View source for WRNS-FM

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo             = WRNS-FM 95.1 logo.png
| name             = WRNS-FM
| city             = [[Kinston, North Carolina]]
| country          = US
| area             = [[Kinston, North Carolina]]
| branding         = ''"95.1 WRNS"''
| airdate          = {{start date|1968|10|12}}<ref name="by1999">{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|page=D-324|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-NE-Ter-BC-YB-1999..pdf|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref>
| frequency        = 95.1 [[megahertz|MHz]]
| format           = [[Country music|Country]]
| erp              = 100,000 watts
| haat             = {{convert|459|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates      = {{Coord|35.2826|-77.6520|region:US-NC_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| class            = C
| facility_id      = 36950
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| affiliations     = {{ubl|[[Compass Media Networks]]|[[Premiere Networks]]}}
| owner            = Dick Broadcasting
| licensee         = Dick Broadcasting Company, Inc. of Tennessee
| sister_stations  = {{hlist|[[WERO]]|[[WQSL]]|[[WQZL]]|[[WRNS (AM)|WRNS]]|[[WXQR-FM]]}}
| webcast          = {{listenlive|https://www.wrns.com/}}
| website          = {{URL|https://www.wrns.com}}
}}

'''WRNS-FM''' (95.1 [[Hertz|MHz]]) is a radio station located in [[Kinston, North Carolina]], in the United States. Its format is [[Country music|contemporary country]].

The station has a non-directional signal of 100,000 watts, that reaches "from the capital to the coast". The station has served Kinston and eastern North Carolina since the 1960s, when it was WFTC-FM. At one time, it was the only country station in the area and had one of the highest market shares of any station.<ref name=rdu>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/rdurw/fm.html|title=Raleigh-Durham FM Dial|access-date=2010-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030201081556/http://www.geocities.com/rdurw/fm.html|archive-date=2003-02-01}}</ref> Known for its generosity, the station has held a radiothon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital annually for the past 5 years.{{when|date=May 2022}}  The station is constantly ranked as the #1 station in its market by [[Arbitron]].

The WRNS-FM transmitter antenna is located on [[WCTI-TV]]'s tower north of Trenton, North Carolina. Studios are located in New Bern.

WRNS-FM was simulcast on [[WRNS (AM)|WRNS]] (960 AM) until April 2017, when the AM station switched to [[sports radio]] programming.<ref name="ri-amsimulcastend">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Alpha Launches Sports 960 The Bull In Kinston |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/117579/alpha-launches-sports-960-bull-kinston/ |access-date=May 26, 2025 |work=RadioInsight |date=April 21, 2017}}</ref> In September 2017, Dick Broadcasting announced the purchase of [[Alpha Media]] stations in three markets — 18 stations and two translators in total, at a purchase price of $19.5 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/119582/dick-broadcasting-acquires-three-markets-alpha-media/|title=Dick Broadcasting Acquires Three Markets From Alpha Media|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=radioinsight|date=2017-09-05|access-date=2017-09-06}}</ref> The acquisition of WRNS-FM by Dick Broadcasting was consummated on December 20, 2017.

Jim Mantel, who spent 18 years on [[WGAR-FM]] in [[Cleveland]] and was named to the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2017, retired in 2018 after hosting the morning show since 2010, joined by Crystal Legends in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/167047/people-moves-3-12-julian-jumpin-perez-becomes-first-104-3-jams-host/|title=People Moves 3/12: Julian 'Jumpin' Perez Becomes First 104.3 Jams Host|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=radioinsight|date=2018-03-12|access-date=2018-07-09}}</ref> Bobby Bones moved from co-owned [[WQSL]]/[[WQZL]] to replace Mantel, and Legends, also program director, moved to middays.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/169229/wrns-revises-on-air-lineup-following-jim-mantel-retirement/|title=WRNS Revises On-Air Lineup Following Jim Mantel Retirement|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=radioinsight|date=2018-07-02|access-date=2018-07-09}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.wrns.com/ WRNS-FM website]
{{FM station data|36950|WRNS}}
*[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=82963 FCC History Cards for WRNS-FM]

{{Greenville-New Bern Radio}}
{{Country Radio Stations in North Carolina}}
{{The Bobby Bones Show}}

[[Category:Country radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations in North Carolina|RNS-FM]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1968]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Lenoir County, North Carolina]]


{{NorthCarolina-radio-station-stub}}