WBNI-FM
Encyclopedia
WBNI-FM is a Fort Wayne, Indiana
-area public radio station
owned and operated by Northeast Indiana Public Radio. The station is a member station of National Public Radio. Local programming originates from the Northeast Indiana Public Radio broadcasting facility in Centennial Park.
The station currently transmits from a tower in Roanoke
. All programming is also carried on a digital
channel transmitted by WBOI
in Fort Wayne and via live streaming on the Internet at http://www.nipr.fm.
as WIPU-FM at 89.1 MHz on the campus on Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne
(IPFW) with a very limited schedule using university staff and students. When the university decided it could no longer afford to maintain the station, it was taken over by a non-profit organization that became known as Northeast Indiana Public Radio.
Renamed WBNI, the station moved to studios in the historic YWCA
facility on North Wells Street. The schedule was gradually expanded and effective radiated power was also increased. Programming was mostly classical music
, jazz
, and folk music
with some news and information programs from National Public Radio, including "Morning Edition
" and "All Things Considered
." The station began airing occasional tapes of local concerts, including the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra
.
In 1993
, Northeast Indiana Public Radio's 600 feet (182.9 m) transmitter tower was erected in Centennial Park and effective radiated power was raised from 31,000 watts to 50,000 watts, greatly expanding the coverage area in northeast Indiana
, southern Michigan
, and northwest Ohio
. A new broadcasting facility was dedicated in the spring of 1994
. Programming remained much the same until early 2002
, when a sister station, WBOI
, began broadcasting from the same building and using the Orland tower.
When WBOI began broadcasting from the Orland tower, WBNI gradually increased its classical music programming, while WBOI took over the jazz and folk music programs. WBNI also gave up its news and information programs, which were taken over by WBOI. Within a year WBOI took over the 89.1 mHz frequency in Fort Wayne. WBNI's programming was moved to the Orland transmitter and a new 10-watt translator on the Fort Wayne tower, operating on 88.7 mHz. The Orland station is now licensed as WCKZ.
In February 2007
, Northeast Indiana Public Radio management announced plans to acquire the transmitter of WCKZ, a rock music station operating at 94.1 mHz. NIPR took over the frequency and power of WCKZ and began field tests in April. General manager Bruce Haines announced that WCKZ began broadcasting classical music on May 1, providing the Fort Wayne metropolitan area with a stronger signal for the classical music programming currently carried on WBNI. The transmitter covers most of Allen County and all or portions of Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Grant, Blackford, and Jay counties in Indiana. The station continued to use the Orland transmitter, now known as WCKZ, and the Fort Wayne translator. WBNI is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to "Roanoke-Fort Wayne" on 94.1.
In November 2007, WBNI replaced the directional antenna on the tower in Roanoke with an omnidirectional antenna, resulting in a better signal in the coverage area. There was no change in effective radiated power, which remains at 6,000 watts.
In 2008, Joan Baumgartner Brown was selected as president and general manager of Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR). The veteran local nonprofit leader oversaw operations at both WBNI and WBOI. Brown replaced Bruce Haines beginning August 4. Haines has become president and general manager of WFWA
(Channel 39), Fort Wayne's Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) Public television station.
On January 20, 2009, Brown announced that the NIPR Board of Trustees had decided "to pursue the sale of the analog stations now carrying classical music - WBNI 94.1, WCKZ 91.3, and W204BF 88.7. The signals are available for sale immediately. We expect that a finalized sale may take some time, and until the time of a sale, our plan is to continue broadcasting on these three frequencies as usual." However, Brown also said that the station would continue offering a high definition
signal at WBOI's HD-2 program, transmitted from the Centennial Park tower, and the programs will also continue to be heard via live Internet streaming at www.nipr.fm. Brown said the station found that financial support was not sufficient to continue with the three analog signals, especially since "NIPR has been affected by the weak economy."
On April 15, 2010, Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR) announced the sale of WCKZ and the 10-watt Fort Wayne translator to Star Educational Media Network, pending approval from the FCC. NIPR said it was continuing to pursue the sale of WBNI itself. Once the sales of the analog stations are completed, classical music programming will continue only on WBOI's HD-2 program and via live streaming on the Internet. The sale of the two transmitters was completed in June 2010; the official station ID now only includes WBNI in Roanoke.
