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| Broadcast area | Hudson Valley |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 92.1MHz |
| Branding | Q92 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult contemporary |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WCTW,WHUC,WPKF,WRWB-FM,WRWD-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | June 30, 1989; 36 years ago (1989-06-30) |
Former call signs | WLMS (1985–89,CP) |
Call sign meaning | "Rockin' Easy, Q-92" (original branding) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 17771 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 520watts |
| HAAT | 314 meters (1,030 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | q92hv.iheart.com |
WRNQ (92.1FM "Q92") is acommercialradio station licensed toPoughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts anadult contemporaryradio format, switching toChristmas music for much of November and December.
WRNQ has aneffective radiated power of 520watts,transmitting from theIllinois Mountain master tower inHighland, New York to which it moved in 2000. Unlike otherClass A stations on that tower, WRNQ's signal isdirectional to protect first adjacents 92.3WINS-FM inNew York City and 92.3WFLY inTroy, New York.
The originalconstruction permit for what became WRNQ was awarded in December 1985, several years after the FCC amended the table of allotments to allow for the 92.1 frequency to become active in Poughkeepsie. Around 1987, the frequency was awarded toWKIP owner Richard Novik, gained the WLMS ("Lite Music Station") calls and announced that the station would take on a format near-identical to that which hit the air. Due to potential ratings confusion withWLTW ("Lite FM") fromNew York City the call letters were replaced with WRNQ in 1989, a decision made by then-General Manager Don Verity. The difficulty obtaining a transmitter site in the market also was a problem and Novik eventually settled on a site inLagrangeville, New York, east of Poughkeepsie, unlike most stations which broadcast on mountain peaks inUlster County.
WRNQ, better known as "Rockin' Easy, Q-92", hit the air on June 30, 1989, and made a splash with former WKIP morning man Van Ritshie anchoring an otherwise satellite-fed format (Unistar's "Format 41)." With no real competition in the format (WHUD was stilleasy listening and WKIP had changed to all-talk programming), Q-92 reached top of the ratings its first year on the air. Eventually, the station added the hugely successful "Love Songs on Q" a locally hosted evening love songs program hosted by Pete Clark (currently atWVKR andWPDH) and later by Rick Buser, formerly ofWPDH.
In 1996, Novik sold WRNQ, WKIP, and new sister stationWNSX ("Modern Rock, The X 96.1") to Straus Media (owned by Eric Straus, heir to former owner ofWMCA inNew York City) who in turn replaced the satellite-fed time periods with all-local programming, much of which came from Straus stations inEllenville andHudson. With this, the station picked upDelilah After Dark evenings. The pickup of Delilah, later picked up by rival WHUD, was allowed via a geographic loophole (WHUD and WRNQ are technically in different markets) which also allowed the two rivals to have the same jingle package for several years.
Eric Straus decided to leave radio ownership in 2000 to start two online ventures (Regional Help Wanted and Cupid.com), selling the cluster toClear Channel Communications. The next year, Van Ritshie retired from radio, and was replaced by Joe Daily (formerly of WBNR) in the morning slot. In 2002, WRNQ began airing Christmas music in the months before Christmas copying a programming move popular in other radio markets.
At the end of Christmas music in 2003, the station relaunched under the"LiteFM" brand of popular sisterWLTW in New York City in a move of "branding unity" which also was ironic considering the station's pre-signon change done to minimize confusion with WLTW. Outside of some music refocusing and the addition of a Saturday night dance programming, no major changes were made until October 2011, when WRNQ switched toPremium Choice andPremiere Networks for content outside of Joe Daily in Morning Drive.
A variation of WRNQ's format, without thesimulcast and with differentdisc jockeys, had been broadcast on 98.5WCTW inCatskill, New York. From March 2005 until November 2006, WRNQ's format and programming was "shadowcast" on 99.3WFKP inEllenville, New York, which aired the same air talent as WRNQ (and carried WRNQ's "Joe Daily in the Morning").
On September 8, 2014, WRNQ returned to its original "Q92" branding.[2]
(WRNQ's logo under previous "Lite FM" branding)
41°43′08″N73°59′46″W / 41.719°N 73.996°W /41.719; -73.996