WRNS, other radio partners relocating to Kinston

After more than a decade in New Bern, Dick Broadcasting Company is on its way back to Lenoir County.

The organization purchased the former BB&T building on Queen Street, bringing in its stations — 95.1 WRNS, BOB 93.3, WXQR Rock 105, 92.3/101.1 The River and Sports/Talk 960 The Bull.

“Kinston has certainly been a big part of our organization over the past 50 years,” General Manager Tony Denton said. “Due to Hurricane Florence in September, we moved everything out of our New Bern location and we were looking for another building with solid footing.

“The opportunity came here in Kinston, and I felt like it was a great way to bring this back home.”

Dick Broadcasting will be working with Dunn and Dalton Architects in Kinston. Denton said he’s excited to be a part of a budding downtown scene.

“We want to serve the communities we’ve been serving, and Kinston is a big one,” Denton said. “We’re also bringing our generators and will be on high grounds, so there won’t be any issue. It’s an outstanding time for us as a company to be a part of the revitalization of Kinston.”

Denton said he hopes to start construction next month, but it will be a while before the headquarters is operational.

“We have a lot of electrical work to do, along with HVAC,” Denton said. “It’ll take us a while to get up to code, but hopefully we can start operating in the late summer or early fall.

“We’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”