} {{HD Radio}}

| translator =

| repeater =

| airdate = November 12, 1990

| format = Country

| language =

| erp = 870 watts

| haat = {{convert|211|m|ft|sp=us}}

| class = A

| facility_id = 25906

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{coord|42|15|7.3|N|72|38|39.3|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|name=WRNX|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning =

| former_callsigns = WHCI (1987–1990)

| former_frequencies =

| affiliations = Premiere Networks

| owner = iHeartMedia

| licensee = iHM Licenses, LLC

| sister_stations = {{hlist|WHYN|WHYN-FM}}

| webcast = {{listenlive|https://www.iheart.com/live/kix-1009-1105/}}

| website = {{URL|https://mykix1009.iheart.com/}}

}}

WRNX (100.9 FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Amherst, Massachusetts. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC.

The station was assigned the WRNX call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on September 21, 1990.

Programming

WRNX airs a country music format. The format change to country music from WRNX's longtime adult album alternative format was part of sister station WPKX's move to the Hartford, Connecticut, market, where it became WUCS.

In addition to its usual music programming, WRNX has served as the flagship station for University of Massachusetts Amherst athletics broadcasts. The station has carried all of the school's men's basketball, hockey and football games plus coaches shows and women's basketball games since 2002.

WRNX also carries NASCAR races.

Ownership

In spring 2003, Pamal Broadcasting Ltd. (James Morrell, chairman/CEO) reached an agreement to acquire WPNI and WRNX from Western Massachusetts Radio Co. (Thomas G. Davis, president), for a reported sale price of $8 million. The broker for this transaction was Doug Ferber of Star Media Group, Inc. At the time of the purchase, WRNX broadcast a rock-leaning adult album alternative music format.

In the summer of 2006, iHeartMedia, under its former name of Clear Channel Communications (John Hogan, CEO, radio), reached an agreement to acquire WRNX from Pamal Broadcasting Ltd (James Morrell, chairman/CEO) in exchange for five radio stations on other states. The other stations in the deal were WBPM and WGHQ in upstate New York, WZRT and WSYB in Rutland, Vermont, and WPYR in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Published reports state that no cash changed hands in this transaction.

Alumni

Rachel Maddow, host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC and former Air America Radio personality, got her start through a contest to find a new sidekick for The Dave in the Morning Show.{{cite web|last=Leibovich|first=Mark|title=Rachel Maddow|url=http://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/magazine/2013/innovations-issue/#/?part=rachelmaddow|work=The New York Times Magazine|access-date=25 June 2013}} Maddow says, "I was crashing with friends in Massachusetts, working odd jobs, when they told me to try out. And they hired me on the spot. Radio came to me, I didn't come to it."

References

{{Reflist|2|refs=

{{cite web|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301134627/http://www.arbitron.com/ |archive-date=March 1, 2010 }}

{{cite book |title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 |chapter=Directory of Radio Stations in the U.S. |publisher=R. R. Bowker |location=New Providence, NJ |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-AL-NE-BC-YB-1999..pdf |year=1999 |page=D-207 |access-date=January 14, 2012}}

{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=25906&Callsign=WRNX |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |work=CDBS Public Access Database}}

{{cite news |title='The Duke of Portland' is Dead |date=January 31, 2003 |url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-030331.html |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |first=Scott |last=Fybush}}

{{cite news |date=April 6, 2003 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Changing hands |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-22984498_ITM}}

{{cite news |work=The Advocate |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13176024_ITM |title=Left and centered: Air America radio's Rachel Maddow is out, brilliant, and ready to defend the other L word: liberal |first=Etelka |last=Lehoczky |date=August 31, 2004}}

{{cite news |work=Southern Voice Atlanta |title=Two 'L-words'; Morning host adds 'lesbian' to 'liberal' radio's success |date=January 28, 2005 |first=Dyana |last=Bagby |url=http://www.sovo.com/2005/1-28/arts/feature/lwords.cfm |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918215122/http://www.sovo.com/2005/1-28/arts/feature/lwords.cfm |archive-date=September 18, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

{{cite web |publisher=Official University of Massachusetts Amherst Athletics Website |url=http://umassathletics.cstv.com/genrel/012006aad.html |title=UMass & WRNX Extend Radio Deal For Two More Years |date=January 20, 2006}}

{{cite news |work=The Republican |date=May 17, 2006 |first=William |last=Freebairn |url=http://www.masslive.com/business/republican/index.ssf?/base/business-0/114787078959880.xml&coll=1 |title=Radio swap in works}}

{{cite news |title=CBS To Sell Buffalo, Rochester Clusters |date=May 29, 2006 |url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2006/060529/nerw.html |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |first=Scott |last=Fybush}}

{{cite news |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Deals |date=July 10, 2006 |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-15933981_ITM}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/88394/morning-host-steve-cantara-exits-wrnx |title=Morning Host Steve Cantara Exits WRNX |publisher=All Access Music Group |date=March 10, 2011}}

}}