City Morton, Illinois Branding G102.3 First air date 1976 (as WTAZ) | Broadcast area Peoria, Illinois Frequency 102.3 MHz | |
Slogan Peoria's Throwback Station | ||
WNGY is an FM radio station licensed for 102.3 MHz in Morton, Illinois near Peoria. It is owned by Alpha Media. WNGY's studios are at Civic Center Plaza, 331 Fulton Street, in Peoria.
Contents
History
The station came on the air in 1976 as WTAZ, broadcasting an oldies format with NBC features from a facility midway between Morton and Washington, Illinois, in Tazewell County (hence WTAZ). Roy Demanes (the owner of the Ramada Inn, a bank and a pharmacy in Peoria, as well as an extensive pre-need burial program) worked with Penny Press Publisher (and former WEEK-TV anchorman) Bud Carter to put the station on the air.
As of the late 1970s, the two were partners in the newspaper previously mentioned (a Peoria-based issues and entertainment oriented publication) and the radio station. Demanes exchanged his ownership in the paper for Carter's interest in the paper, then died of a heart attack a short time later.
The paper was purchased by another suburban weekly (the Observer), and Carter relocated to Atlanta where he now is Senior Chairman for the Atlanta operation of an international organization for CEOs (Vistage International).
Through most of the 1980s and 1990s, WTAZ had a talk format featuring personalities such as G. Gordon Liddy, Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, and Art Bell. In 1999, those shows and call letters were moved to AM, and 102.3 became WFXF-FM broadcasting Howard Stern in the morning, and rock music. In late 2000, Stern was dropped, and WFXF-FM played classic hits. In the early 2000s, the station was sold to AAA Entertainment, which was signing on WZIM (then WDQZ) in the Bloomington-Normal market at 99.5FM. 102.3 changed format and began simulcasting a classic rock format with the Bloomington-Normal signal known as "The Eagle" and changed call letters to WDQX. AAA hired the high-profile WJBC morning show of Scott Robbins and Nancy Thiel to do mornings on the new station.
In late 2005, WDQX was sold, along with WXCL, to JMP. WDQX kept a classic rock format, but was rebranded as "Max" and the music was tweaked to be more hard rock.
On October 15, 2014, WDQX owners Alpha Media announced 102.3 would flip to CHR as "Energy 102.3" at 9 AM the following day. The website for Energy promoted "10,000 Songs In A Row or $10,000!", implying that Energy would launch with the usual 10,000 songs in a row, and if not, would give away $10,000. The last song on Max FM was "Happy Trails" by Van Halen, while the first song on Energy was "Break Free" by Ariana Grande. On October 24, 2014, WDQX changed their call letters to WNGY to go with the "Energy" branding.
On September 16, 2016, at 5 p.m., WNGY flipped to classic hip hop, branded as "G102.3".
Talent
Notable air talent on WTAZ included: Charlie O'Day, Rick Atterberry, Bud Carter, Martin Mitchell, Donald Hennig,Patty Curtis, Jim Dynan, Charles Earley (now Chuck Collins of WMBD-TV Peoria), Dave Snell (of WMBD-TV and Radio), Ralph Snodsmith, Greg Batton, Derry Farber, Wayne R. Miller, and Cheryl Maddox-Miller. It was the home of the Markley and Luciano Morning show which aired from 5:30AM - 9AM and aired every Chicago Bears game. It was programmed by its afternoon personality "Joey D".