itt , ▁a ▁Sy rac use ▁sub urb . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁the ▁station ▁began ▁its ▁run ▁as ▁a ▁popular ▁music ▁station ▁after ▁beginning ▁as ▁a ▁Mut ual ▁Broadcast ing ▁System ▁affili ate . ▁Among ▁its ▁ 1 9 5 0 s - era ▁staff ers ▁was ▁character ▁actor ▁and ▁Golden ▁Glo be ▁nom ine e ▁Ald o ▁Ray , ▁who ▁worked ▁there ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁during ▁an ▁extended ▁break ▁in ▁his ▁film ▁career ; ▁a ▁public ity ▁photo ▁of ▁him ▁taken ▁at ▁the ▁station ▁surv ives ▁and ▁is ▁reprodu ced ▁on ▁a ▁station ▁t ribute ▁website . ▁During ▁the ▁station ' s ▁he yd ay ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁personal ities ▁who ▁would ▁later ▁achieve ▁success ▁in ▁major ▁mark ets ▁including ▁Bud ▁Ball ou , ▁Peter ▁Cav an augh , ▁Bob ▁Sh annon ▁and ▁Jo ey ▁Reyn olds ▁were ▁among ▁the ▁notable ▁disc ▁j ock e ys ▁that ▁worked ▁at ▁W ND R . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 s , ▁the ▁station ▁strugg led . ▁It ▁adopted ▁the ▁W N SS ▁call sign ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁after ▁dro pping ▁a ▁country ▁music ▁format ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁all - news ▁under ▁the ▁brand ing ▁of ▁" W - News ". ▁After ▁a ▁brief ▁and ▁ill - f ated ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁change ▁to