WGNA-FM

For the cable channel, see WGN America.

WGNA-FM

Broadcast area	Albany, New York
Branding	107.7 WGNA
Slogan	Today's Country
Frequency	107.7 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date	November 1973
Format	Country music
ERP	12,500 watts
HAAT	300 meters
Class	B
Callsign meaning	W Good News Albany (tag of aborted launch format)
Owner	Townsquare Media (Townsquare Media of Albany, Inc.)
Website	www.wgna.com

WGNA-FM (known on-air as 107.7 WGNA) is a country music-formatted radio station licensed to Albany, New York and serving New York's Capital District. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts at 12,500 watts effective radiated power from the Helderberg Mountains tower farm in New Scotland. WGNA holds the distinction of having the longest unchanged format (in terms of commercial stations) in the Capital District, having been a country music station since its launch in November 1973 It is also one of three commercial Albany FM radio stations to have never changed their call letters (WQBK-FM and WFLY are the others).

WGNA-FM has also been the #1 station (12+, 25-54 adults) in most ratings trends and books in the Albany market though WGY, WFLY, and WYJB have all unseated WGNA from this position on various occasions. Despite attempts by competitors, such as WCDA/WPTR-FM (96.3 FM) in the mid-to-late 1990s, Galaxy Communications' WEGQ (93.7 The Eagle) from 2004 to 2005, Pamal's simulcast of WFFG-FM (Froggy 107.1) on its Albany 104.9 FM signal in 2005, and most recently, Pamal's second attempt at a country format (also on 104.9 FM, as The Cat), WGNA-FM has faced little significant direct competition on the country music front.

History

Though a beacon of stability in Capital Region radio, WGNA originally was not slated to take the country format it has dominated. The 107.7 frequency had been awarded to the then-owners of Christian formatted WHAZ and it was due to sign on with a Christian format itself with the GNA in the calls standing for "Good News Albany". These plans went on hold when WHAZ's owner died several weeks prior to the planned sign-on of WGNA and, in a pinch, his children took over the station. The station signed on with a country music format on December 5, 1973 at 6:00pm. For 5 days the music played uninterrupted with announcers beginning their shifts on December 10 at 6:00am. Going against WOKO, WGNA became a success and made the format permanent with WHAZ eventually being sold off and, in 1978, WOKO leaving the format. In 1988, then-WGNA owner Barnstable Broadcasting purchased WOKO and turned it into an AM simulcast of WGNA (with the FM taking the WGNA-FM calls as a result) with some breaks for sports coverage.

In 1990, the late Fred Horton became program director at WGNA, leading the station to become #1 in almost every Arbitron book since then. Around this time, Barnstable sold WGNA to the radio group headed by Merv Griffin who in turn later sold the entire group to Capstar Broadcasting in the mid-1990s; two years later, the WGNA stations ended up as part of AMFM, Inc.

In 1997, longtime program director Fred Horton left the station to program WYNY in New York City was replaced by R.E. "Buzz" Brindle who programmed Country 107.7 until April 2007.

After AMFM merged with Clear Channel Communications in 2000, WGNA AM/FM was sold with WPYX, WABT and WTRY-FM/WTRY-AM to Clear Channel Communications which, in turn, sold WGNA AM/FM, WABT, WQBK-FM, WTMM and WQBJ to Regent Communications (now Townsquare Media) in the aftermath of the sale due to market concentration concerns (and, in WGNA's case, revenue share concerns as well). In February 2002, the AM simulcast ended when Regent sold the station to ABC Radio (now Citadel Broadcasting) which used it to bring its Radio Disney format to the Capital Region under the calls WDDY.

WGNA has enjoyed a fairly stable air staff, as most of WGNA's on-air talent have been a part of the Country 107.7 team for more than 10 years, including:

- Sean McMaster and Richie Phillips of the "Sean & Richie" morning show
- "Brother" Lou Roberts of the nightly show "Cryin', Lovin', or Leavin'"
- John Stanley on Saturday middays.  John also holds the distinction of being with WGNA continuously since 1974

Notable departures from the on-air staff include:

- Former midday host and music director Bill Earley in April 2007 after having been with the station for 19 years
- Longtime midday host Kevin Richards in July 2014 after having also been with the station for 19 years

Recent additions to the on-air staff include:

- Bethany to the "Sean & Richie" morning show in September 2013, after a successful 5-year stint co-hosting the morning show on WPIG in Olean, NY
- Heather Davis in October 2014 to fill the midday position

Recognition and influence

At the time of its launch, WGNA was one of the first FM country music stations in the Northeast and with its powerful signal was able to reach and even rate in markets far from the Capital District where country music was either nonexistent or on low-power AM stations. As Baby Boomers who grew up with Rock and Pop in the Northeast moved into their mid-30s and early 40s, bought homes in the suburbs and raised families, they discovered that they could relate to the stories told in country music. It wasn't just for people who grew up on farms and in rural areas. Country music stations in Glens Falls, Utica, the Hudson Valley and even Springfield, Massachusetts owe some debt to WGNA's success and/or influence in those areas.