In November 2010, Brown resigned as president and general manager of NIPR. On December 10, 2010, NIPR announced that its new president and general manager would be Will Murphy, who had been the general manager of WFHB
in Bloomington, Indiana
; he took over at NIPR in January 2011.
as "Groovin' Oldies 94.1" in 1998
. In 2001
, the station acquired the WCKZ call-letters from sister station 102.3
and retooled the format on that frequency to Urban AC as "94.1 The Wiz". Most recently, the station was Classic rock
under the moniker "Z94".
By August 2006
, Z94's parent company, Summit City Radio, announced a station realignment and sale that would include the return of heritage rock station, Rock 104 WXKE
at its previous location on the dial at 103.9. It was also announced that Summit City would be selling 94.1 to Northeast Indiana Public Radio in early 2007. All radio personalities, promotions, and the classic rock format moved to 103.9 FM. During this period, WCKZ simulcast Rock 104 while Northeast Indiana Public Radio raised the money needed to purchase the station. It announced plans to take over WCKZ and begin transmitting WBNI's classical music programming by May 1, 2007.
In April 2007, Northeast Indiana Public Radio acquired the station, placing WBNI's classical music format and call-letters on the 94.1 signal. The WCKZ call-letters moved to 91.3 in Orland and simulcast 94.1's programming until the transmitter was sold in June 2010.
," "Sing For Joy," "Sunday Baroque," "Harmonia," and "Hearts of Space
."
Mondays through Fridays, from 7 to 9 p.m., WBNI broadcasts recorded concerts by major orchestras. The current schedule includes the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
on Mondays, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra on Tuesdays, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
on Wednesdays, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on Thursdays, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra on Fridays.
There are still a few locally-produced live classical programs such as the afternoon "Matinee" program, 12 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and "Con Brio" 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, both hosted by Stan Whippo. Other locally-produced classical programs (all digitally recorded) include "Guitar Showcase," hosted by local guitarist Bob Ferguson, and encore broadcasts of "Best Seat in the House," co-hosted by the late Dick VerWiebe and Janice Furtner, both broadcast on Saturday. Longtime WBNI program host Rob Nylund is now hosting "Symphonically Yours," a program devoted to symphonic music, on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
On Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon, Robert O'Neil hosts "Tea and Symphony." On Mondays from 4 to 7 p.m., Robert Paul hosts "Evensong." On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m., Doug Dennis hosts "The Modern Classical Experience" which presents 20th and 21st century compositions and focuses on introducing new pieces by emerging composers from all over the world. On Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m., Robert Paul hosts "Around the World in 80 Minutes."
The station now offers classical music 24 hours a day and is available on the World Wide Web at www.nipr.fm. Current programming is listed on the station's website, http://www.nipr.fm.
Throughout its history WBNI has utilized mostly volunteers to host its local programming. Like other National Public Radio stations, WBNI is supported by contributions from listeners, businesses, and corporations. There are also spring and fall on-air pledge drives, usually lasting a little over a week.
WBNI has long been known for its special holiday programming in December and January, including celebrations of the "12 Days of Christmas" and Hanukkah
.
Although WBNI no longer has regular news broadcasts, it does give regular weather forecasts and bulletins from the National Weather Service
.
In January 2009, Brown announced that the 94.1 signal, along with WCKZ (91.3) and the translator W204BF (88.7), was available for immediate sale. Besides financial considerations caused by a weak economy, Brown said the NIPR Board of Directors determined "that even with a stronger signal on 94.1, our analog stations are unable to provide the fidelity needed for the deep complexities of classical music." WBNI's classical music programming would continue, however, via the digital program offered on WBOI (89.1) HD-2 to those with high definition radios and over the Internet, via live streaming, at www.nipr.fm. NIPR received FCC approval of the sale in June 2010 of WCKZ and W204BF to Star Educational Media Network. WCKZ and W204BF now simulcast the contemporary Christian format of Star Educational Media's "Star 88.3" (WLAB
Fort Wayne). However, attempts to find a buyer for the 94.1 signal were unsuccessful and in early 2011 the station was taken off the market.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
-area public radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
owned and operated by Northeast Indiana Public Radio. The station is a member station of National Public Radio. Local programming originates from the Northeast Indiana Public Radio broadcasting facility in Centennial Park.
