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{{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox radio station | name = WCNN | logo = WCNN logo.png | logo_size = 180px | city = [[Brookhaven, Georgia|North Atlanta, Georgia]] | area = [[Atlanta metropolitan area]] | branding = ''The Fan - 680 and 93.7 FM'' | frequency = {{Frequency|680|[[Hertz#SI multiples|kHz]]}} | translator = {{Radio Relay|93.7|W229AG|[[Atlanta]]}} | airdate = {{start date|1965|9|1}} (as WRNG) | format = [[Sports radio|Sports]] | power = 50,000 [[watt]]s day<br>10,000 watts night | class = B | facility_id = 56389 | coordinates = {{coord|33|57|41|N|84|15|47|W|type:landmark}} | callsign_meaning = [[CNN|Cable News Network]]<br>([[Headline News|CNN Headline News]], the former [[news radio]] format carried by the station) | former_callsigns = WRNG (1965β1982)<br>WCNN (1982β1987)<br>WGTW (1987β1988) | affiliations = [[ESPN Radio]] | owner = Dickey Broadcasting Company | sister_stations = [[WIFN (AM)|WIFN]], [[WFOM]] | webcast = [https://www.680thefan.com/listen-live Listen Live] | website = {{URL|https://www.680thefan.com|680thefan.com}} | licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] }} '''WCNN''' (680 [[AM broadcasting|AM]]) is a [[radio station]] [[city of license|licensed]] to [[Brookhaven, Georgia|North Atlanta]] and serving the [[Atlanta metropolitan area|Atlanta-area]] [[radio market]]. It is owned by Dickey Broadcasting and airs a [[sports radio]] [[radio format|format]]. The station is commonly known by the on-air branding as "'''The Fan'''". Local sports shows are heard weekdays with the [[ESPN Radio]] Network airing nights and weekends. WCNN is the [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] of the [[Atlanta Braves Radio Network]]. WCNN broadcasts with a power of 50,000 [[watt]]s during the daytime, and 10,000 watts at night, using a [[directional antenna]] at all times to protect other stations on [[AM 680]] including [[KNBR (AM)|KNBR]] from [[San Francisco]]. WCNN's [[transmitter]] and [[mast radiator|tower]]s are located near [[Norcross, Georgia]], northeast of [[Atlanta]].<ref>[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WCNN-AM&h=N Radio-Locator.com/WCNN]</ref> WCNN is also heard on a 250-watt [[FM radio|FM]] [[broadcast relay station|translator]], W229AG at 93.7 [[hertz|MHz]].<ref>[https://radio-locator.com/info/W229AG-FX Radio-Locator.com/W229AG]</ref> The station formerly broadcast the audio portion of the [[CNN Headline News]] channel (hence its current [[call sign]]), an [[all-news radio]] format that the station pioneered in the 1980s and re-appeared on the station later in the station's history.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations">[http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~mleach/radio/am.html Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations]</ref> ==History== On September 1, 1965, the station [[sign-on|signed on]] as WRNG, Atlanta's first [[talk radio]] station.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/> The last three letters of the call sign represented the station's branding as "Ring Radio," as in the ringing of a telephone. The station was originally a [[daytimer]] operating at 5,000 watts but having to [[sign-off]] at night.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1970/B%20A-M%20BC%20YB%201970%20All-3.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1970 page B-54]</ref> It was the first broadcast home of [[talk radio]] personality [[Neal Boortz]], who went onto a long career at [[WSB (AM)|WSB]] and [[radio syndication|syndicated nationally]].<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/> Other, now well known talk radio personalities were also heard on the station, including [[Ronn Owens]], later at [[KGO (AM)|KGO]] in [[San Francisco]], Southern Humorist [[Ludlow Porch]], and Barry Young, later at [[KFYI]] in [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]. In 1982, the station began an experiment by broadcasting the audio feed of [[CNN Headline News]].<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/> The call letters were changed to WCNN, a nod to CNN's [[CNN Center|headquarters]] being in Atlanta.<ref name="jeffreyleachman.com">[http://www.jeffreyleachman.com/AtlantaAM.html Jeffrey Leachman - Atlanta, Georgia AM Radio Directory]</ref> In February 1987, the station switched to an [[adult standards]] radio format and changed its call letters to WGTW.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/><ref name="jeffreyleachman.com"/> Its call sign was a reference to the Atlanta-based classic movie ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'', which, coincidentally, is the favorite movie of CNN founder [[Ted Turner]]. The station went by the branding "Stardust 680" during that time.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/><ref name="jeffreyleachman.com"/> The radio format failed to gain ratings in the market. In late 1988, chief engineer Bob Mayben and his staff built elaborate studios in the CNN Center (formerly known as The Omni) and became WCNN "All News 680", with a 24-hour local news format. The [[CNN Headline News]] audio returned in June 1990, when the local all-news format failed to generate sufficient ratings.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/><ref name="jeffreyleachman.com"/> In 1995, WCNN was leased to [[Cox Radio]] for a 5-year term. The radio format was switched to Sports Talk as "680 The Fan".