WNGY
 | |
| City | Morton, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Peoria, Illinois |
| Branding | G102.3 |
| Slogan | Peoria's Throwback Station |
| Frequency | 102.3 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | 1976 (as WTAZ) |
| Format |
HD1: Classic hip hop HD2: Sports "95.9 The Sports Nut" |
| ERP | 4,100 watts |
| HAAT | 121.9 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 43877 |
| Callsign meaning | W ENerGY (previous format) |
| Former callsigns |
WTAZ (1976–1999) WFXF (1999–2000) WDQX (2000–2014) |
| Owner |
Alpha Media (Alpha Media Licensee LLC) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website |
g1023 |
WNGY is an FM radio station licensed for 102.3 MHz in Morton, Illinois near Peoria. It is owned by Alpha Media. WNGY's studios are at Civic Center Plaza, 331 Fulton Street, in Peoria.
History
The station came on the air in 1976 as WTAZ, broadcasting an oldies format with NBC features from a facility midway between Morton and Washington, Illinois, in Tazewell County (hence WTAZ). Roy Demanes (the owner of the Ramada Inn, a bank and a pharmacy in Peoria, as well as an extensive pre-need burial program) worked with Penny Press Publisher (and former WEEK-TV anchorman) Bud Carter to put the station on the air.
As of the late 1970s, the two were partners in the newspaper previously mentioned (a Peoria-based issues and entertainment oriented publication) and the radio station. Demanes exchanged his ownership in the paper for Carter's interest in the paper, then died of a heart attack a short time later.
The paper was purchased by another suburban weekly (the Observer), and Carter relocated to Atlanta where he now is Senior Chairman for the Atlanta operation of an international organization for CEOs (Vistage International).
Through most of the 1980s and 1990s, WTAZ had a talk format featuring personalities such as G. Gordon Liddy, Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, and Art Bell. In 1999, those shows and call letters were moved to AM, and 102.3 became WFXF-FM, broadcasting Howard Stern in the morning, and classic rock. In late 2000, Stern was dropped, and WFXF-FM began playing classic hits. The following year, the station was sold to AAA Entertainment, which signed on WZIM (then WDQZ) in the Bloomington-Normal market at 99.5FM. As part of the sale, 102.3 changed its format and began simulcasting a classic rock format with the Bloomington-Normal signal known as "The Eagle" and changed call letters to WDQX. AAA hired the high-profile WJBC morning show of Scott Robbins and Nancy Thiel to do mornings on the new station.
In late 2005, WDQX was sold, along with WXCL, to JMP. WDQX kept a classic rock format, but was rebranded as "Max FM" and the music was tweaked to be more hard rock.
On October 15, 2014, WDQX owners Alpha Media announced 102.3 would flip to CHR as "Energy 102.3" at 9 a.m. the following day. The last song on "Max FM" was "Happy Trails" by Van Halen, while the first song on Energy was "Break Free" by Ariana Grande. On October 24, 2014, WDQX changed their call letters to WNGY to go with the "Energy" branding.
On September 16, 2016, at 5 p.m., after playing "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes, WNGY flipped to classic hip hop, branded as "G102.3". The first song on "G" was "Hypnotize" by The Notorious B.I.G..[1][2]
WNGY-HD2
On May 15, 2017 WNGY launched a sports format on its HD2 subchannel, branded as "95.9 The Sports Nut" (simulcast on FM translator W251BQ 95.9 FM Peoria).[3]
Previous logo
References
- ↑ Another Day, Another G as Classic Hip Hop Lays in Peoria Radioinsight - September 16, 2016
- ↑ WNGY Becomes G102.3
- ↑ Sports Nut Cracks Open in Peoria Radioinsight - May 15, 2017