Nationally, WGNA has been a nominee several times for the "Medium Market Station of the Year" award at both the Country Music Association Awards and by the Academy of Country Music. R.E. "Buzz" Brindle was nominated in 2005 for Radio & Records Magazine's "Country Program Director Of The Year" award. In terms of air talent, afternoon personality Kevin Richards was the winner of the CMA's 2006 Medium Market Personality of the Year award. As well as morning show hosts, Sean McMaster and Richie Phillips winning the CMA Personality of the year award in 2000, and a couple New York State Broadcasters Awards for Personality of the year.

CountryFest

Every year, most recently at the Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, New York WGNA hosts a major festival known as the WGNA CountryFest which attracts a crowd of nearly 30,000 Country music fans. Previous CountryFests have been at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs. Prior to the late 1990s, artists and their managers presumed that there weren't many country music fans in the Northeastern US but they were so impressed by the crowds that WGNA CountryFest was consistently drawing that they began to route their Summer tours through New York and New England to take advantage of the growing country fan base.

Year	Performed
2004	Brad Paisley, Craig Morgan, Keith Urban, Sherrié Austin, Terri Clark
2005	Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry
2006	Gary Allan, Blake Shelton, Neal McCoy, Josh Gracin, Jamie O'Neal, Keith Anderson
2007	Bucky Covington, Jason Michael Carroll, Darryl Worley, Joe Nichols, Josh Turner
2008	Trisha Yearwood, Phil Vassar, Billy Currington, Eric Church, James Otto, Ashton Shepherd, The Back 40 band
2009	Montgomery Gentry, Jason Michael Carroll, Heidi Newfield, The Lost Trailers, Sarah Buxton
2010	Blake Shelton, Jason Michael Carroll, Gretchen Wilson, Chuck Wicks, David Nail, the JaneDear girls
2011	Miranda Lambert, Randy Houser, Chris Cagle, Sunny Sweeney, Brett Eldredge, Joanna Smith

HD Radio operations

WGNA-FM has been licensed for HD Radio operations since 2006, operating HD-2 and HD-3 sub-channels. The HD-3 sub-channel is leased to the Sound of Life Radio Christian radio network for their translator, W235AY.

External links

Query the FCC's FM station database for WGNA

Radio-Locator information on WGNA

Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WGNA

Radio stations in the Albany / Schenectady / Troy market

by FM frequency	88.3 89.1 89.7 89.9 90.3 90.7 90.7 90.7 90.9 91.1 91.5 92.3 92.9 93.1 93.5 93.7 94.5 94.7 94.9 95.5 95.9 96.3 96.7 97.3 97.5 97.7 97.9 98.3 98.5 98.5 99.1 99.5 99.9 100.3 100.9 101.3 101.7 101.9 102.3 102.7 103.1 103.5 103.9 104.5 104.7 104.9 105.7 106.1 106.5 107.1 107.7

by AM frequency	590 810¹ 900 930 980 1160 1190 1230 1240 1300 1330 1340 1400 1440 1460 1490 1540 1570

NOAA Weather Radio frequency	162.550

Digital radio	810 980 89.1-1 89.1-2 90.3-1 90.3-2 98.3-1 98.3-2 99.5-1 99.5-2 102.3-1 102.3-2 103.1-1 103.1-2 105.7-1 105.7-2 106.5-1 106.5-2 107.7-1 107.7-2

by callsign	W226AC W235AY W256BU W260CH W284BZ W291BY WABY WAIX WAJZ WAMC WAMC-FM WBAR-FM WBPM WCDB WCKM-FM WCQL WCSS WCTW WDCD WDCD-FM WENT WEQX WEXT WFFG-FM WFLY WFNY WGDJ WGNA-FM WGXC WGY¹ WGY-FM WHAZ WHAZ-FM WHUC WHVP WINU WIZR WJIV WJKE WKBE WKKF WKLI-FM WLJH WMHT-FM WMYY WNYQ WOFX WOPG WOPG-FM WPGL WPTR WPYX WQBJ WQBK-FM WQSH WRIP WROW WRPI WRUC WRVE WSDE WTMM-FM WTRY-FM WVCR-FM WVTL WXL34 WYAI WYJB WYKV WZCR

