The 1230 kHz frequency, and its pre-NARBA predecessor of 1200 kHz, were occupied from August 1936 to February 1954 by WTHT, a station owned by The Hartford Times newspaper. WTHT was Hartford's third radio station, affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1936 to 1945 and ABC from 1945 to 1954. An FM adjunct, WTHT-FM 106.1, operated from 1948 to 1950.
The Times and General Tele-Radio, owner of Hartford station WONS, both applied for channel 18 after the Federal Communications Commission took applications for the newly opened channel. In October 1953, the two parties agreed to merge their broadcasting interests in Hartford. As a result, WTHT radio left the air on February 13, 1954; WONS became WGTH, which added ABC programming to its schedule.
History
After WTHT left the air, a number of applicants sought to use the 1230 frequency in Hartford, East Hartford, or Manchester. Brothers Broadcasting Company proposed a station in Hartford; Regional Broadcasting Company specified East Hartford; and John Deme–owned Manchester Broadcasting Company proposed a station in Manchester.[4] The FCC issued a decision favoring Deme in July 1957.[5]
WINF began broadcasting on May 18, 1958, from studios in the Manchester Shopping Parkade.[6]
In the 1980s, the studios were moved to Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford. In 1994, the studios were moved to the fourth floor of a building on Cedar Street in Hartford, and the station—then WLAT—operated with a Spanish-language format under new ownership. In 1999, Alfredo Alonso's Mega Broadcasting purchased the station for $575,000 from Jeffrey Dressler. WLAT moved again in 2000, this time to 330 Main Street where it joined station WNEZ (910 AM); the two stations swapped call signs in 2001. In 2002, Freedom Communications purchased both stations. Ownership changed again in 2007 to Gois, and the studios moved to East Hartford.
