# WNIS

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Radio station in Hampton Roads, Virginia

For the Portsmouth radio station that formerly used WNIS call sign (1979–1987), see [WGPL](/source/WGPL). For the Norfolk radio station that formerly used WNIS call sign (1987–1997), see [WTAR](/source/WTAR).

WNIS Norfolk, Virginia United States Broadcast area Hampton Roads Frequency 790 kHz Branding AM 790 WNIS Programming Format Talk radio Affiliations Fox News Radio Premiere Networks Westwood One Washington Commanders Radio Network Ownership Owner Sinclair Telecable, Inc. (Commonwealth Radio, LLC) Sister stations WNOB WROX-FM WTAR WUSH History First air date September 21, 1923 (1923-09-21) Former call signs WTAR WTAR-WSUF[1] WTAR-WPOR[1] WTAR (1933–1997) Call sign meaning "News and Information Station" Technical information[2] Licensing authority FCC Facility ID 4671 Class B Power 5,000 watts unlimited Transmitter coordinates 37°4′25.5″N 76°17′29.8″W / 37.073750°N 76.291611°W / 37.073750; -76.291611 Links Public license information Public file LMS Webcast Listen live Website www.wnis.com

**WNIS** (790 [AM](/source/AM_broadcasting)) is a [commercial radio](/source/Commercial_radio) station licensed to [Norfolk, Virginia](/source/Norfolk%2C_Virginia), and serving the [Hampton Roads](/source/Hampton_Roads) [media market](/source/Media_market). WNIS is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.[3] It airs a [talk radio](/source/Talk_radio) [format](/source/Radio_format).

WNIS has studios and offices on Waterside Drive in Norfolk.[4] Its [transmitter](/source/Transmitter) site is off Hall Road in [Hampton](/source/Hampton%2C_Virginia).[5] It transmits with 5,000 watts around the clock, using a [directional antenna](/source/Directional_antenna) with a three-[tower array](/source/Tower_array).

## Programming

Weekdays, WNIS has local morning [drive time](/source/Drive_time) talk and information shows called "Marcrini's Morning News" and the “Karen and Mike Show.” Other weekday hours feature [nationally syndicated](/source/Radio_syndication) shows from [Sean Hannity](/source/Sean_Hannity), [Brian Kilmeade](/source/Brian_Kilmeade), "[Clay Travis](/source/Clay_Travis) & [Buck Sexton](/source/Buck_Sexton)", [Mark Levin](/source/Mark_Levin), "[Coast to Coast AM](/source/Coast_to_Coast_AM) with [George Noory](/source/George_Noory)" and "[This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal](/source/This_Morning%2C_America's_First_News_with_Gordon_Deal)". Weekends feature shows on money, health, cars and fishing, with syndicated hosts including [Kim Komando](/source/Kim_Komando), [Guy Benson](/source/Guy_Benson), [Rudy Maxa](/source/Rudy_Maxa), Mike Imprevento, "[Live on Sunday Night, It's Bill Cunningham](/source/Bill_Cunningham_(talk_show_host))" and "[Somewhere in Time with Art Bell](/source/Art_Bell)". Most hours begin with world and national news from [Fox News Radio](/source/Fox_News_Radio).

## History

### WTAR

WNIS is the oldest radio station in Virginia. The station was first licensed, as WTAR, on September 21, 1923.[6] The original call letters were randomly assigned from a sequential roster of available call signs. WTAR [signed on](/source/Sign-on) the air at 780 kHz with a power of 15 watts.[7]

A second Norfolk station was licensed as WSUF, which in early 1928 changed its call sign to WPOR.[8] As part of a consolidation, WTAR was formally licensed as WTAR-WSUF and later WTAR-WPOR, with WPOR only used when the station was broadcasting from an auxiliary studio.[9] However, the [Federal Radio Commission](/source/Federal_Radio_Commission) (FRC) requested that stations using only one of their assigned call letters drop those that were no longer in regular use, so on May 15, 1933, WPOR was eliminated from the dual call sign, with the station reverting to just WTAR.[10]

On July 6, 1934, WTAR became an [affiliate](/source/Network_affiliate) of the [NBC Red Network](/source/NBC_Red_Network) after dropping the [CBS Radio Network](/source/CBS_Radio_News). At that time, the station was owned and operated by the parent company of the *Norfolk Ledger-Star* and *[The Virginian-Pilot](/source/The_Virginian-Pilot)*.[11]

By the late 1930s, WTAR got a power boost to 5,000 watts by day, 1,000 watts at night.[12] In the 1940s, the nighttime power was increased to match the daytime power, 5,000 watts.

