WBNI-FM

WBNI-FM (94.1 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.NIPR brochure
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. 
==History==
WBNI began broadcasting in 1978 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 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.Interview with Bruce Haines, NIPR general manager
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.Eyewitness account by Robert E. Nylund, NIPR program host since July 1992
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.Interview with NIPR staff, NIPR flyer
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.Doug Gruber, WBOI program director
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.NIPR Names New President and General Manager - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick Haines has become president and general manager of WFWA (Channel 39), Fort Wayne's Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Public television station.WFWA - Public Broadcasting for Northeast Indiana
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."Letter from Joan Baumgartner Brown to NIPR members, January 20, 2009
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.http://www.indianaeconomicdigest.net/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=155&ArticleID=53800 The sale of the two transmitters was completed in June 2010; the official station ID now only includes WBNI in Roanoke.http://www.nipr.fm/
In November 2010, Brown resigned as president and general manager of NIPR.http://www.fwbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8970&Itemid=265; Doug Gruber, WBOI jazz coordinator 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.NIPR news release, December 10, 2010
thumb|250px|Northeast Indiana Public Radio's broadcast center.
==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 oldies 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.Interview with NIPR staff, February 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==
thumb|left|250px|WBNI's current broadcast studio.
Much of WBNI's programming today utilizes computerized automation of music from the station's library with some recorded announcements by Doug Gruber. It continues to air the live Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts during the Met's season, December through May. A few programs produced by National Public Radio (NPR) and other public radio outlets are broadcast on WBNI, including "From The Top," "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 "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."http://www.nipr.fm/page.php?page_id=68
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.
==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.Robert E. Nylund
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.Letter from Joan Baumgartner Brown NIPR received FCC approval of the sale in June 2010 of WCKZ and W204BF to Star Educational Media Network.http://www.indianaeconomicdigest.net/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=155&ArticleID=53800; http://www.nipr.fm/ 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.
== Footnotes ==
== External links ==
* Northeast Indiana Public Radio website
* 
Category:National Public Radio member stations
Category:Classical music radio stations in the United States
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