WVTF

Last updated
WVTF
Radio IQ Network 2015.PNG
Broadcast area Southwest Virginia and Central Virginia
Frequency 89.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingRadio IQ
Programming
Format Public radio/talk
Subchannels
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WVTF Music
History
First air date
August 1, 1973
(50 years ago) (1973-08-01)
Former call signs
WVWR-FM (1973–1982)
Former frequencies
90.1 MHz (1973–1975) [1]
Call sign meaning
Virginia Tech Foundation
Technical information
Facility ID 70338
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 600 meters (1,988 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 37°11′56.0″N80°09′2.0″W / 37.198889°N 80.150556°W / 37.198889; -80.150556
Translator(s) See § Low power translators
Links
Webcast Listen live
Website wvtf.org

WVTF (89.1 FM) is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve Roanoke, Virginia, featuring a public radio format branded "Radio IQ". Owned by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) through its fundraising arm, the Virginia Tech Foundation, [2] the station carries programming from NPR, the Public Radio Exchange, American Public Media and the BBC World Service. WVTF is a listener-supported station, holding periodic fundraisers on the air. The studios and offices are on Kingsbury Lane in Roanoke.

Contents

WVTF has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM radio stations in the U.S. The transmitter is on Poor Mountain, off Media Way in Bent Mountain, Virginia. [3] WVTF broadcasts using HD Radio technology. [4] The station's HD-2 digital subchannel simulcasts the "WVTF Music" format from co-owned 89.9 WWVT-FM in Ferrum, Virginia, playing classical music and jazz. The HD-3 subchannel carries Christian Contemporary music from WRVL Lynchburg, Virginia. In addition to WVTF, Radio IQ is heard on 16 rebroadcasters and FM translators around Virginia.

History

WVWR-FM

The station signed on the air on August 1, 1973, as WVWR-FM (Virginia Western Radio) licensed to Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke. [5] It was used primarily to air college telecourses and give broadcasting students a chance to hone their skills.

In 1975, WVWR-FM's transmitter was moved from Fishburn Hall on the VWCC campus to Poor Mountain, where most of Roanoke's major radio and television stations have their transmitters. The power also was increased from 4,100 watts to 100,000 watts. The power boost tripled its coverage area, giving it at least secondary coverage in much of central and southwest Virginia, southern West Virginia and northern North Carolina. In 1979, WVWR-FM began the Radio Reading Service on its subcarrier frequency.

Virginia Tech Foundation

In 1981, state officials decided that no state agency should directly own a radio station, and Virginia Western was forced to sell. The Virginia Tech Foundation, financially independent of Virginia Tech but controlled by school leadership, expressed interest in buying the station. It not only wanted to preserve public radio in the region, but saw WVWR as a way to increase Virginia Tech's ties to Roanoke. [6] The foundation formally took control in 1982 and initially applied for the call sign WRVT before settling on WVTF. [7] Over the next decade, WVTF built translator after translator to better serve its mostly mountainous coverage area.

From 1980 to 2017, WVTF and its repeaters maintained a schedule typical of full-service public radio stations, with NPR news in drive times, classical music during the day and overnight, and various special music and talk programming on nights and weekends.

Rebranding as Radio IQ

In 2003, WVTF launched Radio IQ in order to provide a secondary schedule consisting only of news/talk programming, including retransmission of the BBC World Service overnight. [5] Radio IQ broadcast over its own network of stations, consisting of extra signals that were overlapped by WVTF's network, as well as those in areas such as Richmond which receive a music and news schedule from another NPR member station. Radio IQ began with WWVT (1260 AM, Christiansburg). The service quickly expanded to WFFC (89.9 FM, Ferrum), the former Ferrum College student radio station, and WVTW (88.5 FM), an extra station in Charlottesville. [8] Radio IQ signed on WRIQ in Lexington in 2011 and purchased WQIQ near Fredericksburg in 2013.