The station currently transmits from a tower in Roanoke
Roanoke, Indiana
Roanoke is a town in Jackson Township, Huntington County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,722 at the 2010 census. Roanoke is governed by a town council. Town offices include the clerk treasurer, utilities department, police department, and volunteer fire department. The town has a...
. All programming is also carried on a digital
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
channel transmitted by WBOI
WBOI
WBOI is an FM radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 89.1 MHz. It is a National Public Radio member station, owned and operated by Northeast Indiana Public Radio, a non-profit organization. The station has studios and a 600-foot transmitter...
in Fort Wayne and via live streaming on the Internet at http://www.nipr.fm.
History
WBNI began broadcasting in 19781978 in radio
The year 1978 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:* May 6 – Bob Kingsley, producer of the syndicated "American Country Countdown," takes over as host. He replaces Don Bowman, who had hosted for the first 4½ years...
as WIPU-FM at 89.1 MHz on the campus on Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
(IPFW) with a very limited schedule using university staff and students. When the university decided it could no longer afford to maintain the station, it was taken over by a non-profit organization that became known as Northeast Indiana Public Radio.
Renamed WBNI, the station moved to studios in the historic YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
facility on North Wells Street. The schedule was gradually expanded and effective radiated power was also increased. Programming was mostly classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
with some news and information programs from National Public Radio, including "Morning Edition
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
" and "All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
." The station began airing occasional tapes of local concerts, including the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra
Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra is a professional orchestra based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The current Music Director is Andrew Constantine, whose contract began July 1, 2009. The orchestra's Artistic Advisor from 2008 to 2009 was Jaime Laredo, a native of Bolivia...
.
In 1993
1993 in radio
The year 1993 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*WIBF debuts it's modern rock in Jenkintown/Philadelphia*March 13 - Eagle 106 WEGX becomes WJJZ Smooth Jazz 106.1 and featured Smooth Jazz format. the final song played for Eagle 106 was I Will Remember You by Amy Grant...
, Northeast Indiana Public Radio's 600 feet (182.9 m) transmitter tower was erected in Centennial Park and effective radiated power was raised from 31,000 watts to 50,000 watts, greatly expanding the coverage area in northeast Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, southern Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and northwest Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. A new broadcasting facility was dedicated in the spring of 1994
1994 in radio
The year 1994 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 11 - The Irish government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the Provisional Irish Republican Army and its political arm Sinn Féin....
. Programming remained much the same until early 2002
2002 in radio
The year 2002 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 21 - A train derailment in Minot, North Dakota kills one person and knocks out power throughout the region, spilling 250,000 gallons of toxic anhydrous ammonia for fertilizer purposes. The designated primary station for the...
, when a sister station, WBOI
WBOI
WBOI is an FM radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 89.1 MHz. It is a National Public Radio member station, owned and operated by Northeast Indiana Public Radio, a non-profit organization. The station has studios and a 600-foot transmitter...
, began broadcasting from the same building and using the Orland tower.
When WBOI began broadcasting from the Orland tower, WBNI gradually increased its classical music programming, while WBOI took over the jazz and folk music programs. WBNI also gave up its news and information programs, which were taken over by WBOI. Within a year WBOI took over the 89.1 mHz frequency in Fort Wayne. WBNI's programming was moved to the Orland transmitter and a new 10-watt translator on the Fort Wayne tower, operating on 88.7 mHz. The Orland station is now licensed as WCKZ.
In February 2007
2007 in radio
The year 2007 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 8: Nanci "The Fabulous Sports Babe" Donnellan returns to radio after a six-year absence, filling in for local hosts in Florida....
, Northeast Indiana Public Radio management announced plans to acquire the transmitter of WCKZ, a rock music station operating at 94.1 mHz. NIPR took over the frequency and power of WCKZ and began field tests in April. General manager Bruce Haines announced that WCKZ began broadcasting classical music on May 1, providing the Fort Wayne metropolitan area with a stronger signal for the classical music programming currently carried on WBNI. The transmitter covers most of Allen County and all or portions of Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Grant, Blackford, and Jay counties in Indiana. The station continued to use the Orland transmitter, now known as WCKZ, and the Fort Wayne translator. WBNI is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) to "Roanoke-Fort Wayne" on 94.1.
In November 2007, WBNI replaced the directional antenna on the tower in Roanoke with an omnidirectional antenna, resulting in a better signal in the coverage area. There was no change in effective radiated power, which remains at 6,000 watts.
