View source for WINS-FM

{{short description|All-news radio station in New York City}}
{{redirect-distinguish|WFNY-FM|WFNY}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
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{{more citations needed|date=July 2013}}
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{{Infobox radio station
| name               = WINS-FM
| above              = Simulcast with [[WINS (AM)|WINS]], New York City
| logo               = 1010 WINS 92-3 New York 2022.png
| city               = [[New York, New York]]
| country            = US
| area               = [[New York metropolitan area]]
| frequency          = {{frequency|92.3|[[MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| branding           = 1010 WINS on 92.3
| language           = [[American English|English]]
| format             = [[All-news radio]]
| subchannels        = {{ubl|HD2: [[Alternative radio]] "Alt 92.3 HD2"|HD3: [[Oldies]] "True Oldies Channel"}}
| affiliations       = {{ubl|[[ABC News Radio]]|[[Associated Press]]|[[Bloomberg Radio]]|[[CBS News Radio]]}}
| owner              = [[Audacy, Inc.]]
| licensee           = Audacy License, LLC
| sister_stations    = [[WCBS-FM]], [[WFAN (AM)|WFAN]], [[WFAN-FM]], [[WHSQ]], [[WINS (AM)|WINS]], [[WNEW-FM]], [[WXBK]]
| airdate            = {{start date and age|1948|12|25|p=y|br=yes}}
| former_callsigns   = {{ubl|WMCA-FM (1948–1951)|WHOM-FM (1951–1975)|WKTU (1975–1985)|WXRK (1985−2005)|WFNY-FM (2006–2007)|WXRK (2007−2012)|WNOW-FM (2012–2014)|WBMP (2014–2018)|WNYL (2018–2022)<ref name="All Access">{{Cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/177384/wave-goodbye-to-the-wbmp-calls-and-say-hi-to-wnyl-|title=Wave Goodbye To The WBMP Calls And Say Hi To WNYL (ALT 92.3)/New York|work=All Access|access-date=June 12, 2018|language=en}}</ref>}}
| callsign_meaning    = Taken from sister station [[WINS (AM)|WINS]]
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| facility_id         = 58579
| class               = B
| erp                 = {{ubl|{{val|6000|u=watts|fmt=commas}} (analog)|{{val|260|u=watts|fmt=commas}} (digital)}}
| haat                = {{convert|415|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates         = {{Coord|40.748|N|73.986|W|type:landmark_region:US-NY_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}
| webcast             = {{ubl|{{Audacy.com|1010wins}}|{{listenlive|https://www.audacy.com/stations/alt923}} (HD2)|{{listenlive|url=https://trueoldieschannel.com}}}} (HD3)
| website             = {{ubl|{{url|https://www.audacy.com/1010wins}}|{{url|https://www.audacy.com/alt923}} (HD2)|{{url|https://trueoldieschannel.com}}}} (HD3)
}}
'''WINS-FM''' (92.3 [[MHz]]) is a radio station [[City of license|licensed]] to [[New York, New York]], and owned by [[Audacy, Inc.]] WINS-FM [[simulcast]]s [[all-news radio]] station [[WINS (AM)]] (1010 [[kHz]]),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simon |first1=Perry Michael |title=Audacy To Flip WNYL (Alt 92.3)/New York To WINS Simulcast |url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/222262/audacy-to-flip-wnyl-alt-92-3-new-york-to-wins-simu |website=allaccess.com |publisher=[[Mediabase]] |access-date=October 10, 2022 |date=October 10, 2022}}</ref> with the station referred to on air as "1010 WINS at 92.3 FM". The station's studios are located in the [[Hudson Square]] neighborhood in [[Manhattan]].

WINS-FM is a [[list of broadcast station classes|class B]] station with an [[effective radiated power]] (ERP) of 6,000 watts. Its [[transmitter]] is located at the [[Empire State Building]]. WINS-FM also broadcasts in [[HD Radio]].

Originally co-owned with [[WMCA (AM)|WMCA]], this station has featured a series of [[Contemporary hit radio|contemporary music]], [[soft rock]], [[classic rock]], [[mellow rock]], [[alternative rock]] and [[hot talk]] formats from 1975 to 2022. As the home of "[[Disco]] 92 WKTU", this station overtook WABC as New York's top-rated hit music station in the late 1970s.

In 1985, the station became "[[K-Rock (radio)|K-Rock]]".  [[Howard Stern]] was hired, giving WXRK a ratings boost.  "[[The Howard Stern Show]]" was later nationally [[radio syndication|syndicated]] from WXRK via owner [[Infinity Broadcasting Corporation]]. WXRK's format varied between different iterations of rock, including classic and alternative, until Stern's highly publicized departure for [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] forced a relaunch.  In 2006, it became WFNY, the [[flagship station]] of [[CBS Radio]]'s [[Free FM]] hot talk format. WFNY's failure resulted in the station reverting to rock in 2007 as WXRK with holdover morning hosts [[Opie and Anthony]]. In 2009, it again flipped to Top 40, first as "92.3 NOW", and then as "92.3 AMP Radio" WBMP in 2014. The day that CBS Radio's [[Reverse Morris Trust]] merger into [[Entercom]] closed in November 2017, WBMP was relaunched as alternative WNYL.

On October 27, 2022, the station switched to a full-time simulcast of WINS (1010 AM), and changed its [[call sign]] to WINS-FM.

