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| Broadcast area | Columbus metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 97.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 97.1 The Fan |
| Programming | |
| Format | Sports radio |
| Subchannels |
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| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | June 1959; 66 years ago (1959-06) |
Call sign meaning | Derived from sister stationWBNS |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 54701 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 20,500 watts |
| HAAT | 238 meters (781 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 39°58′16.2″N83°1′39.6″W / 39.971167°N 83.027667°W /39.971167; -83.027667 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaTuneIn) |
| Website | www |
WBNS-FM (97.1MHz) – branded97.1 The Fan – is acommercialsports radio station inColumbus, Ohio. It andWBNS (1460 AM) are the only two radio stations currently owned by television companyTegna, Inc. The studios are co-located withWBNS-TV (channel 10) on Twin Rivers Drive, west ofDowntown Columbus.
WBNS-FM is aClass B station. It has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 20,500 watts. It shares atransmittertower with WBNS-TV, the tallestfree-standing structure in Columbus. It is adjacent to the studios on Twin Rivers Drive nearInterstate 670.[3] WBNS-FM broadcasts usingHD Radio technology.
WBNS-FM airs local sports talk shows during weekdays and early evenings. It carries thesyndicatedInfinity Sports Network late nights and weekends. Itssister station, WBNS 1460 AM, runsBetMGM Network and Infinity Sports Network most hours.
WBNS-FM is the FMflagship for theOhio State Sports Network,[4] theColumbus Blue Jackets Radio Network,[5] and theColumbus Crew, and the market affiliate for theCleveland Browns Radio Network,[6]Cincinnati Reds Radio Network, theNFL on Westwood One Sports and Indinity Sports Network, the latter in a shared affiliation with WBNS (AM).
WBNS's sister station,WBNS (AM 1460), was established in 1922. It is one of Ohio's oldest stations. In 1929, it was acquired by the Wolfe family, the owners of the market-leading newspaper,The Columbus Dispatch. WBNS began FM broadcasts as early as 1940 with experimental station W8XVH.
In 1941, it became commercial station W45CM, and laterWELD (FM stations were disallowed from sharing their AM sister's calls at the time). Management suspended operations in July 1953 due to low listenership as few affordable FM receivers were available[7] WELD was formallydeleted on July 14, 1953.[8]
WBNS-FMsigned on the air in June 1959; 66 years ago (1959-06). It used the same frequency, 97.1 MHz, previously used by co-owned WELD. At first it largelysimulcast WBNS 1460 AM.
In 1970, it broke away from the simulcast. It began airing abeautiful music format, playing quarter-hour sweeps of instrumentalcover versions of popular songs,Broadway andHollywoodshow tunes. In the 1980s, the station began playing moresoft adult contemporary vocals, in an effort to appeal to a younger audience.
In November 1991 the station moved fromeasy listening, tooldies, calling itself "Oldies B-97.1". Theplaylist was made up ofTop 40 hits of the 1960s, along with a few songs from the late '50s and early '70s. Almost ten years later, in July 2001, WBNS-FM moved tomodern AC as "The New 97.1", with a mix of pop alternative music.
Eventually, the station evolved with ahot AC format as "97.1-More Music, More Variety." In August 2005, the station began using the "Mix" name and became "Mix 97.1-80s, 90s, Now." Meanwhile, co-owned WBNS 1460 AM had good ratings as an all-sports AM station, as more cities were getting FM sports outlets. Management decided to capitalize on its sports franchise.
On January 26, 2009, at 2 PM, WBNS-FM began a simulcast of AM sister station WBNS "1460 The Fan." WBNS-FM became "97.1 The Fan." The final song played on Mix 97.1 was "Leave Out All The Rest" byLinkin Park.
On June 11, 2019, The Columbus Dispatch announced it was selling its broadcasting assets, including WBNS-AM-FM-TV, toTegna Inc., for $535 million in cash. The deal was expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, pendingFederal Communications Commission approval. The sale was completed on August 8.[9]
Over time, WBNS-FM became the exclusive home of local Columbus-based sports shows, while WBNS 1460 AM airs the national ESPN Radio Network feed. The AM station is also heard on one of WBNS-FM'sHD Radiodigital subchannels. In May 2024, theBetQL Network, carrying sports gambling shows, began airing on WBNS-FM-HD3.[10]
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