WGIR-FM

WGIR-FM (101.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Manchester, New Hampshire, airing a mainstream rock radio format, branded as Rock 101. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., America's largest owner of radio stations. According to Nielsen Audio, WGIR-FM is usually the #2 rated radio station in the Manchester radio market behind 95.7 WZID.[2] Weekdays begin with the comedy radio show Greg and the Morning Buzz, hosted by Greg Kretschmar. It is shared with co-owned 100.3 WHEB in Portsmouth, and also heard on 104.9 WLKZ in Wolfeboro. The rest of the day, local DJs are heard. On Sunday nights, WGIR-FM carries the syndicated radio show The House of Hair with Dee Snider.

WGIR-FM
CityManchester, New Hampshire
Broadcast areaManchester-Nashua-Concord, New Hampshire
Frequency101.1 MHz
BrandingRock 101
SloganNew Hampshire's Rock Station
Programming
FormatMainstream rock
Ownership
OwneriHeartMedia, Inc.
(iHM Licenses, LLC)
WGIR
History
First air date
June 5, 1963 (1963-06-05)[1]
Former call signs
WGIR-FM (1963–1969)
WNHS (1969–1972)
Call sign meaning
GIRolimon family (former owner of its sister AM station)
Technical information
Facility ID35240
ClassB
ERP11,500 watts
HAAT313 meters (1,027 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
42.982°N 71.589°W / 42.982; -71.589
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiterock101fm.iheart.com

WGIR-FM's studios and offices are on Foundry Street in Manchester.[3] The transmitter is on Mount Uncanoonuc, off Perimeter Road in Goffstown, near other towers serving Southern New Hampshire TV and FM stations.[4]

Following the demise of WAAF (107.3 FM) with its sale to the Educational Media Foundation, WGIR-FM has gained major listenership in the adjacent Boston DMA, alongside Providence, Rhode Island station WHJY (94.1 FM), though WGIR-FM has a clearer signal in much of the Boston area compared to WHJY's weaker signal.

History

On June 5, 1963, WGIR-FM first signed on, under the ownership of Knight Quality Stations, Inc.[5] At first, it simulcast co-owned AM 610 WGIR with a mix of middle of the road music, talk and information, including NBC Radio News. It was powered at 5,000 watts, less than half its current output.

The 1970s saw WGIR-FM adopt a soft rock format including artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and Carole King. In 1979, the station began calling itself "Rock 101." WGIR-FM's sound evolved into a more mainstream album-oriented rock format.[6] The power was increased to 9,600 watts.

From the 1990s to the early 2000s, WGIR-FM played mostly classic rock. Saturdays and Sundays featured "Block Party Weekends" where three songs were played in a row from the same rock artist. In 1997, WGIR-AM-FM were purchased by the Capstar Corporation, which was later acquired by Clear Channel Communications, the forerunner to current owner iHeartMedia.[7]

In the early 2000s, the station moved to a harder-edged rock format featuring current and past rock acts. By 2005, the station had moved to a more contemporary rock format, After a few years, the playlist once again included a good number of rock artists from past years, including Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne. WGIR-FM was part of the Motor Racing Network and would broadcast NASCAR races; the station dropped MRN after the 2017 season.

References
  1. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. p. D-281. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  2. StationRatings.com/Manchester
  3. Rock101FM.iheart.com/contact
  4. Radio-Locator.com/WGIR-FM
  5. Broadcasting Yearbook 1964 page B-97
  6. Broadcasting Yearbook 1990 page B-198
  7. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000 page D-284
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