Defunct stations	WCKL WGFM WHRL WRSA WROW-FM WTRI WXKW

New York radio markets Albany–Schenectady–Troy Binghamton Buffalo–Niagara Falls Elmira–Corning Hudson Valley Nassau–Suffolk (Long Island) New York City Olean Plattsburgh Poughkeepsie Rochester Syracuse Utica–Rome Watertown Other New York radio regions Ithaca Jamestown–Dunkirk North Country Saratoga See also List of radio stations in New York Albany television Saratoga radio ¹ = Clear-channel stations with extended nighttime coverage.

Radio stations in the Saratoga Springs / Glens Falls market

by FM frequency	88.3 89.1 89.7/90.7 89.9 90.3 91.1 91.5 91.9 92.3 92.7 93.5 93.7 94.1 94.7 95.1 95.5 95.9 96.7 97.1 97.3 97.5 98.1 98.3 98.5 99.5 100.3 100.9 101.3 101.7 102.3 102.7 103.1 103.5 103.9 103.9 104.3 104.5 104.9 104.9 105.3 105.7 106.5 107.1 107.7

by AM frequency	590 810 900 980 1160 1230 1300 1330 1340 1400 1410 1450 1460 1540

By callsign	WABY WAIX WAMC WANC WBAR-FM WBLN-LP WCKM-FM WCQL WDCD WDCD-FM WENU WEQX WFFG-FM WFLY WGDJ WGFR WGNA-FM WGY WGY-FM WHAZ WHAZ-FM WINU WJEN WJJR WJKE WKBE WKKF WKLI-FM WMHT-FM WMML WNGN WNYQ WNYV WOFX WOPG WPYX WQBJ WQBK-FM WQSH WROW WRPI WRVE WSLU WSPN WLJH/WSSK WTMM-FM WTRY-FM WVCR-FM WVTQ WWSC WXLG WYAI WYJB

New York radio markets Albany–Schenectady–Troy Binghamton Buffalo–Niagara Falls Elmira–Corning Hudson Valley Nassau–Suffolk (Long Island) New York City Olean Plattsburgh Poughkeepsie Rochester Syracuse Utica–Rome Watertown Other New York radio regions Ithaca Jamestown–Dunkirk North Country Saratoga See also List of radio stations in New York

Country radio stations in the state of New York

Stations	WBBI – Endwell WBBS Fulton WBEE-FM – Rochester WBGK – Newport Village WBKT – Norwich WBKX – Fredonia WBNR – Beacon WBRV-FM – Boonville WBUG – Fort Plain WCJW – Warsaw WCKR – Hornell WDBY – Patterson WDLA-FM – Walton WDLC – Port Jervis WDNB – Jeffersonville WDOS – Oneonta WFRG – Utica WFRY – Watertown WGNA-FM – Albany WHUG – Jamestown WHWK – Binghamton WINR – Binghamton WJVC – Center Moriches WKBE – Warrensburg WKLI-FM – Albany WKPQ – Hornell WKXP – Kingston WLFK – Gouverneur WLLG – Lowville WLNA – Peekskill WLSV – Wellsville WNBL – South Bristol Township WNCQ-FM – Canton WNSH – Newark/New York¹ WOKN – Southport WOLF-FM - Baldwinsville WPDM – Potsdam WPGI – Horseheads WPIG – Olean WQNY – Ithaca WRCE – Watkins Glen WRWB-FM – Ellenville WRWD-FM – Highland WUUF – Sodus WVNV – Malone WVTT – Portville WXRL – Lancaster WYRK – Buffalo WZKZ – Alfred

¹ = Although WNSH is licensed to Newark, NJ, it also serves the New York City area, with it's studios in New York City.