On July 10, 2017, Radio IQ became WVTF's main service, and the station itself rebranded from "WVTF Public Radio" to "Radio IQ". Three of the five existing Radio IQ stations (WVTW, WQIQ, and WRIQ) merged with WVTF and its network (WVTR, WVTU, and WISE-FM) to place the news and talk schedule on as many full-powered signals as possible. A new companion service, WVTF Music, launched on the remaining stations (WWVT and WFFC, later renamed WWVT-FM) and HD2 subchannels of the new combined Radio IQ network. Low-powered translators of the previous WVTF and Radio IQ networks were divided between the two services. WVTF Music took over all music programming, including daily blocks of classical music, specialty local programs, and Live From Here . [9] [10] [11]

WRIQ Richmond

Radio IQ's programming had been heard in portions of the Greater Richmond Region on low-powered translator W223AZ (92.5 FM) since 2009. [12] In October 2019, WVTF purchased WNVU (89.7 FM) in nearby Charles City, Virginia. That station began simulcasting Radio IQ programming in January 2020 under the new call letters WRIQ.

WRIQ brings a full-powered Radio IQ signal to Richmond for the first time. That puts it in direct competition with Richmond-based NPR member WCVE-FM. WCVE has its own network of rebroadcasters known as the VPM News Service.

Stations

Full power stations

All stations broadcast using HD Radio technology, with "WVTF Music" on its HD2 subchannel. [13] [14] [15]

Call sign Frequency City of license ERP (W) Class FCC info
WIQR88.7 FM Lexington, Virginia 3,900A FCC
WRIQ 89.7 FM Charles City, Virginia 27,000B1 FCC
WQIQ88.3 FM Spotsylvania, Virginia 3,500A FCC
WVTF [lower-alpha 1] 89.1 FM Roanoke, Virginia 100,000C FCC
WVTR91.9 FM Marion, Virginia 4,500C2 FCC
WVTU89.3 FM Charlottesville, Virginia (west)195B1 FCC
WVTW88.5 FM Charlottesville, Virginia (city)1,000B1 FCC

Notes:

The following stations broadcast Radio IQ on a part-time basis:

Call sign Frequency City of license ERP (W) Class FCC infoBroadcast times
WEHC 90.7 FM Emory, Virginia 8,700C3 FCC 12 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays [16]
WISE-FM 90.5 FM Wise, Virginia 220A FCC 12 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays [17]
WLUR 91.5 FM Lexington, Virginia 175A FCC 12 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily; various additional timeslots [18]

Translators

In addition to the main stations, Radio IQ is relayed by an additional 6 translators to widen its broadcast area. It can also be heard on WURV-HD3 in Richmond (which also feeds translator W223AZ). [19]

Call sign Frequency City of license ERP (W) Class FCC infoNotes
W212BP90.3 FM Clintwood, Virginia 1D FMQ Relays WISE-FM
W217BF91.3 FM Pound, Virginia 1D FMQ Relays WISE-FM
W219CJ91.7 FM Norton, Virginia 50D FMQ Relays WISE-FM
W223AZ92.5 FM Richmond, Virginia 220D FMQ Relays WURV-HD3
W230BD93.9 FM Lovingston, Virginia 10D FMQ Relays WVTF
W235BT94.9 FM Fredericksburg, Virginia 80D FMQ Relays WQIQ

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNRN-FM</span> Radio station in Charlottesville, Virginia

WNRN-FM is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Central and Western Virginia. The station has a board of directors consisting of local community members and is incorporated as the non-profit Stu-Comm, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRVA (AM)</span> Radio station in Richmond, Virginia

WRVA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Richmond and serving Central Virginia. WRVA airs a talk radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. Established in 1925, WRVA is one of Virginia's oldest radio stations, and the most powerful AM station in the Commonwealth. For much of its history, WRVA billed itself as the "Voice of Virginia."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCVE-FM</span> Radio station in Richmond, Virginia

