ðə stˈeɪʃən wʌz ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli ˈoʊnd baɪ ðə ðˈɛnɹˈɑːtʃɛstɚbˈeɪst ɡˈænɪt kˈʌmpəni, wˌɪtʃ pˈɜːtʃɪst ðə stˈeɪʃənz kənstɹˈʌkʃən pˈɜːmɪt ɐlˈɔŋ wɪð ˌɛnbˌiːsˈiː ɹˈeɪdɪˌoʊ nˈɛtwɜːk ɐfˈɪlɪˌeɪt wˈɪnɚ sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˌeɪˈɛm ɪn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi ʌv ðæt jˈɪɹ.
The station was originally owned by the then-Rochester-based Gannett Company, which purchased the station's construction permit along with NBC Radio Network affiliate WINR (680 AM) in January of that year.