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.
City | Shawsville, Virginia |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Roanoke, Virginia New River Valley |
Frequency | 102.5 MHz |
Branding | "COVID Virginia 102.5" |
Slogan | "Together in Isolation" |
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 |
Links | |
Webcast | WBZS Webstream |
Website | WBZS 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
- "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
- WBZS in the FCC's FM station database
- WBZS on Radio-Locator
- WBZS in Nielsen Audio's FM station database