==History==

=== WMCA-FM and WHOM-FM (1948–1975) ===
The station launched as WMCA-FM at 2:30&nbsp;p.m. on December 25, 1948, transmitting from atop the [[Chanin Building]]. It operated daily between 3 and 9&nbsp;pm, duplicating programming that originally aired on its AM counterpart, [[WMCA (AM)|WMCA]]; both stations were co-owned by former New York state senator [[Nathan Straus Jr.]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-Radio-Daily-IDX/RD-48/Radio-Daily-1948-December-4-0005.pdf|title=WMCA's FM Transmitter Going On Air Dec. 25|date=December 22, 1948|work=Radio Daily|page=5|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref> The FM station was not a profitable success, and in December 1949 officials announced the outlet would cease for economic reasons after sign-off on December 30. General manager Norman Boggs compared running the station to "having a champagne taste with a beer pocketbook."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/49-OCR/1949-12-26-BC-OCR-Page-0085.pdf|title=WMCA-FM TO QUIT|date=December 26, 1949|work=Broadcasting - Telecasting|page=89|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-TV-Digest-IDX/IDX/50s/Television-Digest-1950-01-OCR-Page-0030.pdf|title=Last-minute rescue of New York's WMCA-FM|date=January 1950|work=Television Digest|page=30|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref> The announcement attracted interest from a syndicate of buyers headed by Stanley Joseloff, president of Storecast Corporation of America, acquired the station for $7,500 in February 1950.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=WMCA-FM Sale Gives New Lease on Life |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1950/BC-1950-01-09.pdf#page=18 |access-date=July 6, 2024 |magazine=Broadcasting–Telecasting |date=January 9, 1950 |page=18 |via=World Radio History}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=WMCA-FM New York Sold To Joseloff Group |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/50-OCR/1950-02-27-BC-OCR-Page-0080.pdf |access-date=July 6, 2024 |magazine=Broadcasting–Telecasting |date=February 27, 1950 |page=78 |via=World Radio History}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=WGNY (FM) Out Cites Economic Factors |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/50-OCR/1950-05-15-BC-OCR-Page-0047.pdf |access-date=July 6, 2024 |magazine=Broadcasting–Telecasting |date=May 15, 1950 |page=47 |via=World Radio History}}</ref>

In late 1950, the owners of [[WZRC|WHOM]] acquired the station and WHOM-FM went on the air on February 26, 1951,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/51-OCR/1951-02-26-BC-OCR-Page-0081.pdf|title=WHOM-FM N.Y. Goes on the Air Today|date=February 26, 1951|work=Broadcasting - Telecasting|page=81|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref> featuring a variety of formats, including ethnic, background music, classical, Spanish, and easy listening. By the early 1970s, WHOM-FM aired a Spanish-language easy listening format.

===WKTU (1975–1985)===
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2013}}
====Mellow 92/Disco 92====
In the early 1970s, WHOM and WHOM-FM were sold to SJR Communications.<ref>{{cite news |title=WHOM-AM and FM Are Sold By the Popes for $4-Million |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/14/archives/whomam-and-fm-are-sold-by-the-popes-for-4milion.html |access-date=November 6, 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 14, 1974 |page=75}}</ref> On June 5, 1975, WHOM-FM became WKTU, taking on an [[adult contemporary]] format and was positioned as  "[[soft rock]]". On air, they were known as "Mellow 92". They played current AC songs that crossed over to top 40 as well as a mix of music from 1964 forward. Core artists included [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Elton John]], [[James Taylor]], [[Paul Simon]], [[The Stylistics|Stylistics]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[Four Tops]], [[Carly Simon]], [[Barry Manilow]], and some more contemporary cuts by [[Barbra Streisand]]. For 1960s music, the station played softer songs from [[the Beatles]], [[Mamas & Papas]], [[Spanky and Our Gang]], [[the Association]], [[the 5th Dimension]], among others. The station steered clear of AC only songs and standards vocalists as well as hard rock or uptempo R&B. Eventually, the station evolved, re-positioned as mellow rock, dropped artists like the Carpenters, most R&B product, and added some softer songs from [[album-oriented rock|AOR]] artists. Unlike today's adult contemporary music formats, WKTU, by early 1978, was only playing artists heard on album-oriented rock stations, using the softer songs from their popular albums. Artists found primarily on [[top 40]] stations were no longer included. WKTU was still called "Mellow 92" at that point. Ratings were relatively low.

Meanwhile, station executive David Rapaport (father of actor [[Michael Rapaport]]) visited New York's [[Studio 54]] [[nightclub]] on half a dozen occasions, and was very impressed with the crowds there. He got the idea that a [[disco]]-based station was needed, as several FM-based top 40 stations were leaning disco in other markets, although no one was airing all disco music around the clock. As a result, Rapaport purchased 200 disco records and brought them into the station. WKTU abruptly flipped to a disco-based rhythmic top 40 format with the tagline "Disco 92" at 6&nbsp;pm on July 24, 1978. The same disc jockeys from the mellow format were at first kept on, with Paco (full name Paco Navarro) from [[Spanish language in the United States|Spanish language]] [[sister station]] 1480 [[WZRC|WJIT]] added for evenings. That fall, the station rose from "Worst to First", unseating long-time leader [[WABC (AM)|WABC]] in the 18−30 age demographic. Air personalities of this era included Kenn Hayes, Randy Place, Paul Robinson, Trip Reeb, Mary Thomas, [[Dave Mallow]] and Joe Guarisco. During the height of the disco craze, WKTU was ''the'' station to follow in New York.

Initially, WKTU played mostly dance/disco and a few rhythm-friendly pop and rock songs (such as "[[Miss You (Rolling Stones song)|Miss You]]" by [[The Rolling Stones]] for example), but by 1979, the station began to add more [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] music (though they played some at the launch in 1978 as well) as well as rhythm friendly [[New wave music|new wave]] rock. By then, WKTU was still regarded as a disco station, but could be more accurately described as [[rhythmic contemporary]]. Since that term was not yet used, the station had been classified as [[urban contemporary]]. During this period, the disc jockeys included Paco, G. Keith Alexander, Rosko ([[William (Rosko) Mercer|William Mercer]]), J.D. Holiday (Paul Zarcone), Dale Reeves, Bob Bottone, Jim Harlan, Carlos DeJesus, Joe Causi, Guy Broady, [[Jay Thomas]], Freddie Colon, [[Don Geronimo]], [[Al Bandiero]] and Diane Pryor. Paco later went to jail for drug dealing.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Slotnik |first1=Daniel E. |title=Paco Navarro, 82, Seductive Voice of Disco on New York Radio, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/arts/music/paco-navarro-dies.html |access-date=October 30, 2021 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 14, 2019}}</ref>

====92KTU (1981–1985)====
In 1981, SJR Communications sold WKTU to [[Infinity Broadcasting]] (which merged with CBS Radio in 1997). Also that year, WKTU added more dance-based [[New wave music|new wave]] to the format.  WKTU remained among the top ten New York City radio stations through 1983. Shortly thereafter, WKTU received new competition from [[WHTZ]] and [[WPLJ]], both of which adapted a [[contemporary hit radio]] (CHR) format. The station maintained respectable but declining ratings, due to the new competition.

