WRNW

WRNW (97.3 FM) - currently branded as 97-3 Now - is a Top 40 (CHR) FM radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin owned and operated by iHeartMedia. WRNW's studios are located with iHeartMedia's other Milwaukee operations in rural-suburban Greenfield, with their transmitter on the WISN-TV tower in Milwaukee's Lincoln Park, while its studios are in Greenfield.

History

Early years

The station started as WISN-FM, the second iteration of the station after a short-lived attempt in 1949 on 102.9 FM, where WHQG now resides. From the beginning, it has been a sister to WISN (AM) (1130) (starting as a straight simulcast of WISN), and for many years WISN-TV (channel 12) under the founding ownership of the Hearst Corporation. For most of 97.3's early two decades between January 1961 and 1978, it carried automated beautiful music like longtime rival (through Journal and Hearst's various Milwaukee ventures) WTMJ-FM, which converted to automated top 40 in 1974 as WKTI, from its sign-on in January 1961 until 1978.