WBZS

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.

For other uses, see WBZS (disambiguation).
WBZS
CityShawsville, Virginia
Broadcast areaRoanoke, Virginia
New River Valley
Frequency102.5 MHz
Branding"COVID Virginia 102.5"
Slogan"Together in Isolation"
Programming
FormatCOVID-19-centric News/Talk
Ownership
OwnerGeorge S. Flinn, Jr.
History
First air date2013
Technical information
Facility ID89133
ClassA
Power150 Watts
HAAT591 meters (1,939 ft)
Transmitter coordinates37°11′42.0″N 80°9′23.0″W
Links
WebcastWBZS Webstream
WebsiteWBZS Online

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 COVID-19 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
  1. "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  2. Venta, Lance (11 November 2013). "Lynchburg Talker Expands To Trimulcast". RadioInsight.
  3. "WBZS Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  4. Venta, Lance (December 14, 2016). "WVMP Expands to Blacksburg". Radio Insight.
  5. Venta, Lance (5 February 2018). "Roanoke's Mountain Loses One Of Its Signals". RadioInsight.
  6. "Time Brokerage Agreement" (PDF). FCC Public Inspection File.
  7. Venta, Lance (2 December 2019). "Roanoke's Mountain Returns to 101.5". RadioInsight.
  8. "All-Volunteer COVID-19 News/Talk Station Launches In Roanoke". RadioInsight. 2020-04-07. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  9. "Volunteers launch radio station to discuss COVID-19". WDBJ. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
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