WNIC

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WNIC
Image:WNIC.gif
City of license Dearborn, Michigan
Broadcast area [1]
Branding 100.3 WNIC
Slogan The Best Variety Of Yesterday & Today
Frequency 100.3 MHz (Also on HD Radio)
First air date 1950
Format Adult Contemporary
Power 32,000 watts
ERP 32 kW
HAAT 183 M
Class B
Callsign meaning Detroit's Nicest Rock
Former callsigns WNIC-FM (1972-7/6/87)
WKNR-FM (10/13/63-1972)
WKMH (1950-10/13/63)
Owner Clear Channel
Sister stations WDFN, WDTW, WDTW-FM, WJLB, WKQI, WMXD
Webcast Listen live
Website www.wnic.com

WNIC is an American adult contemporary radio station based in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting at 100.3 MHz FM. WNIC's studios and offices are located in Farmington Hills, MI. WNIC's transmitter is located near Schoolcraft and Livernois Avenue in the City of Detroit on the near west side. WNIC broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 32,000 watts from an antenna 600 feet in height. Its main competitors include Magic 105.1, 93.1 Doug FM, and 96-3 WDVD.

Contents

See also: WKNR-FM (Detroit)

WNIC went on the air around 1950 as WKMH-FM, sister to WKMH-AM 1310. Both stations were, and still are, licensed to Dearborn, Michigan. WKMH-AM became top-40 rock-station WKNR, "Keener 13," in 1963. After several years of chiefly simulcasting "Keener", 100.3 – now WKNR-FM – adopted a progressive rock format. WKNR-FM's Russ Gibb is credited with helping to spread the "Paul McCartney is dead" rumor in 1969.

WKNR-FM switched format to an early form of adult contemporary known as "Stereo Island" in 1971, and then to beautiful music as WNIC the following year following the sale of both the AM and FM, which began simulcasting each other 100%. The WNIC calls were meant to denote the station's "NICe" music. In 1976, WNIC adopted a more up-tempo sound called "Rock 'n' Easy" and has been successful with that AC format ever since. WNIC scored its first number-one placing in the monthly Arbitron ratings in Detroit in 1998, although the station's ratings have since dropped, due largely to competition from Greater Media-owned Magic 105.1, formerly classical WQRS) and also CBS Radio-owned Smooth Jazz V98.7. The ratings drop was also blamed on the departure of popular morning show host Jim Harper to WMGC.

WNIC's on-air slogan is "The Best Variety of Yesterday and Today", featuring mostly 1970s disco and 1980s pop on the station's "Flashback Weekends". Alan Almond, host of the nighttime love-song dedication show "Pillow Talk," has been a fixture on Detroit radio for nearly a quarter-century (though not all of that time was at WNIC). In 2003, Almond was suddenly fired and replaced with syndicated host Glenn Hollis, whose "After Hours" show originated from WASH-FM in Washington, DC. WNIC re-hired Almond in the fall of 2005, and "Pillow Talk" returned to the airwaves of 100.3 FM.

Chuck Gaidica, longtime meteorologist for WDIV-TV (Channel 4), used to be the host of the morning show, but went back to doing weather full-time for Channel 4 (he can still be heard on the WNIC morning show doing the weather forecasts). The morning show is now hosted by Lisa Barry, Chris Edmonds and Dave Lockhart, who also provides news and traffic. Today the station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. AM 1310, now liberal-talk station WDTW, is still co-owned.

WNIC, an AC station, currently plays "oldies" (such as Rod Stewart and Elton John) along with today's hits; hence, best variety of yesterday & today (though its playlist of currents is quite small and the station is very slow to add new music). The playlist has also been getting progressively fresher, with the addition of contemporary artists, mainly pop and rock, such as Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, the Fray, Snow Patrol, Natasha Bedingfield, Rob Thomas, Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, KT Tunstall, and Avril Lavigne. The playlist is very similar to that of WMGC.

WNIC also features "Flashback Weekends", where they start playing only "oldies" (songs older than 20 years old, with a special emphasis on disco). It starts at 5:00 p.m. on every Friday, with exception of the holiday season, and ends at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Like most Adult Contemporary stations owned by Clear Channel, WNIC plays continuous Christmas music from before Thanksgiving through Christmas Day. In 2007, the station began to play Christmas music on November 1st, making it one of the very first FM stations in the United States to convert to the all holiday music format for the holiday season.

WNIC also features "AC Ballads and Love Songs" on its secondary HD Radio channel, dubbed "100.3% Love Songs."

The current lineup (as of November 2007) is as follows

  • Morning Show: The Breakfest Club - Chris Edmonds, Lisa Barry, Dave Lockhart & Chuck Gaidica (Weather)
  • Mid-Days: Theresa Lucas
  • Afternoon Drive: Kevin O'Neil
  • Nighttime: Alan Almond's Pillowtalk
  • Overnights: Gene Maxwell
  • Fri Nights: Tracy Gary
  • Weekend's/Fill-ins: Micki Gamez & Tracy Gary

As of the Fall 2007 Phase II Arbitron Radio Ratings, WNIC ranks as the 10th most popular radio station in Detroit. Competitor WDVD has been eating away at WNIC's market share, but it seems that this time WNIC is three place's ahead of WDVD.

100.3 WNIC Arbitron Radio Ratings (Fall 2007 Phase II)
Winter 2006 Spring 2006 Summer 2006 Fall 2006 Winter 2007 Spring 2007 Summer 2007 Fall 2007 Phase I Fall 2007 Phase II
4.1
3.7
(#11)
3.4
(#12)
6.5
(#2)
3.7
(#9)
3.1
(#12)
4.1
(#8)
3.5
(#10)
3.7
(#10)

According to a preliminary Arbitron report released December 12, 2007

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