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WCNN (AM)
Encyclopedia
WCNN is an AM
station broadcasting on a frequency of 680 kHz and serving the Atlanta-area radio market with a sports radio
format. The station is commonly known by the on-air branding as "680 the Fan". The station formerly broadcast the audio portion of the CNN Headline News
channel (hence its current callsign) along with some local news and commercials, a news radio
format that the station pioneered in the 1980s and re-appeared on the station later in the station's history. WCNN broadcasts with a power of 50,000 watt
s during the daytime, and 10,000 watts during nighttime, and is actually licensed to serve
North Atlanta, with transmitter and tower
s located near Norcross, Georgia
(in the northeastern Atlanta
suburbs).
's first talk radio
station. The last three letters of the callsign represented the station's branding as "Ring Radio". It was the first broadcast home of talk radio
personality Neal Boortz
, now on WSB
and syndicated nationally. Other, now well known talk radio personalities were also heard on the station, including KGO
's Ronn Owens, San Francisco, Southern Humorist Ludlow Porch
, and KFYI
's Barry Young, Phoenix
.
In 1982, the station began an experiment by broadcasting the audio feed of CNN Headline News
. The call letters were changed to WCNN. While no longer on WCNN, the CNN Headline News
audio feed continues today on many radio stations in the United States
as a satellite-delivered service of Westwood One
.
In February 1987, the station temporarily switched to an Adult standards
radio format and changed its call letters to WGTW. Its callsign was a reference to the movie Gone with the Wind
, which ironically is the favorite movie of CNN founder Ted Turner
. The station went by the branding "Stardust 680" during that time. The radio format failed to gain ratings in the market. In late 1988, The station became WCNN All News 680, with a 24 hour local news format. The CNN Headline News
audio and returned in June 1990 when the local all news format failed to generate sufficient ratings. In 1995, WCNN was leased to Cox Radio
for a 5 year term. The radio format was switched to Sports Talk
as "680 The Fan". In 1998, the format switched to news
/talk
to compliment WSB
's programming. In 2000, when the LMA
expired, control of WCNN returned to Dickey Broadcasting. "680 The Fan" branding and the sports radio
format returned to WCNN.
WCNN was the flagship station of the Atlanta Thrashers
. before thrashers moved to Winnipeg.
In 2010, WCNN became the new flagship station of the Atlanta Braves
, along with WNNX.
It also carries the Florida Gators
(college football
) radio network.
WCNN is also an affiliate of ESPN Radio
.
On November 30, 2010, WCNN got an FM simulcast
on broadcast translator W229AG FM 93.7. In 2010, that station was actually assigned to carry WWWQ
FM 99.7 HD
-3. It is located on Sweat Mountain
, and for several years previously carried KAWZ FM, a Christian broadcasting station which feeds hundreds of translator stations from Calvary Chapel
in Twin Falls, Idaho
. It had Sandy Plains and now Atlanta as its community of license. 99X was reportedly set to move to this station, which had a construction permit
granted in July 2010 to relocate to the same tower near North Druid Hills as WWWQ and W250BC, and has the same power but somewhat lower height (and therefore broadcast range) as 99X has on W250BC. The station was still owned by Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, when it filed for the permit in April 2010. After being approved in early July, Calvary applied just a few days later to transfer ownership of the station to Cumulus for $400,000. It is now licensed to Cumulus Licensing LLC and resides on the WWWQ tower.
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
station broadcasting on a frequency of 680 kHz and serving the Atlanta-area radio market with a sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
format. The station is commonly known by the on-air branding as "680 the Fan". The station formerly broadcast the audio portion of the CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
channel (hence its current callsign) along with some local news and commercials, a news radio
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
format that the station pioneered in the 1980s and re-appeared on the station later in the station's history. WCNN broadcasts with a power of 50,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s during the daytime, and 10,000 watts during nighttime, and is actually licensed to serve
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
North Atlanta, with transmitter and tower
Mast radiator
A mast radiator is a radio mast or tower in which the whole structure itself functions as an antenna. This design is commonly used for transmitting antennas operating at low frequencies, in the VLF, LF and MF ranges, in particular those used for AM broadcasting. The metal mast is electrically...
s located near Norcross, Georgia
Norcross, Georgia
As of 2010 Norcross had a population of 9,116. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 40.8% white , 19.8% black or African American , 0.7% Native American, 2.1% Asian Indian, 10.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 21.5% from some other race and 4.3% reporting two or more races...
(in the northeastern Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
suburbs).