By mid-1984, WKTU moved to a mainstream CHR format as well, giving up its disco past, but the ratings continued to decline.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1984/RR-1984-08-10.pdf#page=1|title=WKTU Drops Urban for CHR|date=August 10, 1984|page=1|magazine=[[R&R (magazine)|R&R]]|language=en-US|access-date=January 17, 2025}}</ref> That fall, the station added legendary WABC host [[Dan Ingram]] to afternoons, and Jo "The Madame" Maeder, from Miami's [[WHYI|Y-100]], joined Jay Thomas in the morning and did her own midday show, but the station continued to struggle in the ratings.  To make matters worse, then-named [[WKTU|WAPP]] also went CHR that fall.

So strong was the memory of the late-1970s WKTU that despite all the subsequent on-air changes, the general public still regarded it as a disco station. Even though WAPP moved back to playing mostly rock music in the form of a rock-based CHR in June 1985, giving WKTU one less competitor, the station management thought a more drastic change was needed. Since New York City only had one full-time rock station with [[WNEW-FM]], there was an opportunity.

===WXRK (1985–2005)===
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2013}}

====92.3 K-Rock====
On July 13, 1985, at midnight, on the same day WKTU aired the historic [[Live Aid]] concert, the station switched to an [[album-oriented rock]] format, adopted the moniker "K-Rock", and changed their call letters to WXRK.<ref>{{cite news|title=WKTU Switches to WXRK, Bows New AOR Format|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1985/RR-1985-07-19.pdf|work=[[Radio & Records]] issue 593|date=July 19, 1985|page=1}}</ref> (The WKTU call letters later reappeared on New York City's [[WKTU|103.5 FM]] with a dance pop format in 1996.)

Initially, the format at WXRK was similar to the pre-1983 WPLJ, as the air personalities left the station gradually in the next several months (exceptions were Maria Malito and Jo Maeder, who became known as "The Rock and Roll Madame"). [[Jimmy Fink]] from WPLJ was one of the first new radio personalities to be hired. After being fired from [[WNBC (AM)|WNBC]] in October 1985, [[Howard Stern]] signed on to do afternoons, and initially combined music with talk, but on February 18, 1986, Stern took over the morning slot. His morning show became the highest-rated in the market, dethroning [[Don Imus]], who previously had the highest-rated morning show for several years on [[WFAN (AM)|WNBC]]. Later that year, Stern's show became [[Radio syndication|syndicated]], with WXRK as its flagship station.

By 1987, Stern stopped playing music on his show altogether, while the station changed to a [[classic rock]] format at 6&nbsp;p.m. on June 5 of that same year.<ref>{{cite news |title=WXRK Goes Classic Rock |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-06-12.pdf |access-date=October 11, 2022 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |date=June 12, 1987 |page=1}}</ref>  The airstaff, which included [[Flo & Eddie]] from classic rock band [[The Turtles]], became full of veterans from other New York rock stations, including [[Dave Herman (DJ)|Dave Herman]], [[Pete Fornatale]], [[Meg Griffin (DJ)|Meg Griffin]], [[Vin Scelsa]], and [[Alison Steele]] from WNEW-FM, along with Jimmy Fink, Tony Pigg, [[Marc Coppola (actor)|Marc Coppola]], and [[John Zacherle]] from WPLJ. In 1993, [[The Greaseman]]'s syndicated show was put in the nighttime slot, bookending Stern with an act that was often quite controversial.

By the mid-1990s, [[modern rock]] had become popular. In mid-1993, in New York City radio, [[WHTZ]] began to play a lot of modern rock despite primarily being a CHR station. Late in 1993, classical music station WNCN switched formats and became [[WAXQ]] ("Q 104.3"), with a mix of hard and modern rock.  Moreover, WNEW-FM switched to a modern rock format in the summer of 1995, and later evolved to first an adult-based modern rock format by the end of that year, and then to a more eclectic adult rock mix by 1996. Nevertheless, by the beginning of 1996, there was no full-time modern rock station in New York City.

To fill the void, WXRK switched to an alternative-leaning active rock format on January 5, 1996, right after Stern's show. To kick off the new format, which he enthusiastically endorsed as a better fit for his audience, Stern stayed on the air until 1:06&nbsp;p.m. that day playing music. The first song Stern played was [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]]'s cover of "[[Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=WXRK/NY Goes Alternative|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-01-12.pdf|work=[[Radio and Records]] issue 1128|date=January 12, 1996|page=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe6nBW4oIGE|title=92.3 K-Rock - WXRK New York - 1/5/96 - Howard Stern - Format Change|date=March 20, 2017 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Most of the classic rock DJs, including Jimmy Fink, Tony Pigg and Marc Coppola, disappeared from the station with this change, as did The Greaseman. By August 1997, the station added more music that suited an [[active rock]] station and removed pop-leaning alternative product (which they played very little of anyway), and it continued this format of a hybrid active rock/alternative for several years.

By 2003, with a new [[program director]], the station dropped the active rock variant of music. No matter what the format, the longtime problem for the station was that while Stern always had very high ratings, the rest of the station did not fare as well. Moreover, it was hard to classify "K-Rock" an alternative station (considering classic rock acts like [[Led Zeppelin]] were being played), while it was hard to label it as active rock due to the inclusion of some, but not all, alternative artists.