<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/><ref name="jeffreyleachman.com"/> In 1998, the format switched to [[news radio|news]]/[[talk radio|talk]] to complement [[WSB (AM)|WSB]]'s programming.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/> In 2000, when the [[Local marketing agreement|LMA]] expired, control of WCNN returned to Dickey Broadcasting.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/> The "680 The Fan" branding and the [[sports radio]] format returned to WCNN.<ref name="Atlanta Area AM Radio Stations"/><ref name="jeffreyleachman.com"/> WCNN was the [[flagship (radio)|flagship station]] of the [[Atlanta Thrashers]]<ref>[http://thrashers.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=35372 Atlanta Thrashers Official Site - Thrashers Broadcasters]</ref> before the Thrashers moved to [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]], Canada, and was the flagship of the [[Atlanta Hawks]] Radio Network before rival [[WZGC]] gained the rights in 2013. It has been the flagship station of the [[Atlanta Braves Radio Network]] since 2010.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070417200837/http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/atl/fan_forum/braves_radio_network.jsp Atlanta Braves Official Site - Braves Radio Network]</ref> WCNN is also the flagship station of [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football]] and [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball|menβs basketball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ramblinwreck.com/georgia-tech-680-93-7-the-fan-extend-expand-flagship-agreement-3/|title=Georgia Tech, 680/93.7 The Fan extend, expand flagship agreement|publisher=[[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets|Georgia Tech athletics]]|date=June 28, 2017|access-date=May 23, 2019}}</ref> In 2019, the station became the flagship of [[Atlanta Gladiators]] hockey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.atlantagladiators.com/en/news/2019/gladiators-land-on-atlanta-s-sports-station|title=Gladiators land on Atlanta's sports station|date=October 3, 2019|access-date=January 14, 2020}}</ref> WCNN is now an affiliate of [[ESPN Radio]] after years of carrying [[CBS Sports Radio]], [[NBC Sports Radio]] and [[Fox Sports Radio]] programming.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insideradio.com/espn-radio-changes-atlanta-affiliates/article_7720d136-2036-11e5-85d1-2357f802108f.html |title = ESPN Radio Changes Atlanta Affiliates. {{!}} {{!}} insideradio.com}}</ref> On November 30, 2010, WCNN got an FM [[simulcast]] on [[broadcast translator]] W229AG FM 93.7. In 2010, that station was actually assigned to carry [[WWWQ (FM)|WWWQ]] FM 99.7 [[HD Radio|HD]]3. It is located on [[Sweat Mountain]], and for several years previously carried [[KAWZ (FM)|KAWZ]] FM, a [[Christian broadcasting]] station which feeds hundreds of translator stations from [[Calvary Chapel]] in [[Twin Falls, Idaho]]. It had Sandy Plains and now Atlanta as its [[community of license]]. [[99X (Atlanta)|99X]] was reportedly set to move to this station, which had a [[construction permit]] granted in July 2010 to relocate to the [[list of Atlanta broadcast stations by location#North Druid Hills|same tower]] near [[North Druid Hills]] as WWWQ and W250BC, and has the same power but somewhat lower height (and therefore [[broadcast range]]) as 99X has on W250BC. The station was still owned by Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, when it filed for the permit in April 2010. After being approved in early July, Calvary applied just a few days later to transfer ownership of the station to Cumulus for $400,000. It is now licensed to Cumulus Licensing LLC and resides on the WWWQ tower.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/78139/cumulus-buying-new-analog-translator-for-99x-atlan |title = Cumulus Buying New Analog Translator For 99X/Atlanta {{!}} AllAccess.com}}</ref> During the 2021 postseason, the [[Atlanta Braves Radio Network|Atlanta Braves Radio Network's]] coverage of their NLDS, NLCS and World Series appearances were carried on its online stream without geo-blocking restrictions. This has since continued into the 2022 season. {{citation needed|date=November 2021}} ==Programming== WCNN is also an affiliate of the [[Performance Racing Network]], which owns the [[Atlanta Motor Speedway]] in Hampton, Georgia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goprn.com/affiliates/station_listings/sprint-cup-series-affiliates.html |title = NASCAR Cup Series Affiliates {{!}} Station Listings {{!}} Affiliates {{!}} PRN}}</ref> ==References== {{portal|Radio|Georgia (U.S. state)}}{{reflist}} ==External links== *[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=66677 FCC History Cards for WCNN] *{{Official website|https://www.680thefan.com}} *{{AM station data|56389|WCNN}} *{{FCC-LMS-Facility|88937|W229AG}} *{{FXL|W229AG}} {{Atlanta Braves broadcasters}} {{Atlanta Radio}} {{Sports Radio Stations in Georgia}} [[Category:Sports radio stations in the United States]] [[Category:Radio stations in Atlanta|CNN]] [[Category:Radio stations established in 1967]] [[Category:1967 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]] [[Category:ESPN Radio stations]]
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