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960 WRNS Kinston Shutting Down

It was a nearly straight simulcast of 95.1 WRNS-FM for years. Only in the past few years or so has the station attempted a full schedule of separate programming. Given the state of AM radio--especially in eastern North Carolina--I'm surprised it's lasted this long and done so without a signal downgrade and/or FM translator.
 
I worked at WRNS (FM) when WRNS-AM was WFTC 960 AM. When I started working at the AM/FM duplex in Kinston, NC, the stations were owned by Alexander Communications, which was bought out by George Beasley (Beasley Broadcast Group). A few days before the purchase went through I resigned to join the US Navy. a few months after Beasley bought the stations, the company moved WRNS FM's antenna from the short 300ft tower in Kinston, NC to the the 2,000 ft WCTI-TV tower in Trenton, NC (at about the 1,546 ft mark). Over night the FM Coverage of WRNS (FM) more than doubled! Not long after that, WFTC's call letters were changed to WRNS-AM and the AM started simulcasting the FM. I made many friends from my days of working at WRNS with employees of WFTC (960 AM). Attached are a few pictures of WFTC AM's studio off of Banks School Road in Kinston NC in the early '80s.IMG_3300.jpegIMG_3299.jpegIMG_3297.jpegIMG_3296.jpeg
 
Great pictures. That looks like a McMartin board and Tapecaster cart machines. Obviously, a budget sensitive station.

Thanks for the fun post. Looks like everyone was enjoying "being on the radio".
 
I think I am correct that I picked up WRNS even before the signal upgrade south of Greensboro. Which would have been quite unusual since what was then called WROQ in Charlotte would surely have reached the area, but it was a valley.
 
DavidEduardo said:
Great pictures. That looks like a McMartin board and Tapecaster cart machines. Obviously, a budget sensitive station.

Thanks for the fun post. Looks like everyone was enjoying "being on the radio".
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David, yes that is an old 8 channel mono McMartin board. The FM had the stereo version of this board. This station, at the time these pictures were taken, was barely afloat. Beasley buying the stations and investing money to modernize them really turned the stations around.
 
jonsmth62 said:
David, yes that is an old 8 channel mono McMartin board. The FM had the stereo version of this board. This station, at the time these pictures were taken, was barely afloat. Beasley buying the stations and investing money to modernize them really turned the stations around.
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That was (is) the story of a lot of broadcasters in ENC struggling to make it along. Even in the 1980's, Docket 80-90 forced a lot of broadcasters to build out their class C's to meet standards and a lot of people made a lot of money building them out too. I hate to see an AM go, seems nobody really knew what to do with WRNS. Great photos BTW and are you still in broadcasting?
 
MammothCabinet said:
That was (is) the story of a lot of broadcasters in ENC struggling to make it along. Even in the 1980's, Docket 80-90 forced a lot of broadcasters to build out their class C's to meet standards and a lot of people made a lot of money building them out too. I hate to see an AM go, seems nobody really knew what to do with WRNS. Great photos BTW and are you still in broadcasting?
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No, I received an Associates Degree in Broadcasting Technology in 1983 at a local Community College in the same town that WRNS is licensed to. I worked at WRNS (FM) from 1981 until November 1984 when I joined the US Navy to become a Submarine Radioman. I spent 23 years doing that then retired from the Navy in late 2009. Since then I have been working with Raytheon Technologies as a Test Engineer in Pittsfield MA. Despite having a short-lived career in Radio, I thoroughly enjoyed it and enjoy keeping up with the industry via websites like this one, Radio Insight and Inside Radio.
 
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I wonder if they will try to sell it or turn in the license? I think they turned in the license for 1330 in Havelock a few years back.
 
Retspin said:
I wonder if they will try to sell it or turn in the license? I think they turned in the license for 1330 in Havelock a few years back.
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Frankly, I think if there was anyone interested in buying it, Dick Broadcasting would've already sold it. I can't help but think they will just turn in the license.
 
jonsmth62 said:
Frankly, I think if there was anyone interested in buying it, Dick Broadcasting would've already sold it. I can't help but think they will just turn in the license.
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As with WIOU in Kokomo, WRNS is an AM with no translator and it requires a sizable directional array to have any usable signal at all.

The land is worth more for almost anything other than AM broadcasting, and if you buy the license without the transmitter site, you'd spend a fortune rebuilding elsewhere.

It's dead, Jim.
 
jonsmth62 said:
He came not long after I graduated. When I started LCC, Lon Carruth was the instructor my first year. The Second Year, Bob Snowdon took over the program. Jim Kelso came after Bob left. I can't remember exactly what year that happened.
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Okay. Jim was a good radio guy. First me him in Jacksonville, when he was with WBBS.
 
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