WCVE-FM is a public radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia, serving the Richmond/Petersburg area. WCVE-FM is owned and operated by Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation. CPBC also owns Channel 23 WCVE-TV, the PBS member station in Richmond, as well as other TV and FM stations in Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WURV</span> Radio station in Richmond, Virginia

WURV is a commercial radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia. The station is owned by SummitMedia, through licensee SM-WURV, LLC. WURV broadcasts a hot adult contemporary music format to the Richmond/Petersburg/Central Virginia radio market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJSR</span> Classic hits radio station in Lakeside–Richmond, Virginia

WJSR is a broadcast radio station licensed to Lakeside, Virginia, serving Richmond and Petersburg in Virginia. WJSR is owned and operated by SummitMedia, and broadcasts a classic hits format. The station's studios are located west of Richmond proper in unincorporated Chesterfield County, and its transmitter is located in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KUER-FM</span> Public radio station in Salt Lake City

KUER-FM is a public radio station in Salt Lake City, Utah. Owned by the University of Utah, its studios are located in the Eccles Broadcast Center on the University of Utah campus, while its transmitter is located on Farnsworth Peak, after relocating from Mount Vision in the Oquirrh Mountains in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBTJ</span> Urban radio station in Richmond, Virginia

WBTJ – branded as 106.5 The Beat – is a commercial urban contemporary radio station licensed to serve Richmond, Virginia. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station services the Greater Richmond Region and the Petersburg area. The WBTJ studios are located just north of Richmond proper in unincorporated Henrico County, while the station transmitter resides in the Richmond suburb of Bon Air. Besides a standard analog transmission, WBTJ broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online via Audacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLRN-FM</span> Public radio station in Miami

WLRN-FM is a class C1 FM station on 91.3 MHz, and is the main public radio station for South Florida and the Keys based in Miami. The station is owned by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and is the area's flagship NPR member station, therefore carries Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!. It is also affiliated with Public Radio International and carries The Takeaway and The World, among others. It airs its own locally-produced music programs Evenin' Jazz with Tracy Fields on weeknights, and Night Train on Sundays, before being taken over by the BBC World Service during the overnights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXLK</span> Radio station in Roanoke, Virginia

WXLK is a commercial radio station licensed to Roanoke, Virginia, serving the New River Valley and Southwest Virginia. WXLK airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned and operated by Mel Wheeler, Inc.

WKAR-FM is a non-commercial public radio station in East Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Michigan State University, along with sister stations WKAR and WKAR-TV. They are owned by Michigan State University, with studios are in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, at Wilson and Red Cedar Roads on the MSU campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCHV (AM)</span> Radio station in Charlottesville, Virginia

WCHV is a news/talk-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. WCHV is owned and operated by Monticello Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVBE-FM</span> Radio station in Lynchburg, Virginia

WVBE-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, and serving Metro Lynchburg. It is owned and operated by Mel Wheeler, Inc., with studios and offices on Electric Road in Roanoke. WVBE-FM 100.1 and WVBB 97.7 in Elliston-Lafayette, Virginia, simulcast an urban adult contemporary radio format, with WVBB serving the Roanoke metropolitan area. Each weekday in AM drive time, The Vibe carries The Steve Harvey Morning Show.

WRVL is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, serving the New River Valley. WRVL is owned and operated by Liberty University and was founded by Jerry Falwell. It broadcasts a Christian Contemporary radio format known as "The Journey." The station is listener-supported and holds periodic fundraisers on the air. The studios and offices are on Candlers Mountain Road in Lynchburg.

WRIQ (89.7 MHz) is a National Public Radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charles City, Virginia, serving the Richmond–Petersburg area. WRIQ is part of the Radio IQ network, simulcasting the NPR news and talk programming of flagship WVTF. WRIQ is owned by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University through its fundraising arm, the Virginia Tech Foundation.

WGTD is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and serving Racine and eastern Walworth Counties along with Lake County, Illinois. Owned by Gateway Technical College, the station is affiliated with Wisconsin Public Radio. It airs WPR's "NPR News and Classical Network", consisting of classical music as well as news and talk programming. Classical 24 is heard overnight. WGTD occasionally breaks away from WPR to air local programming and Kenosha-focused newscasts.

