KOOL 101.7 (New Albany, OH)

WNKO (101.7 FM) is a radio station based in New Albany, Ohio, offering a lineup of classic hits and branding itself as "KOOL 101.7." This station is owned and managed by the Runnymede Corporation and has been on air since 1972. It shares a connection with WHTH as a sister station. Initially, WNKO served the Newark, Ohio area with a power output of 3000 watts. In 2009, the station applied to change its city of license to New Albany, relocate its transmitter, and increase its power. This transition was dependent on WKSW (now known as WCLI-FM), which was formerly based in Urbana, Ohio, completing its move to the Dayton area and switching frequencies from 101.7 to 101.5. Until WKSW's relocation was finalized, WNKO's broadcasting capabilities were restricted. On March 25, 2011, WNKO successfully started broadcasting from a new transmitter in Johnstown, Ohio, allowing it to reach the Columbus metropolitan area with a much stronger signal. The management at WNKO has indicated that the station will continue to focus primarily on serving the Newark community, and it identifies itself hourly as "WNKO New Albany-Newark." However, there is speculation that this move was strategically aimed at positioning the station for a potential sale in the more lucrative Columbus market. WNKO also broadcasts in HD format and is licensed to transmit a digital hybrid (HD) signal.