In 2008, Joan Baumgartner Brown was selected as president and general manager of Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR). The veteran local nonprofit leader oversaw operations at both WBNI and WBOI. Brown replaced Bruce Haines beginning August 4. Haines has become president and general manager of WFWA
WFWA
WFWA is a Public television station in Fort Wayne, Indiana, broadcasting locally on channel 39 as a Public Broadcasting Service member station. Bruce Haines is the current president and general manager of WFWA.-History:...
(Channel 39), Fort Wayne's Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) Public television station.
On January 20, 2009, Brown announced that the NIPR Board of Trustees had decided "to pursue the sale of the analog stations now carrying classical music - WBNI 94.1, WCKZ 91.3, and W204BF 88.7. The signals are available for sale immediately. We expect that a finalized sale may take some time, and until the time of a sale, our plan is to continue broadcasting on these three frequencies as usual." However, Brown also said that the station would continue offering a high definition
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
signal at WBOI's HD-2 program, transmitted from the Centennial Park tower, and the programs will also continue to be heard via live Internet streaming at www.nipr.fm. Brown said the station found that financial support was not sufficient to continue with the three analog signals, especially since "NIPR has been affected by the weak economy."
On April 15, 2010, Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR) announced the sale of WCKZ and the 10-watt Fort Wayne translator to Star Educational Media Network, pending approval from the FCC. NIPR said it was continuing to pursue the sale of WBNI itself. Once the sales of the analog stations are completed, classical music programming will continue only on WBOI's HD-2 program and via live streaming on the Internet. The sale of the two transmitters was completed in June 2010; the official station ID now only includes WBNI in Roanoke.
In November 2010, Brown resigned as president and general manager of NIPR. On December 10, 2010, NIPR announced that its new president and general manager would be Will Murphy, who had been the general manager of WFHB
WFHB
WFHB 91.3 FM is a community radio FM station in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The station has three translators serving southern Indiana: 98.1 in Bloomington, 100.7 in Nashville and 106.3 in Ellettsville....
in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
; he took over at NIPR in January 2011.
94.1 FM history
Prior to acquisition by NIPR, WCKZ had been a Modern adult contemporary station as "Star 94.1" with the call signs WGL-FM and WYSR. The WYSR call-letters continued as the station flipped to Rhythmic oldiesRhythmic oldies
Rhythmic Oldies is a radio format that concentrates on the rhythmic, disco or dance genres of music. Playlists may span from the 1970s through the early 1990s...
as "Groovin' Oldies 94.1" in 1998
1998 in radio
The year 1998 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 2 — A gunman shoots Antario Teodoro Filho, Brazilian politician and radio presenter, during a broadcast.*January 21 - Big 105 debuts playing its AC format...
. In 2001
2001 in radio
The year 2001 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*12 January: Jammin 103.5 becomes Kiss 103.5 in Chicago.*29 January: The 80s Channel WXXY and WWYX becomes Viva! 103.1...
, the station acquired the WCKZ call-letters from sister station 102.3
WGBJ
WGBJ is an FM radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station is licensed to Auburn, Indiana, and operates on the FM radio frequency of 102.3 MHz.-Programming:...
and retooled the format on that frequency to Urban AC as "94.1 The Wiz". Most recently, the station was Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
under the moniker "Z94".
By August 2006
2006 in radio
The year 2006 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*January 3 - The BJ Shea Morning Experience switches to KISW in Seattle, Washington, from the former FM Talk station KKWF....
, Z94's parent company, Summit City Radio, announced a station realignment and sale that would include the return of heritage rock station, Rock 104 WXKE
WXKE
WXKE is an FM radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, carrying a classic rock format. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 103.9 MHz.-External links:...
at its previous location on the dial at 103.9. It was also announced that Summit City would be selling 94.1 to Northeast Indiana Public Radio in early 2007. All radio personalities, promotions, and the classic rock format moved to 103.9 FM. During this period, WCKZ simulcast Rock 104 while Northeast Indiana Public Radio raised the money needed to purchase the station. It announced plans to take over WCKZ and begin transmitting WBNI's classical music programming by May 1, 2007.
In April 2007, Northeast Indiana Public Radio acquired the station, placing WBNI's classical music format and call-letters on the 94.1 signal. The WCKZ call-letters moved to 91.3 in Orland and simulcast 94.1's programming until the transmitter was sold in June 2010.
