WNKU's Middletown signal goes silent Thursday night

WNKU’s fans have been dreading this day for months. 105.9 FM in Middletown, the last remaining signal of a station known for promoting local artists, goes silent at 6 p.m. Thursday. "This time tomorrow, WNKU will have had a big farewell. It’s been our honor and pleasure, and we hope you’ll celebrate with us (Thursday) for a day of requests," evening host Pam Temple said on air Wednesday night. Dry Ridge-based Grant County Broadcasters made a $5.3 million deal in July to buy the frequency from Northern Kentucky University, which said it was too expensive to keep operating. At the time, General Manager and CEO Jeff Ziesmann said Grant County Broadcasters would consider the potential revenue and ratings of all programming options, including WNKU’s current adult album alternative (triple-A) format. "Realize after today that’s gone also – local music. You can go around town to listen to … all the great music in the Cincinnati area, but you’re not going to hear it on a radio station. Nobody’s got the guts to do it but us," WNKU host Gary Keegan said on air Thursday morning. 105.9’s new format will remain a mystery until Grant County Broadcasters sign on at about midnight Monday morning, according to Peter Zolnowski, vice president of programming and operations, who’s been tight-lipped on the particulars.