Concerned about Stern's move to [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] at the beginning of 2006, and acknowledging that its target audience was looking elsewhere for modern rock music, WXRK made another format adjustment on April 4, 2005, to a [[mainstream rock]] format, which relied heavily on classic rock from artists such as [[Guns N' Roses]], [[Metallica]], [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], and [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], while playing new music from such established artists as [[System of a Down]], [[Nine Inch Nails]], [[Green Day]] and [[Weezer]]. At this time, New York City was one of the few large cities in the United States without an [[alternative rock]] station. To prevent any backlash from fans of modern rock, an Internet-only radio station called "K-Rock2" was launched at the same time as the format adjustment.<ref>{{cite news|title=WXRK Expands Playlist to Include 'Great Rock'|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-04-08.pdf|work=[[Radio and Records]]|date=April 8, 2005|page=1}}</ref> The strategy did not work, as ratings did not improve much.

On October 25, 2005, as a result of the imminent departure of [[Howard Stern]] to [[Sirius Satellite Radio]], Infinity announced that WXRK would adopt a [[Hot talk]] format on January 3, 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stern Replacements Revealed!|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-10-28.pdf|work=[[Radio and Records]]|date=October 28, 2005|page=1}}</ref>

At 10 a.m. on Friday, December 16, after the last terrestrial Howard Stern show, "K-Rock" began a 20-minute [[Stunting (Broadcasting)|stunt]] with a melange of audio sound bites, music and program line-up announcements.  At 10:20, K-Rock DJ Julie Slater announced "Welcome to Free FM", and went into music.

===WFNY-FM (2006–2007)===
====92.3 Free-FM====
The WXRK call letters were replaced by WFNY-FM (standing for "Free New York") on January 1, 2006, with the official "Free FM" launch two days later at 6&nbsp;am.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://formatchange.com/92-3-k-rock-wxrk-becomes-free-fm-wfny-fm/ |title=92.3 K-Rock WXRK becomes Free-FM WFNY-FM - Format Change Archive |date=December 20, 2013 |publisher=Formatchange.com |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref> The station, which was one of several [[CBS Radio]] stations around the nation branded as "[[Free FM]]", featured rock singer [[David Lee Roth]] as its morning show host. Other talk shows from hosts such as [[The Dog House (talk show)|The Dog House with JV & Elvis]], [[Penn Jillette]], [[Leslie Gold]], [[Chris Booker]], and [[Jake Fogelnest]] & Jackie Clarke aired weekdays, while an active rock music format continued to be played on weekends, called "Free Rock Weekends."

Simultaneously, the WXRK call sign moved to the former [[WKRK-FM#WXTM: 92.3 Xtreme Radio|WXTM]] in [[Cleveland]], also owned by Infinity/CBS Radio, and coincidentally at the same 92.3 frequency, and was rebranded as "92.3 K-Rock."

WFNY's ratings plummeted with the change to an all-talk format. As the replacement for Howard Stern, Roth lost nearly three-quarters of Stern's previous audience, dropping a 7.9 share to a 1.8. Among the core audience—18- to 34-year-old men—the numbers fell from 13.8 to 1.3. Overall station ratings went from 3.2 in Summer/Fall of 2005 to 2.7 in Winter of 2006, and later to a 2.0, leaving it in 20th place in the New York market.

After moving from afternoon drive to evenings, on April 25, 2006, Chris Booker, host of ''[[The Booker Show]]'', announced that he was broadcasting his last show on Free FM. He soon moved over the morning show at [[WIOQ]] in Philadelphia. The abrupt end of his show, which had evolved to afternoon drive before the format switch, led the station to revert to "Free Rock" music at nights.

The following day, on April 26, 2006, ''[[Opie and Anthony]]'' replaced David Lee Roth in morning drive on Free FM, while simulcasting on [[XM Satellite Radio]]. The show aired from 6–9 a.m. on both terrestrial and satellite radio, then continued on XM exclusively to 11&nbsp;am. CBS would syndicate the show to several stations around the U.S., with WFNY/WXRK as its flagship.

By spring 2007, Opie and Anthony managed to slightly improve WFNY-FM's ratings to a 1.4. However, this performance left the radio station ranked No. 22 of 25 in the New York City market.<ref>{{cite web |title=New York, NY (1) |url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=17912 |website=fmqb.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060103041830/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=17912 |archive-date=January 3, 2006 |date=January 2, 2006}}</ref>

Weekends continued to use the "Free Rock Weekend" format, which included hour-long "Freecasts" in which a single listener chose the (approximately 15) songs played during the hour. The listener also acted as guest DJ over the phone during that time.

The station was also used as a secondary broadcaster of sister station [[WFAN (AM)|WFAN]], serving as a secondary outlet for NFL football games, [[New Jersey Devils]] hockey games and [[New Jersey Nets]] basketball games when there was a conflict with another game on WFAN.

After [[Jim Cramer]]'s ''Real Money'' went off the air in December 2006, WFNY-FM was left with just four talk shows (one from syndication). As a result, the station attempted to revamp its lineup with the addition of several new talk shows, the first of which occurred on December 20, 2006. ''[[Ron and Fez]]'', who also had a show on XM, signed an agreement to broadcast a Free FM-exclusive radio show from 6 p.m. to 9&nbsp;pm. Ron and Fez had previously been employed by CBS at [[WNEW-FM]] shortly after that station switched to [[Hot talk]] in 1999.

Additional new shows soon followed. On December 28, 2006, [[John and Jeff]] started being broadcast from syndication out of sister station [[KNX-FM|KLSX]] in Los Angeles, broadcasting live from 2 a.m. to 6&nbsp;am. On January 2, 2007, [[Larry Wachs]], who was half of ''[[The Regular Guys]]'' morning show on [[WKLS-FM]] in [[Atlanta]], began hosting the 10 p.m. to Midnight slot on the station for two weeks. That same day, [[Nick DiPaolo]] became host of the 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. time slot. He had done some preview shows the previous week. Beginning January 3, ''[[Loveline]] with [[Dr. Drew Pinsky]] & Stryker'' aired in late nights, tape delayed, from Midnight to 2 a.m.

Danni was Free FM's music director and was still a Free Rock disc jockey. She has been heard doing DJ shifts on co-owned [[Fresh 102.7]] as well. "Free Rock Weekends" aired from 6&nbsp;am. Saturday – Midnight Sunday, and 6&nbsp;am. Sunday – 2 a.m. Monday. Game Show Radio ran Midnight–2 a.m. on Sundays, while infomercials ran from 2 a.m.–6 a.m. Sunday.