See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in New York

Townsquare Media

(formerly Regent Communications, and including former Gap Broadcasting Group and Double O Radio)

Alabama	WBEI WFFN WNPT-FM WTBC WTSK WTUG-FM

Arkansas	KMJI KOSY KYGL

Colorado	KARS-FM(+FM1)** KBKL KEKB KEXO KKNN KKPL KMAX-FM KMXY KTRR KUAD-FM

Connecticut	WINE WRKI

Idaho	KAWO KCIX KEZJ-FM KFXD KIDO KLIX KLIX-FM KSAS-FM KSNQ KXLT-FM

Illinois	WDBQ-FM WKGL-FM WLIQ WROK WXLP WXXQ WZOK

Indiana	WDKS WGBF WGBF-FM WJLT WKDQ

Iowa	KBEA-FM KBOB KCRR KDAT KHAK KIIK-FM KJOC KKHQ-FM KLYV KOEL KOEL-FM KRNA KRQN* KXGE WDBQ WJOD

Kentucky	WBKR WOMI

Louisiana	KEEL KFTE** KHLA KHXT KJEF KJMH KLCL KMDL KNGT KPEL KPEL-FM KROF KRUF KTDY KTSR KVKI-FM KWKH KXKS-FM

Maine	WBLM WBPW WBZN WCYY WDEA WEBB WEZQ WJBQ WJZN WMME-FM WOZI WQCB WQHR WTVL WWMJ

Massachusetts	WBSM WFHN

Michigan	WBCK WBXX WCRZ WFGR WFMK WFNT WGRD-FM WITL-FM WJIM WJIM-FM WKFR-FM WKMI WLCO WLHT-FM WMMQ WNWZ WQUS WRCL WRKR WTRV WVFN WWBN

Minnesota	KBMX KDCZ KDHL KDZZ KFIL KFIL-FM KKCB KLDJ KLZZ KMXK KOLM KQCL KRFO KRFO-FM KROC KROC-FM KVGO KWWK KXSS KYBA KZRV WEBC WJON WWJO

Missouri	KHMO KICK-FM KRRY KSDL KSIS KXKX

Montana	KAMM-FM KBAZ KBUL KCHH(+K236AB) KCTR-FM KENR(+FM1) KGVO KISN KKBR KLYQ KMHK KMMS KMMS-FM KMPT KPRK KSEN KXLB(+K254AL) KYSS-FM(+K252BM) KZIN-FM KZMY

New Hampshire	WHOM WOKQ WPKQ WSAK WSHK

New Jersey	WADB WCHR-FM WENJ WFPG WJLK WKXW WOBM WOBM-FM WPGG WPUR WSJO

New York	WAAL WBKT WBLK WBUF WCHN WCZX WDBY WDHI WDLA WDLA-FM WDOS WEOK WFRG-FM WGNA-FM(+W235AY) WHWK WIBX WIYN WKNY WKXP WKXZ(+W232AT) WLZW WMSX WNBF WODZ-FM WPDA WPDH WQBJ WQBK-FM WQSH(+W256BU) WRRB WRRV WSRK WTBD-FM WTMM-FM WWYL WYOS WYRK WZAD WZOZ

North Dakota	KACL KBYZ KKCT KLXX KUSB

Oklahoma	KLAW KVRW KZCD

South Dakota	KDEZ KIKN-FM KKLS-FM KMXC KSOO KSOO-FM KXRB KYBB

Texas	KAFX-FM KATP KBAT KBZS KEAN-FM KELI KEYJ-FM KFMX-FM KFYO KGEE KGKL KGKL-FM KISX KIXS KIXZ KKAM KKCL-FM KKCN KKTX-FM KKYR-FM KLAQ KLTD KLUB KMND KMWX KMXJ-FM KNFM KNIN-FM KNRX KNUE KODM KOOC KPRF KPWW KQBR KQVT KROD KSFA KSII KSLI KSSM KTBQ KTEM KTUX KTYL-FM KULL KUSJ KVLL-FM KWFS KWFS-FM KXSS-FM KYKS KYYW KZBT KZII-FM

Washington	KATS(+K232CV) KDBL KEYW KFFM KFLD KIT KMGW KOLW KORD-FM KUTI KXRX

Wyoming	KCGY KGAB KIGN KKTL KLEN KOWB KRNK KRVK KTRS-FM KTWO KWYY

Defunct	KRIL WPUT

Live events	Country Jam USA Mountain Jam (50%) North American Midway Entertainment WE Fest

Websites	King Loudwire Noisecreep XXL

Radio networks	Michigan Talk Network

License held by a divestiture trust; sale pending. *License held by a third party.

Coordinates: 42°38′13″N 73°59′49″W / 42.637°N 73.997°W / 42.637; -73.997

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