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Community Gets Local Service On FM
100.5 and FM 101.9
 Two AM radio stations in the United States
were the first to receive approval
from the Federal Communications Commission to use FM translators to improve its local coverage area.
On March 1, 2007, WGNS was proudly the first radio
station in the United States to begin this expanded
service to our community. Now, in
addition to hearing the Good Neighbor Station at AM 1450, you can
now listen to WGNS on FM 100.5 and
FM 101.9. Of course, our over-the-air TV channel 11 coverage
will continue. top left photo:
L-R FCC Senior Deputy Bureau Chief
Roy Stewart presents Bart Walker the waiver that allows WGNS to use
FM. Also at the meeting in Washington, DC was Kingsport broadcaster and past National Association
of Broadcasters AM on FM Chair George DeVault. Walker
said, "This waiver didn't just fall out of the sky.
We've been working on this and making written requests
and in-person presentations to the FCC for over a
decade. The hard work of two persons who both
grew-up in Murfreesboro moved this proposal forward.
It could not have been accomplished without FCC
Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate and U.S. Congressman Bart
Gordon. Changes being considered by the Commission
will have a major positive impact on AM broadcasters and
the citizens who live in areas served by these radio
stations."
Ironically, one of the main reasons
 WGNS sought approval
to retransmit on FM 100.5 and FM 101.9 was to give
reliable 24/7 communications to
 Rutherford
County residents during natural or man-made emergencies.
The station began FM coverage at 9:00 o'clock Thursday
morning, March 1, 2007. By mid morning tornado warnings
forced Rutherford County Schools to announce that they
were closing two-hours early. Thanks to
Commissioner Tate and Congressman Gordon, Murfreesboro
residents had a static-free source of emergency
information. WGNS is grateful for the
written support that strengthened our request to the
FCC. Over the past decade, the following service
groups made written requests to allow WGNS AM to use FM
translators:
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, Heart of
Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross, Rutherford
County Emergency Management Agency, City of
Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, and
Murfreesboro City Schools.
lower photos:
(left picture) center Congressman Bart Gordon welcomes
Lee Ann and Bart Walker to his Washington, DC office
where he congratulates them on being granted approval to
place WGNS on two FM frequencies. (right photo)
FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate and U.S.
Congressman Bart Gordon, both grew-up in
Murfreesboro. As we rang-in 2007,
WGNS began its 60th year of service to the Heart of
Tennessee. The addition of FM 100.5 and FM 101.9
will help WGNS to better serve residents in Murfreesboro
and Rutherford County.
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