Free FM was using guest hosts for the 10 p.m. to midnight time slot. March 2, 2007, was the last day for the [[Penn Jillette]] show on "Free FM" and CBS Radio stations. The following Monday, WFNY-FM expanded the guest host time slot by an hour, making it 9 p.m. to midnight.

In April 2007, during an interview with a local band, A Brief Smile, on ''[[The Dog House (talk show)|The Dog House]]'', hosts JV and Elvis directed numerous homophobic insults at the band's bassist. The hosts referred to the bassist as "Fag Number 1" and asked, "How many badges of honor do you have in your colon?" and kicked him out of the studio. After playing a song by the band the hosts also called the bass part "a little faggy." The bass player returned to the studio, stated he was bisexual and that he found their use of the word "faggot" offensive. Gay rights groups such as [[GLAAD]] criticized the show as being homophobic for their remarks.<ref>{{cite news |title=WFNY Radio Ignores DJ's Use of Anti-Gay Slurs |date=April 6, 2007 |url=http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ci=108&ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=19390 |work=EDGE Boston |access-date=April 28, 2007}}</ref>

JV and Elvis were later suspended on April 30, over a six-minute prank phone call peppered with ethnic and sexual slurs to a Chinese restaurant, after numerous Chinese American advocacy groups complained to CBS demanding the hosts be fired.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jacques |last=Steinberg |title=CBS Radio Show Hosts Suspended After Prank Call |date=April 24, 2007 |url =https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/business/media/24radiocnd.html|work=The New York Times |access-date=April 24, 2007}}</ref>

Beginning May 7, Free FM started using guest hosts 9 a.m. to noon to replace ''The Dog House''. On May 12, 2007, [[Associated Press|AP]] News reported that CBS Radio spokeswoman Karen Mateo said, "The Dog House with JV and Elvis will no longer be broadcast [on Free-FM]." CBS fired JV and Elvis as well as the producer of ''The Dog House'', after numerous complaints were received from various civil rights groups.

On May 15, 2007, [[XM Satellite Radio]] suspended the ''Opie and Anthony Show'' for 30 days because of comments made by a homeless man about raping Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]] and [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Laura Bush]] made on an uncensored May 9 broadcast. Their suspension was effective immediately. During this time, CBS Radio kept the show on from 6 a.m. to 9&nbsp;am. However, it was not simulcast on XM.

===Re-launch for WXRK (2007–2009)===
====K-Rock returns====
At 9 a.m. on May 24, 2007, after ''Opie and Anthony'', an eight-hour countdown clock began on the former Free FM website, while WFNY-FM began [[stunting (broadcasting)|stunting]] with a [[sound collage]]. The stunting came to an end at 4:57&nbsp;p.m. with a statement from general manager Tom Chiusano, who apologized to listeners for taking K-Rock away. Minutes later, at 5&nbsp;pm, K-Rock was relaunched on 92.3 FM, playing an [[alternative rock]] format with a playlist focused on rock from the 1990s and 2000s, along with heavy [[classic rock]].<ref name="NewFormat">{{cite web|url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=412351|title=K-Rock Returns To 92.3 FM In NYC|access-date=May 24, 2007|publisher=FMQBs|year=2007|author=FMQB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526043910/http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=412351|archive-date=May 26, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first song on the resurrected K-Rock was "[[All Apologies]]" by [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], while the first host on air was Gregg "Opie" Hughes of [[Opie and Anthony]], who confirmed that the show would still be on the station under its new format.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://formatchange.com/923-free-fm-returns-to-k-rock/ |title=92.3 Free-FM WFNY Reverts To K-Rock - Format Change Archive |date=May 24, 2007 |publisher=Formatchange.com |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref>

The station reverted to its previous call letters, WXRK, on May 31, 2007. The previous WXRK (92.3 K-Rock in [[Cleveland]], also owned by CBS Radio) received the callsign WKRI. The Cleveland station is now [[WKRK-FM]].

Initially, WXRK had no on-air staff, although on Mondays it featured a ''Hostile Takeover'' show where guest(s) sat in as the DJ. The station also had contests which begun after ''Opie and Anthony''.

On February 8, 2008, it was announced that program director Tracy Cloherty was among the many non-programming staffers let go by CBS Radio, in an attempt to "more effectively monetize the aggregate number of listeners who hear us on the radio and the Internet."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2008/02/08/2008-02-08_wave_of_firings_hits_cbs_radio_outlets.html |title=Wave of firings hits CBS radio outlets | location=New York | work=Daily News}}</ref>  The advent of [[WFAN-FM|WRXP]] caused{{according to whom|date=May 2020}} WXRK to morph to [[active rock]] at that time.

In December 2008, as a result of another change in the station's management, WXRK made an adjustment to a mainstream rock format focusing more on classic rock and playing even less current rock songs. With the format adjustment, Paul Turner, who was the voice of the Howard Stern Show and K-Rock when it was a classic rock station in the 1990s, returned as voice of the station's promos.

As a result of the format shift, on December 16, 2008, [[FMQB]] announced that afternoon jock Ian Camfield had left K-Rock to go back to [[XFM]] in London. K-Rock vet [[Chris Booker]] took his place, airing in afternoon drive from 2 to 7 p.m.

Due to low ratings, the final terrestrial airing of the ''Opie and Anthony'' show aired on March 9, 2009.

