WARJ
| Broadcast area | Roanoke, Virginia New River Valley |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 102.5 MHz |
| Branding | "COVID Virginia 102.5" |
| Programming | |
| Format | COVID-19-centric News/Talk |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | George S. Flinn, Jr. |
| History | |
First air date | 2013 |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 89133 |
| Class | A |
| Power | 150 Watts |
| HAAT | 591 meters (1,939 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 37°11′42.0″N 80°9′23.0″W / 37.195000°N 80.156389°W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | WBZS Webstream |
| Website | WBZS Online |
WBZS is a radio station licensed to Shawsville, Virginia, serving Roanoke, Virginia and the New River Valley broadcasting a COVID-19-centric News/Talk format.[1] WBZS is owned by George S. Flinn, Jr.
History
From its 2013 sign-on, the station was leased to Three Daughters Media, which simulcast the talk format of WIQO-FM Lynchburg.[2]
WBZS entered into a three-year lease to Community Media Group, owner of adult album alternative WVMP, on December 1, 2016.[3][4]
On February 1, 2018, the AAA format moved exclusively to WBZS, which rebranded as "102.5 The Mountain".[5][6]
Upon the lease ending on December 1, 2019, the AAA programming moved back to WVMP.[7]
In April 2020, Flinn donated the station's signal to air a noncommercial news/talk format focusing specifically on coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in the New River Valley. The station is led by WVMP's former general manager and a volunteer staff, with on-air hosts working from home studios.[8][9]
References
- ^ "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Venta, Lance (11 November 2013). "Lynchburg Talker Expands To Trimulcast". RadioInsight.
- ^ "WBZS Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Venta, Lance (December 14, 2016). "WVMP Expands to Blacksburg". Radio Insight.
- ^ Venta, Lance (5 February 2018). "Roanoke's Mountain Loses One Of Its Signals". RadioInsight.
- ^ "Time Brokerage Agreement" (PDF). FCC Public Inspection File.
- ^ Venta, Lance (2 December 2019). "Roanoke's Mountain Returns to 101.5". RadioInsight.
- ^ "All-Volunteer COVID-19 News/Talk Station Launches In Roanoke". RadioInsight. 2020-04-07. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
- ^ "Volunteers launch radio station to discuss COVID-19". WDBJ. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
External links
- COVID Virginia 102.5 Online
- Facility details for Facility ID WBZS ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database