WFLV is a contemporary Christian formatted radio station in West Palm Beach, Florida, owned by the Educational Media Foundation and branded as K-Love. WFLV airs Contemporary worship music on its HD2 subchannel, branded as Air1 and has a Christian radio format on its HD3 subchannel, branded as Family Radio.

WISE-FM is a public radio station licensed to Wise, Virginia, serving Norton, Coeburn and Clintwood in Virginia. WISE-FM is owned and operated by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The station rebroadcasts the public radio programming of Emory and Henry College radio station WEHC full-time. It also broadcasts in HD Radio; HD1 rebroadcasts the analog signal while HD2 is a feed of WVTF Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEHC</span> Public radio station in Emory, Virginia

WEHC is a Public Radio-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Emory, Virginia, serving the Abingdon/Marion area. WEHC is owned and operated by Emory and Henry College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWVT-FM</span> Public radio station in Ferrum, Virginia

WWVT and WWVT-FM are non-commercial public radio stations. WWVT is licensed to Christiansburg, Virginia, and WWVT-FM is licensed to Ferrum, Virginia. They broadcast a classical music format and are owned and operated by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. WWVT-FM is the flagship station of WVTF Music, a companion service to WVTF, Southwestern Virginia's NPR member news and information station. WWVT-AM-FM have their studios and offices at WVTF's facility in Roanoke.

WRXL-HD2 – branded Big 98.5 – is a digital subchannel of Richmond, Virginia radio station WRXL (102.1 FM). Owned by Audacy, Inc., WRXL-HD2 functions as a commercial country music radio station, serving Greater Richmond and much of surrounding Central Virginia. Using the proprietary technology HD Radio for its main digital transmission, WRXL-HD2 also rebroadcasts over low-power analog Glen Allen translator W253BI (98.5 FM), and streams online via Audacy. The WRXL-HD2 studios, and transmitters for both WRXL-HD2 and W253BI, reside in the Richmond suburb of Dumbarton.

References

  1. ↑ "FCC History Cards for WVTF" (PDF). FCC .
  2. ↑ "WVTF Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/WVTF
  4. ↑ "HD Radio station guide for Roanoke–Lynchburg, VA". Archived from the original on 2016-09-15.
  5. 1 2 ralph.berrier@roanoke.com 981–3338, Ralph Berrier Jr. "WVTF and Radio IQ will switch signals July 10". Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2019-08-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "WVTF Public Radio Studio". Virginia Tech Foundation.
  7. ↑ "Call letters" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 8, 1982. p. 118.
  8. ↑ Corbin, Robert (March 14, 2003). "Radio IQ searches for home". VARTV.
  9. ↑ "Programming and frequency changes coming to WVTF and RADIO IQ". Virginia Tech.
  10. ↑ Venta, Lance (15 June 2017). "WVTF To Shuffle Frequencies Of Music & Radio IQ Outlets Across Virginia". RadioInsight.
  11. ↑ "Home | WVTF RADIO IQ". WVTF RADIO IQ. Retrieved Feb 8, 2019.
  12. ↑ "RADIO IQ/WVTF to Expand Richmond Coverage Area This Fall". www.wvtf.org. 10 October 2019.
  13. ↑ Staff, FCC Internet Services. "Station Search Details". licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  14. ↑ Staff, FCC Internet Services. "Station Search Details". licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  15. ↑ "HD (Digital) Radio". wvtf.org. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  16. ↑ "Radio IQ". www.ehc.edu. Retrieved Feb 8, 2019.
  17. ↑ "WEHC Widens Signal to become WEHC, Emory, and WISE-FM, Wise". 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  18. ↑ "Weekly Schedule". Washington and Lee University. Retrieved Feb 8, 2019.
  19. ↑ "WVTF/Radio IQ Post-Flip Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved Feb 8, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.