WNCI

WNCI

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Broadcast area	Columbus, Ohio
Frequency	97.9 (MHz) (HD Radio)
Branding	97.9 WNCI
Programming
Format	Top 40 (CHR)
Ownership
Owner	Clear Channel Communications (Citicasters Licenses, Inc.)
History
First air date	July 1961
Call sign meaning	Nationwide Communications Inc.
Technical information
Class	B
ERP	175,000 watts
Links
Webcast	Listen Live!
Website	www.wnci.com

WNCI (97.9 FM) is a radio station in Columbus, Ohio. Its official print brand identifier is WNCI 97.9 in a purple oval, while the station is known on-air as 97.9 WNCI. WNCI plays mostly Top 40/CHR music, and is consistently one of the top-rated station in Central Ohio by Arbitron. The station has had a hit music format since the early 1970s, making it one of the oldest continuously airing Top 40 stations still in the format. WNCI was named the Top 40 Station of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2007 for market size 26 to 100 at the national Radio & Records convention.

The broadcast tower for the station is still located atop the skyscraper known as One Nationwide Plaza in Columbus, along with the transmitters for sister station WBWR. The station broadcasts with a power of 175,000 watts, which is 3.5 times what would normally be permitted. The station is permitted to do so because it was operating with a 175,000 watt power output before current Federal Communications Commission regulations were enacted. There are only 6 FM stations in the United States that operate with more power.

Programming

The station is home to the popular "WNCI Morning Zoo" with immature, narcissitic idiots Dave, Jimmy Jam and Kelsey Webb. The Morning Zoo has been airing for over 20 years now, and has had many members in the past, such as KDWB host, Dave Ryan, Shawn Ireland, and Alaina Sheer, who now authors the blog MsSingleMama.com at http://www.mssinglemama.com. The Morning Zoo is the most popular morning show in Central Ohio. The show is available for syndication to other stations as "Dave and Jimmy" and airs on WAKZ, WLKT, WZKF, WLWD, WHKF, and WYHT.

From 10 AM to Noon is Joe Boxer, followed by the syndicated "On-Air With Ryan Seacrest" Noon-3 PM, and WNCI veteran Chris Davis from 3 PM to 7 PM, and Maxwell airs 7 PM to Midnight. Michael McCoy aka "Food Dumpster" serves as Program Director. Their phone number is 821-wnci or 821-9624.

History

WNCI started broadcasting with a classical music format in July of 1961 as WRFD-FM, sharing studios with AM sibling WRFD, east of Powell, Ohio. In 1972, WNCI moved to the sixth floor of the new Scot's Inn, at 4900 Sinclair Road. Since that time, the studios of WNCI have been relocated to various places in the Columbus area, including the Nationwide Building, The Continent, Broadcast Lake (a former quarry overlooked by several Clear Channel radio studios and the television studios of WSYX), and their current location at 2323 West Fifth Avenue.

Briefly in early 1993, WNCI morphed into an AC-leaning station to compete with rival Sunny 95 WSNY. This lasted for nearly a year before they moved back into a CHR/Pop formatted-direction. WNCI is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. Previously, the station was owned by Jacor Communications Incorporated. Jacor acquired the assets of Nationwide Communications in 1997 for $620 million. WNCI was once the flagship station for the 17 radio station group Nationwide Communications, a division of the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. In fact, the call letters NCI stand for Nationwide Communications Inc. Although owned by Clear Channel Communications, they integrate the Nationwide Insurance "Life Comes At You Fast" slogan in the station ID's in exchange for financial compensation (advertising).

Throughout much of its history, WNCI was known as Stereo 98.

Although WRFD (AM) is still broadcasting, it no longer has any affiliation with WNCI.

Trivia

The former Scot's Inn studio site, now called The Midwest Hotel and Conference Center, is located near The Alrosa Villa, site of the December 8, 2004 shooting spree which claimed the life of Dimebag Darrell.

External links

• WNCI official website
• Facility details for Facility ID WNCI ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database