===92.3 Now (2009–2014)===
At 4:45&nbsp;p.m. on March 11, 2009, after playing a block of goodbye-themed or departure themed songs, ending with Nirvana's "All Apologies" (a near-bookend to the format's 2007 relaunch) and "[[Right Now (Van Halen song)|Right Now]]" by [[Van Halen]], WXRK began stunting with the sound of a ticking clock. At 4:55&nbsp;pm, the station announced that K-Rock was moving to 92.3 HD2, and after an introductory package, officially flipped to a rhythmic-leaning [[Contemporary Hit Radio|CHR]] format, branded as 92.3 Now.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/genre/e3ia82652ffac56b32ed439600bf9f46529?imw=Y|title=K-Rock/New York To Flip To Top 40|last=Berman|first=Keith |work=Radio and Records|access-date=March 10, 2009}}</ref> The first song on Now was "[[Boom Boom Pow]]" by [[The Black Eyed Peas]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Venta |first=Lance |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/765/92-3-now-debuts/ |title=92.3 Now Debuts |publisher=RadioInsight |date=March 11, 2009 |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://formatchange.com/923-k-rock-becomes-now-fm/ |title=92.3 K-Rock becomes Now-FM - Format Change Archive |publisher=Formatchange.com |date=March 11, 2009 |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8ErsWFRLdk|title=Format Change: 'K-Rock' WXRK to '92.3 Now' WNOW [NYC] (03-11-2009)|date=January 30, 2013 |via=YouTube}}</ref> [[Nick Cannon]] was morning host on the station from January 2010 to February 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/1417/nick-cannon-joins-wxrk-92-3-now-new-york-for-mornings/|title=Nick Cannon Joins WXRK "92.3 Now" New York For Mornings - RadioInsight|date=December 15, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/102487/nick-cannon-leaving-92-3-now-new-york|title=Nick Cannon Leaving 92.3 Now/New York|website=All Access}}</ref>

By July 2012, major directional changes were made with a shift to a more mainstream Top 40 format.  The station also added Ty Bentli for mornings. This would eventually become known as "Ty Loves NY."

On November 8, 2012, a full {{frac|3|1|2}} years after the launch of the Top 40/CHR format, the station changed call letters to WNOW-FM to match the Now moniker.<ref name="fcc1">{{cite web |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |title=Call Sign Changes |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=58579&Callsign=WXRK |date=November 8, 2012 |access-date=November 9, 2012}}</ref> This was made possible by a format and call-letter change at [[WOSF|the former WNOW-FM]] in [[Gaffney, South Carolina]].

====Howard Stern returns====
On January 17, 2012, Howard Stern made a live appearance on WXRK for the first time in over six years. Stern was a guest on the [[Nick Cannon]] morning show, via telephone, at the same time as Cannon was guesting on Stern's SiriusXM Satellite Radio show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/nick-cannon-howard-stern-work-butt-america-talent-article-1.1007840|title=Nick Cannon to Howard Stern: You're going to work you're butt off on 'America's Got Talent'|date=January 18, 2012|website=Daily News|location=New York}}</ref>

====Hurricane Sandy====
As a result of damage suffered to [[WINS (AM)|WINS]]'s transmitter during [[Hurricane Sandy]], WINS made its first appearance on 92.3 broadcasting on the frequency for two days. Although its transmitters were restored, WINS's transmitters were on low power for at least a day. The simulcast ended at 10 a.m. on October 31, 2012, when WINS's transmitter went back to full power.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=NERW 10/29/2012: Sandy Takes Aim at NERW-land (Tuesday night update!)|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-10292012/|work=NERW|date=October 29, 2012|access-date=October 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCUfeUYwvrw  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/OCUfeUYwvrw |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |url-status=live|title=1010 WINS Sandy Coverage on WXRK "92.3 Now" 10/31/12 |date=November 2012 |via=YouTube |access-date=January 20, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===92.3 AMP Radio (2014–2017)===
{{pic|92.3 AMP Radio logo.svg|Logo of 92.3 AMP Radio}}
Following the station's flip in 2009, WXRK/WNOW would typically hold only a 2 share of the New York market as compared to WHTZ, which usually has a 7 share of the market. In addition, WXRK/WNOW had a constant turnover of program directors and airstaff, including the sudden releasing of all the then-current airstaff (with the exception of midday host Niko and evening host Toro) on May 21, 2014, as rumors of a complete rehauling of 92.3's format abounded. The following day at 2&nbsp;pm, after stunting by giving away $1,000 to callers every 9 minutes for 2 hours, WNOW-FM relaunched as ''92.3 AMP Radio'' under veteran PD Rick Thomas, launching with commercial-free weekends until Labor Day weekend. The final song on "Now" was "[[Lose Yourself]]" by [[Eminem]], while the first song on "AMP" was "[[Summer (Calvin Harris song)|Summer]]" by [[Calvin Harris]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Venta |first=Lance |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/netgnomes/88438/now-new-york-to-get-ampd/ |title=Amp Radio 92.3 New York Debuts |publisher=RadioInsight |date=May 22, 2014 |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://formatchange.com/92-3-now-becomes-amp-radio/ |title=92.3 Now Becomes Amp Radio - Format Change Archive |date=May 22, 2014 |publisher=Formatchange.com |access-date=January 20, 2018}}</ref> On June 23, 2014, WNOW-FM changed its call letters to WBMP to match the "AMP" branding (unlike Los Angeles sister station [[KAMP-FM]], the WAMP call letters are held by an [[American Family Radio]] religious talk radio station in [[Jackson, Tennessee]], and the [[American Family Association|network's conservative foundational owner]] was unlikely to give them to a commercial operation). Concurrently, the WNOW-FM call letters were transferred to [[WHHH|WNOU]] in [[Indianapolis]]. After the rebrand, the station's ratings improved significantly. On January 22, 2015, WBMP launched a new morning show titled ''Shoboy in the Morning'' with Edgar "Shoboy" Sotelo, Micho Rizzo (both of whom were once part of sister station [[KMVK]] in [[Dallas]]) and Nina Hajian from then-sister station [[KZZO]] in [[Sacramento]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/91697/92-3-amp-radio-new-york-launches-shoboy-in-the-morning/|title=92.3 Amp Radio New York Launches Shoboy In The Morning - RadioInsight|date=January 22, 2015}}</ref>