WTAR added an FM counterpart in 1947, WTAR-FM (97.3), which mostly [simulcast](/source/Simulcast) the AM station.[13] However, few people owned FM radios at that time, and WTAR gave up its FM license a couple of years later. The 97.3 frequency returned to the air in the mid-1950s as [WGH-FM](/source/WGH-FM).

1950 advertisement for the new facility to be occupied by WTAR and recently started WTAR-TV.[14]

In 1950, WTAR signed on a TV station, WTAR-TV (Channel 4, now [WTKR](/source/WTKR) on channel 3).[13] Because WTAR was an NBC affiliate, the TV station primarily carried [NBC](/source/NBC)-TV programs. As the first TV station in the Norfolk area, it also ran some shows from [CBS](/source/CBS), [ABC](/source/American_Broadcasting_Company) and the [DuMont Television Network](/source/DuMont_Television_Network). Within a year of the TV station's debut, both the TV and radio facilities moved into a new broadcasting center at 720 Boush Street.

In 1961, WTAR management decided to return to FM broadcasting, and signed on a new WTAR-FM, this time at 95.7 MHz (now [WVKL](/source/WVKL)).[15] WTAR-FM aired [automated](/source/Automation) [beautiful music](/source/Beautiful_music), separate from the AM station, which had a [full service](/source/Full_service_(radio_format)) format of [middle of the road music](/source/Middle_of_the_road_(music)), [adult contemporary](/source/Adult_contemporary), news, sports and talk. On March 7, 1984, WTAR began broadcasting in [C-QUAM](/source/C-QUAM) [AM stereo](/source/AM_stereo).[16]

By 1986 or 1987, WTAR switched its full-service format to an [oldies](/source/Oldies) format and became an affiliate of CBS Radio News. In the early 1990s, the station stopped playing music and became a news/talk station, adding an affiliation with [CNN](/source/CNN) as well as CBS Radio.[17] Around the same time, rival talk station WNIS got a big boost in power, going to 50,000 watts by day, 25,000 watts at night. Eventually, both stations would become co-owned, with Sinclair acquiring AM 850 in June 1997.

### WNIS

On July 15, 1997, WTAR and its [sister station](/source/Sister_station) on AM 850, WNIS, exchanged call letters, with [AM 790](/source/AM_790) becoming WNIS, and the station stopped broadcasting in AM stereo, while WTAR was moved to 850 kHz.[18][19] 850 has the stronger signal, broadcasting at 50,000 watts by day, the highest power authorized for AM stations by the [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission). At night it runs 25,000 watts, while 790 kHz transmits 5,000 watts day and night. Both stations had talk formats, although 850 WTAR later became a [sports radio](/source/Sports_radio) station and [network affiliate](/source/Network_affiliate) of [Fox Sports Radio](/source/Fox_Sports_Radio).

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-histcard_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-histcard_1-1) [FCC History Cards for WNIS](https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=67366)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FCC-LMS-4671_2-0)** ["Facility Technical Data for WNIS"](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityTechDetails.html?facilityId=4671). *Licensing and Management System*. [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["WNIS Facility Record"](https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=WNIS). *[Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission), audio division*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [WNIS.com/contact](https://wnis.com/contact/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["WNIS-AM Radio Station Coverage Map"](https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WNIS-AM). *radio-locator.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["New stations"](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510008420265&seq=182), *Radio Service Bulletin*, October 1, 1923, page 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bc043051_7-0)** ["WTAR-TV Marks Its First Year"](https://archive.org/details/broadcastingtele40unse/page/n569/mode/1up). *Broadcasting*. April 30, 1951. p. 62. Retrieved August 8, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Alterations and Corrections"](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?eid=uc1.b3221818&seq=516), *Radio Service Bulletin*, February 29, 1928, page 6.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Radio Remembered"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Popular-Communications/90s/Popular-Communications-1990-08.pdf#page=24) by Alice Brannigan, *Popular Communications*, August 1990, page 22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Double Call Letters Are Being Eliminated"](https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1933-06-25/ed-1/seq-44/), *Washington (D.C.) Evening Star*, June 25, 1933, Part 4, page 6.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["WTAR Joins the NBC"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1934/1934-07-15-BC.pdf#page=5) (PDF). *Broadcasting*. July 15, 1934. Retrieved December 7, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Directory of Broadcasting Stations of the United States: Virginia"](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015080101259&seq=168), *Broadcasting Yearbook* (1940 edition), page 162.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Broadcasting_Yearbook_1951_page_314_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Broadcasting_Yearbook_1951_page_314_13-1) ["Directory of AM, FM and TV Stations of the United States: Virginia: Norfolk"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1951/Radio%20ALL%20BC%20YB%201951%20B&W-9.pdf#page=246), *Broadcasting Yearbook* (1951 edition), page 314.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [WTAR & WTAR-TV new facility advertisement](https://archive.org/details/broadcasting39unse/page/n1242/mode/1up), *Broadcasting*, September 28, `1950, page 53.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.: Virginia: Norfolk"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1971/Section-B-Radio-Broadcasting-Yearbook-1971-11.pdf#page=215), *Broadcasting Yearbook* (1971 edition), page B-217.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Offenders of the Faith"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010109103400/http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~amstereo/offenders.htm). Archived from [the original](http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~amstereo/offenders.htmwebsite=eastlink.ca) on January 9, 2001. Retrieved March 8, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Directory of Radio Stations in the U.S.: Virginia: Norfolk "](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1993/A-Radio.pdf#page=377), *Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook* (1993 edition), page B-376.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** [Call Sign History](https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=4671) (Facility ID: 4671)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** [Call Sign History](https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=60472) (Facility ID: 60472)