WBNI today
Much of WBNI's programming today utilizes computerized automation of music from the station's library with some recorded announcements by Doug Gruber. A few programs produced by National Public Radio (NPR) and other public radio outlets are broadcast on WBNI, including "From The TopFrom the Top
From the Top is a national program and initiative to develop and showcase young classical musicians. It is best known for its NPR radio and PBS television programs hosted by pianist Christopher O'Riley, which celebrate the passion, dedication and personal stories of America's best young classical...
," "Sing For Joy," "Sunday Baroque," "Harmonia," and "Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space is a United States weekly syndicated public radio show featuring music of a contemplative nature drawn largely from the ambient, New Age and electronic genres, while also including classical, world, Celtic, experimental, and other music selections...
."
Mondays through Fridays, from 7 to 9 p.m., WBNI broadcasts recorded concerts by major orchestras. The current schedule includes the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
on Mondays, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra on Tuesdays, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a symphony orchestra of the Netherlands, based at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1988, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands conferred the "Royal" title upon the orchestra...
on Wednesdays, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on Thursdays, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra on Fridays.
There are still a few locally-produced live classical programs such as the afternoon "Matinee" program, 12 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and "Con Brio" 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, both hosted by Stan Whippo. Other locally-produced classical programs (all digitally recorded) include "Guitar Showcase," hosted by local guitarist Bob Ferguson, and encore broadcasts of "Best Seat in the House," co-hosted by the late Dick VerWiebe and Janice Furtner, both broadcast on Saturday. Longtime WBNI program host Rob Nylund is now hosting "Symphonically Yours," a program devoted to symphonic music, on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
On Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon, Robert O'Neil hosts "Tea and Symphony." On Mondays from 4 to 7 p.m., Robert Paul hosts "Evensong." On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m., Doug Dennis hosts "The Modern Classical Experience" which presents 20th and 21st century compositions and focuses on introducing new pieces by emerging composers from all over the world. On Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m., Robert Paul hosts "Around the World in 80 Minutes."
The station now offers classical music 24 hours a day and is available on the World Wide Web at www.nipr.fm. Current programming is listed on the station's website, http://www.nipr.fm.
Throughout its history WBNI has utilized mostly volunteers to host its local programming. Like other National Public Radio stations, WBNI is supported by contributions from listeners, businesses, and corporations. There are also spring and fall on-air pledge drives, usually lasting a little over a week.
WBNI has long been known for its special holiday programming in December and January, including celebrations of the "12 Days of Christmas" and Hanukkah
Hanukkah
Hanukkah , also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE...
.
Although WBNI no longer has regular news broadcasts, it does give regular weather forecasts and bulletins from the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
.
Staff
WBNI's longtime general manager, Bruce Haines, was succeeded by Joan Baumgartner Brown in August 2008. Will Murphy took over as general manager in February 2011. Kevin Kreigh was the operations manager and programming director; he resigned in February 2011 and was replaced by Andrew Anderson. Janice Furtner was the longtime music director and host of the weekday "Con Brio" broadcasts, as well as the host of recorded concerts by local music groups; she resigned in June 2010. WBNI resumed taping selected Fort Wayne Philharmonic concerts for the 2008-09 season with the opening concert on September 20, 2008.In January 2009, Brown announced that the 94.1 signal, along with WCKZ (91.3) and the translator W204BF (88.7), was available for immediate sale. Besides financial considerations caused by a weak economy, Brown said the NIPR Board of Directors determined "that even with a stronger signal on 94.1, our analog stations are unable to provide the fidelity needed for the deep complexities of classical music." WBNI's classical music programming would continue, however, via the digital program offered on WBOI (89.1) HD-2 to those with high definition radios and over the Internet, via live streaming, at www.nipr.fm. NIPR received FCC approval of the sale in June 2010 of WCKZ and W204BF to Star Educational Media Network. WCKZ and W204BF now simulcast the contemporary Christian format of Star Educational Media's "Star 88.3" (WLAB
WLAB
WLAB is an FM radio station located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 88.3 MHz. Star 88.3 is owned by the .- Coverage Area :...
Fort Wayne). However, attempts to find a buyer for the 94.1 signal were unsuccessful and in early 2011 the station was taken off the market.