===Alt 92.3 (2017–2022)===
[[File:Alt 92.3 FM logo.png|thumb|Logo as "Alt 92.3" (2017–2022), now available on the HD2 subchannel.]]
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with [[Entercom]] (now Audacy).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/116299/cbs-radio-to-merge-with-entercom/|title=CBS Radio To Merge With Entercom - RadioInsight|date=February 2, 2017}}</ref> The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was completed on November 17.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://audacyinc.com/press/|title=Press Archive|website=Audacy Inc.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121072/entercom-completes-cbs-radio-merger/|title=Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger - RadioInsight|date=November 17, 2017}}</ref> On November 17, at 10&nbsp;am, after playing "[[Too Good at Goodbyes]]" by [[Sam Smith]] and "[[Encore (Jay-Z song)|Encore]]" by Brooklyn native [[Jay-Z]], WBMP flipped back to alternative as ''Alt 92.3'', launching with "[[My Hero (song)|My Hero]]" by the [[Foo Fighters]]. The switch marked the return of the format to the market for the first time since 2012, when WRXP switched to a simulcast of WFAN as [[WFAN-FM]] after its sale to CBS. A sister "AMP" station in Dallas, [[KVIL]], also flipped to alternative with a similar brand the same day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8039279/92-3-alternative-rock-radio-new-york-city|title=Let There Be (Alt) Rock: Alternative Returns to NYC Radio After Six Years|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 18, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://fmqb.name/entercom-returns-modern-rock-to-nyc-radio-with-alt-92-3/|title=Entercom Returns Modern Rock to NYC Radio with Alt 92.3|work=FMQB|access-date=November 19, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121076/alternative-returns-to-new-york-as-wbmp-becomes-alt-92-3/|title=Alternative Returns to New York as WBMP Becomes Alt 92.3|work=RadioInsight|access-date=November 19, 2017}}</ref> On June 12, 2018, the call letters were changed to WNYL to match their format.<ref name="All Access"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ramp247.com/marketing/new-calls-for-alt-92-3nyc/|title=New Calls For ALT 92.3/NYC|date=June 11, 2018|work=RAMP - Radio and Music Pros|access-date=June 12, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

On September 13, 2020, WNYL became the primary station of Entercom's alternative stations across the United States, with its programming airing on most of those stations and local staffs being let go.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alt 107.7 drops local personalities, plays music from owner's N.Y. City station |last=Pergament |first=Alan |url=https://buffalonews.com/entertainment/music/alt-107-7-drops-local-personalities-plays-music-from-owners-n-y-city-station/article_226f8e9a-f685-11ea-a228-1be70ccde1f4.html |work=The Buffalo News |date=September 14, 2020 |access-date=September 14, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/197495/entercom-sets-programming-plans-for-alternative-country/|title=Entercom Sets Programming Plans For Alternative & Country - RadioInsight|date=September 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/197627/entercom-rebrands-alternative-stations-in-buffalo-kansas-city-las-vegas-richmond/|title=Entercom Rebrands Alternative Stations In Buffalo, Kansas City, Las Vegas & Richmond - RadioInsight|date=September 14, 2020}}</ref>

The station's morning team of "Cane and Corey" (which also aired nationwide through several stations) was terminated in mid-December 2021 for dishonesty involving profanity going out over the airwaves, non-compliance with [[COVID-19]] vaccine rules, and launching a [[Patreon]] and [[Spotify]] podcast without notifying Audacy (which has its own podcast platform and holds contractual exclusivity for any podcasts from its employees); the hosts also told that unauthorized podcast audience that a flip to an FM simulcast of [[WINS (AM)|WINS]] was being considered by local management if ratings did not improve (Audacy had done so for most of its all-news stations, the previous being KNOU in Los Angeles becoming [[KNX-FM]] days before).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NorthEast Radio Watch 12/20/2021: Cane, Corey Out at NYC's Alt |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20211220/ |website=fybush.com |date=December 20, 2021 |publisher=NorthEast Radio Watch |access-date=January 3, 2022}}</ref> On April 11, 2022, WNYL became the New York City affiliate for the Washington, D.C.–based ''[[Elliot in the Morning]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Alt 92.3 New York Adds Elliot In The Morning |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/223159/alt-92-3-new-york-adds-elliot-in-the-morning/ |website=radioinsight.com |access-date=April 26, 2022 |date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

===WINS simulcast (since 2022)===
On October 10, 2022, Audacy officially announced it would flip WNYL to a simulcast of WINS beginning on October 27 at 9 a.m. (while concurrently reaching an agreement with the [[SAG-AFTRA]] union to begin combining the staffs of WINS and [[WCBS (AM)|WCBS]]). The "Alt" format would continue through the station's HD2 subchannel and Audacy stream.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Audacy To Launch 92.3 WINS-FM New York |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/243810/audacy-to-launch-92-3-wins-fm-new-york/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |website=RadioInsight |date=October 10, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |user=alt923newyork |number=1582098426560667649 |title=We just got word on our official sign off time. 9am on 10/27. Hope you can join us that morning for the final hours of Alternative Rock radio in NYC}}</ref>

Beginning on October 20, WNYL paid tribute to the run of "Alt", as well as the history of the rock format on the frequency, running music with a specific focus of one hourly-changed year of the format (ironically focusing on music that, while playing under the run of the "Alt" format, may not have played on the 92.3 frequency ''itself'' in that span, as the rock format was focused on progressive and album rock for most of its run; nevertheless, the DJs would still refer to the station as "K-Rock" besides the regular brand as a further nod). The station signed off the "Alt" format with a special 3-hour goodbye show with many former station staffers visiting or calling in to the station and paying tribute to the format. The "Alt" format officially signed off with "[[Sound of Silver|New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down]]" by the Brooklyn-based band [[LCD Soundsystem]]. Following a 10-minute transition period, the simulcast formally launched at 9&nbsp;am.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 27, 2022 |title=WNYL (Alt 92.3)/New York Bids Farewell, WINS-F Says Hello |url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/222723/wnyl-alt-92-3-new-york-bids-farewell-wins-f-says-h |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801105337/https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/222723/wnyl-alt-92-3-new-york-bids-farewell-wins-f-says-h |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |work=All Access}}</ref> Concurrently, Audacy applied for the WINS-FM call letters for the station; the call sign change took effect on October 27.<ref>{{cite news|title=Audacy Sacrifices New York's 'Alt 92.3' To Simulcast WINS On FM.|url=https://www.insideradio.com/free/audacy-sacrifices-new-york-s-alt-92-3-to-simulcast-wins-on-fm/article_51160074-48c9-11ed-a3b4-af2ceb51ecf6.html|work=Inside Radio|date=October 10, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Form 380 - Change Request |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff383ce465f0183e77087a00f54&id=25076ff383ce465f0183e77087a00f54&goBack=N |website=fcc.gov | date=December 6, 2016 |access-date=October 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/244343/wnyl-sign-off-plans-include-hourly-alt-rock-history-blocks/|title=WNYL Sign-Off Plans Include Hourly Alt Rock History Blocks - RadioInsight|date=October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/blogs/243967/forty-five-years-of-radio-history-one-frequency/|title=Forty-Five Years of Radio History, One Frequency - RadioInsight|date=October 27, 2022}}</ref>