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.wnis.com/)

- [Facility details for Facility ID 4671 (WNIS)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=4671) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [WNIS](https://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP26&band=am&callLetter=WNIS) in [Nielsen Audio](/source/Nielsen_Audio)'s AM station database

- [FCC History Cards for WNIS](https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=67366) (covering 1923-1981 as WTAR / WTAR-WSUF / WTAR-WPOR / WTAR)

- [Sinclair Telecable List of Stations](https://sinclairstations.com/)

v t e Radio stations in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, metropolitan area This area includes the cities Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News. By AM frequency 670 740 790 850 940 1050 1110 1250 1270 1310 1350 1400 1420 1490 1600 1650 By FM frequency 87.71 88.1 88.5 88.7 89.1 89.5 90.3 90.7 90.9 91.1 91.5 92.1 92.3 92.9 93.7 94.1 94.9 95.7 96.1 97.3 98.7 99.1 99.7 100.5 101.3 101.7 102.1 102.9 104.5 105.3 106.1 106.9 107.7 107.9 LPFM 103.7 104.1 Translators 92.5 93.3 93.5 96.5 W243DJ W243EK 96.9 97.7 97.9 W250AE W250BQ 98.3 99.1 99.3 100.1 W261CN W261DI 101.9 103.7 103.9 104.9 105.7 107.3 NOAA Weather Radio frequency 162.55 Digital radio by frequency & subchannel 90.3-1 90.3-2 90.3-3 92.1-1 92.9-1 94.1-1 94.1-2 94.9-1 95.7-1 95.7-2 97.3-1 97.3-2 98.7-1 101.3-1 102.9-1 105.3-1 105.3-3 106.1-1 106.1-2 106.9-1 107.7-1 By call sign KHB37 W223CT W227BR W228DX W243DJ W243EK W245BB W249CT W250AE W250BQ W252CB W256DH W257BV W261CN W261DI W270DA W279AD W280CX W285FM W289CI W297BH WAFX WBKU WBQK WCPK WCWM WEPV-LP WFOS WGH WGH-FM HD2 WGPL WHBT-FM WHOV WHRO-FM HD2 HD3 WHRV WJFV WJLZ WJZU WKGM WLQM-FM WMBG WMOV-FM WMTO-LD1 WNIS WNOB WNOH HD3 WNOR WNSB WNVZ WOWI WPCE WPMH WPTE WRJR WROX-FM WRPC-LP WTAR WTJZ WTWV-FM WTYD WUSH HD2 WVBW-FM WVKL HD2 WVSP-FM HD2 WVXX WWDE-FM WWIP WXGM WXGM-FM WXTG WXTG-FM WYCS WYFI WZLV Defunct WBVA (1450 AM) WHKT (1010 AM) WJRX-LP (102.5 FM) WJYI (1230 AM) WORJ-LP (103.5 FM) WRAP (1050/850/1350 AM) WRRW-LP (102.5 FM) WVAB (1550 AM) Nearby regions Eastern Shore Elizabeth City–Nags Head Northern Neck Roanoke Rapids-South Hill Richmond Southside See also List of radio stations in Virginia Notes 1. Audio from channel 6 TV station

v t e News/talk radio stations in the Commonwealth of Virginia News & talk Abingdon WFHG-FM Bedford WBLT Charlottesville WCHV WCHV-FM WINA Forest WIQO-FM Fredericksburg WFVA WNTX Gretna WMNA-FM Harrisonburg WKCY WSVA Lynchburg WBRG WLNI WLVA Norfolk WNIS WTAR Radford WRAD WRAD-FM Richmond WRVA Roanoke WFIR WFJX Waynesboro WKCI Winchester WINC Woodbridge WMAL-FM All-news Manassas WWWT-FM Windsor WHBT-FM See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Virginia

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [WNIS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNIS) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNIS?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.