WBNS-FM (97.1 MHz) – branded 97.1 The Fan – is a commercial sports radio station in Columbus, Ohio.

The studios are co-located with WBNS-TV (channel 10) on Twin Rivers Drive, west of Downtown Columbus.

It began airing a beautiful music format, playing quarter-hour sweeps of instrumental cover versions of popular songs, Broadway and Hollywood show tunes.

In the 1980s, the station began playing more soft adult contemporary vocals, in an effort to appeal to a younger audience.

Almost ten years later, in July 2001, WBNS-FM moved to modern AC as "The New 97.1", with a mix of pop alternative music.

Meanwhile, co-owned WBNS 1460 AM had good ratings as an all-sports AM station, as more cities were getting FM sports outlets.

On June 11, 2019, The Columbus Dispatch announced it was selling its broadcasting assets, including WBNS-AM-FM-TV, to Tegna Inc., for $535 million in cash.

[8] Over time, WBNS-FM became the exclusive home of local Columbus-based sports shows, while WBNS 1460 AM airs the national ESPN Radio Network feed.