=="K-Rock2" and HD radio operations==
As part of the K-Rock format change on April 4, 2005, from [[alternative rock]] to [[mainstream rock]], "K-Rock2", a new Internet-only radio station, was created.  Throughout the Free FM period and during the resurrection of K-Rock, "K-Rock2" continued to stream on krock2.com.  Following the main channel's format change to "Now" on March 11, 2009, the HD2 channel became known as simply "K-Rock", but retained the alternative rock format. "K-Rock HD2", at one point had a full-time air staff, including a local music show, but later ran completely automated.

Starting shortly after 2 a.m. on October 6, 2008, the "K-Rock2" audio stream was added to WXRK-HD2. A few minutes earlier, a simulcast of sister station [[WFAN (AM)|WFAN]] was added to WXRK-HD3. 92.3-HD3 was initially using the delayed audio feed from wfan.com complete with internet only commercials and not the over the air broadcast feed used by WFAN on 660 AM. After a day or so, WXRK-HD3 switched to the over the air feed of WFAN, but still had a time delay of over a minute. The HD3 was dropped altogether when WFAN began simulcasting on [[WFAN-FM|101.9 FM]] on November 2, 2012.<ref name="hdradio.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=45 |title=HD Radio station guide for New York, NY |access-date=January 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223142100/http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=45 |archive-date=December 23, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In December 2015, WBMP added [[Radio Disney]] to their HD3 channel under a [[brokered programming|time brokerage]] agreement,<ref name="HD">{{Cite web|url=http://hdradio.com/broadcasters/stations/0/family|title=National Stations (Family) - HD Radio}}</ref> marking the return of the radio network to New York since Radio Disney's owned-and-operated WQEW (now [[WFME (AM)|WFME]]) was sold to [[Family Radio]] in February of that year. The Radio Disney feed would be discontinued in June 2018 after the agreement between Disney and Entercom, which inherited the agreement from CBS, expired.<ref>{{cite web|title=NERW Extra: Disney Off in NYC|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-extra-disney-off-in-nyc/|website=Northeast Radio Watch|date=February 18, 2015|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Consummation Notice - WQEW|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1671488&Service=AM&Form_id=905&Facility_id=29024|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=February 23, 2015|date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> After the analog/HD1 channel's flip back to alternative in November 2017, the HD2 channel changed to a simulcast of sister station [[WNEW-FM]]. In October 2018, the HD2 channel flipped to new alternative as "New Arrivals". In October 2022, the HD2 channel adopted the alternative format and the "Alt 92.3" moniker from the former analog/HD1 signal.

In February 2019, Audacy's [[Channel Q]], an LGBTQ-centric talk/dance network, was launched on its third subchannel.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174791/channel-q-expands-to-six-more-markets/ Channel Q Expands to Six More Markets] Radioinsight - February 26, 2019</ref>

On March 1, 2024, it was announced that WINS-FM-HD2 would be the new home for Spanish language broadcasts of the [[New York Mets]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/265568/new-york-mets-spanish-broadcasts-move-to-92-3-wins-hd2/|title=New York Mets Spanish Broadcasts Move To 92.3 WINS-HD2 - RadioInsight|date=March 1, 2024}}</ref>

On September 16, 2024, WINS-HD3 changed its format to [[oldies]].  It began carrying [[Scott Shannon]]'s "[[True Oldies Channel]]."
<ref>{{cite web |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=True Oldies Channel Returns to New York |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/281582/true-oldies-channel-returns-to-new-york/ |website=radioInsight |access-date=September 16, 2024 |date=September 16, 2024}}</ref>  The subchannel had previously carried Audacy's [[LGBTQ]] music service, "[[Channel Q]]."  That service is now heard on co-owned 102.7 [[WNEW-FM]]-HD2.

==See also==
* [[WKTU]]: the "new" WKTU started in 1996 on 103.5&nbsp;MHz.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.audacy.com/alt923}}
{{FM station data|58579|WINS}}
* {{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=81797 |title= History Cards for WINS-FM|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}-->
* [http://formatchange.com/wp-content/plugins/embedthevideo/popup.php?url=http://formatchange.com/audio/352.mp3&height=225&width=470 92.3 K-Rock format switch]
* [http://formatchange.com/92-3-k-rock-wxrk-becomes-free-fm-wfny-fm/ Format Change: 92.3 K Rock to 92.3 Free FM]
* [http://formatchange.com/923-free-fm-returns-to-k-rock/ Format Change: 92.3 Free FM to 92.3 K Rock]
* [http://formatchange.com/923-k-rock-becomes-now-fm/ Format Change: 92.3 K Rock to 92.3 Now-FM]
* [http://formatchange.com/92-3-now-becomes-amp-radio/ Format Change: 92.3 Now-FM to 92.3 AMP Radio]
* [http://formatchange.com/amp-92-3-new-york-becomes-alt-92-3/ Format Change: Amp 92.3 New York Becomes Alt 92.3]

{{New York Radio}}
{{News/Talk Radio Stations in New York}}
{{All-News Radio}}
{{Entercom}}

[[Category:1948 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:All-news radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Audacy, Inc. radio stations]]
[[Category:Hudson Square]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1948]]
[[Category:Radio stations in New York City|INS-FM]]<!--HD2 SUBCHANNEL ONLY-->