WNBF Starts 100th Year of Service to Binghamton and Beyond

WNBF Radio is beginning its 100th year of serving the residents of the Southern Tier of New York and northeastern Pennsylvania.

WNBF has been known as Binghamton's "first radio station" for the past century, although it technically wasn't the very first operation to start broadcasting.

See the video and photo gallery at the end of this article.

A couple of other stations briefly entertained people in the Binghamton area before moving away or shutting down.

The Binghamton Press was enthusiastic when it reported that WNBF had been granted a broadcast license: "A fine thing for this community as well as additional entertainment for thousands of radio fans will be the permanent radio station at the Elvin theater."

WNBF Radio's first home was in the theater building at 117 West Main Street in the Union District of Endicott. According to the newspaper, the station broadcast its first program on February 24, 1927. It reportedly was heard by people in Minneapolis.

WNBF initially broadcast entertainment programs from eight to ten on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. After a few weeks, the station moved to the Hotel Frederick on Washington Avenue in Endicott. WNBF relocated to the Arlington Hotel in Binghamton in November 1928.

Since then, the radio station has remained in the city of Binghamton. WNBF's studios and offices have been located at 59 Court Street since December 1997.

The station now is heard on three over-the-air frequencies: 92.1 FM, 93.9 FM and 1290 AM. People outside the Binghamton area can listen online at wnbf.com and via the WNBF app.

WNBF has had several owners over the past century. The station was acquired by Townsquare Media in 2012.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: We visited the site where the station began broadcasting in February 1927.

WNBF PHOTO GALLERY: Just a few images from our past...

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.