City | New York City, New York |
---|---|
Branding | Sports Radio 66 AM and 101 FM, The Fan |
Slogan | Your Flagship Station For New York Sports |
Frequency |
660 kHz 101.9 FM WFAN-FM |
First air date | March 2, 1922 |
Format | Sports |
Language(s) | English |
Power | 50,000 watts |
Class | A |
Facility ID | 28617 |
Transmitter coordinates |
40°51′35″N 73°47′7″W / 40.85972°N 73.78528°W (main antenna) 40°51′35″N 73°47′12″W / 40.85972°N 73.78667°W (auxiliary antenna) |
Callsign meaning | The word FAN, or sports fanatic |
Former callsigns | WEAF (1922–1946) WNBC (1946–1954 and 1960–1988) WRCA (1954–1960) |
Former frequencies | 1050 kHz (1987–1988) |
Affiliations |
CBS Sports Radio CBS NYCFC Radio Network Westwood One (national sports events only) |
Owner |
CBS Radio (CBS Radio East Inc.) |
Sister stations | WBMP, WCBS, WCBS-FM, WCBS-TV, WFAN-FM, WINS, WLNY-TV, WNEW-FM |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | WFAN |
WFAN (660 AM), also known as "Sports Radio 66 and 101 FM" or "The FAN", is a radio station located in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned and operated by CBS Radio. WFAN's studios are located in the combined CBS Radio facility in the West Village section of Manhattan; its transmitter is located on High Island in the The Bronx. WFAN is also heard on WFAN-FM (101.9 FM); CBS announced a purchase of that station from Merlin Media LLC in October 2012 and began a simulcast of "The FAN" on November 1, 2012.
WFAN was one of the earliest stations to adopt the sports radio format.
The 660 AM frequency in New York City originated as WEAF on March 2, 1922, owned by AT&T. In 1926 WEAF became the flagship station of the NBC Red Network, one of two radio chains operated by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). By 1928 WEAF was purchased by NBC's parent company, the Radio Corporation of America.
As a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement of 1941, WEAF became a clear-channel station and could be heard across most of the eastern half of North America at night. In 1943 the United States Supreme Court, citing antitrust concerns, ordered RCA to sell off one of its radio networks. The company decided to keep the Red Network, and it was rebranded as the NBC Radio Network after the Blue Network was divested to Edward J. Noble, which was later renamed the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).