History
"680" began as WRNG, AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
's first talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
station. The last three letters of the callsign represented the station's branding as "Ring Radio". It was the first broadcast home of talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
personality Neal Boortz
Neal Boortz
Neal A. Boortz, Jr. is an American Libertarian radio host, author, and political commentator. His nationally syndicated talk show, The Neal Boortz Show, airs throughout the United States on Dial Global . It is ranked seventh in overall listeners, with 4.25+ million per week...
, now on WSB
WSB (AM)
WSB — branded AM 750 and 95.5 FM News/Talk WSB — is a commercial radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia broadcasting a news/talk format. The station transmits with 50,000 watts of nondirectional power day and night, enjoying clear-channel status on its broadcast frequency according to the U.S...
and syndicated nationally. Other, now well known talk radio personalities were also heard on the station, including KGO
KGO (AM)
KGO is a news/talk-format radio station radio with offices and studios in San Francisco, California. Unlike most other American news/talk stations, KGO originates nearly all of its own programming locally. Since 1978, KGO radio has received Arbitron's number-one ranking in the Bay Area...
's Ronn Owens, San Francisco, Southern Humorist Ludlow Porch
Ludlow Porch
Ludlow Porch , born Bobby Crawford Hanson, was an American radio humorist popular in the southern United States. He was the author of many humor books including,"Fat White Guys Cookbook" and "Who Cares about Apathy"...
, and KFYI
KFYI
KFYI is an American news/talk radio station broadcasting in Phoenix, Arizona. KFYI is owned by Clear Channel Communications. KFYI transmits in both analog AM and digital HD Radio.The digital signal is also rebroadcast on KNIX-FM's HD2 channel....
's Barry Young, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
In 1982, the station began an experiment by broadcasting the audio feed of CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
. The call letters were changed to WCNN. While no longer on WCNN, the CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
audio feed continues today on many radio stations in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a satellite-delivered service of Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
.
In February 1987, the station temporarily switched to an Adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
radio format and changed its call letters to WGTW. Its callsign was a reference to the movie Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
, which ironically is the favorite movie of CNN founder Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
. The station went by the branding "Stardust 680" during that time. The radio format failed to gain ratings in the market. In late 1988, The station became WCNN All News 680, with a 24 hour local news format. The CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
audio and returned in June 1990 when the local all news format failed to generate sufficient ratings. In 1995, WCNN was leased to Cox Radio
Cox Radio
Cox Radio, Inc. is a division of Cox Enterprises that holds a number of radio stations. Cox Radio is headquartered at 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, Georgia....
for a 5 year term. The radio format was switched to Sports Talk
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
as "680 The Fan". In 1998, the format switched to news
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
to compliment WSB
WSB (AM)
WSB — branded AM 750 and 95.5 FM News/Talk WSB — is a commercial radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia broadcasting a news/talk format. The station transmits with 50,000 watts of nondirectional power day and night, enjoying clear-channel status on its broadcast frequency according to the U.S...
's programming. In 2000, when the LMA
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
expired, control of WCNN returned to Dickey Broadcasting. "680 The Fan" branding and the sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
format returned to WCNN.
WCNN was the flagship station of the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
. before thrashers moved to Winnipeg.
In 2010, WCNN became the new flagship station of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, along with WNNX.
It also carries the Florida Gators
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
(college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
) radio network.
WCNN is also an affiliate of ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
.
On November 30, 2010, WCNN got an FM simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
on broadcast translator W229AG FM 93.7. In 2010, that station was actually assigned to carry WWWQ
WWWQ (FM)
WNNX is an Atlanta radio station that is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station broadcasts from the same building as its other Cumulus Atlanta sister stations WWWQ FM 99.7 and 99X...
FM 99.7 HD
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...
-3. It is located on Sweat Mountain
Sweat Mountain
Sweat Mountain is a low mountain located in far northeastern Cobb County, Georgia, in the suburbs north of Atlanta. The exact GNIS location of its summit is , and it has an official elevation of above mean sea level...
, and for several years previously carried KAWZ FM, a Christian broadcasting station which feeds hundreds of translator stations from Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel is an evangelical association of Christian churches with over one thousand congregations worldwide. Calvary Chapel also maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. It presents itself as a "fellowship of...
in Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
. It had Sandy Plains and now Atlanta as its community of license. 99X was reportedly set to move to this station, which had a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
granted in July 2010 to relocate to the same tower near North Druid Hills as WWWQ and W250BC, and has the same power but somewhat lower height (and therefore broadcast range) as 99X has on W250BC. The station was still owned by Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, when it filed for the permit in April 2010. After being approved in early July, Calvary applied just a few days later to transfer ownership of the station to Cumulus for $400,000. It is now licensed to Cumulus Licensing LLC and resides on the WWWQ tower.