HISTORY OF BROADCASTING IN WEST VIRGINIA

Other Stations

Upper left: John Cooper, who worked at the Grafton radio station and was on the original staff of WBOY-TV and WJPB-TV. Upper right: Bill Newbrough. Bottom left: Mack Rollins, who worked at WBOY radio and at the Grafton station. Lower right: unidentified, perhaps first name Charlie.

WVMR, Frost

Owned and operated by the Pocahontas Cooperative Communications Cooperative, WVMR is a sole service non-commercial broadcast station, located in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. There are no other radio or television stations in the county, and WVMR was built to serve the residents of this isolated area with a full schedule of community oriented programming, produced locally by volunteers.

WVMR took to the air in 1982 at 1370 khz on the AM dial. Due to the restrictions imposed by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia (some 8 miles north of the WVMR transmitter), no FM broadcasting is allowed. The NRAO has very sensitive radio telescopes that would be overwhelmed by a local FM transmitter, and WVMR was only allowed to broadcast on the relatively low frequencies of the AM dial. Even so, WVMR has become integral to the Pocahontas County region, and is the sole source for news and information, as well as entertainment for the county.

In May of 1995, as part of a long term expansion, WVMR built two new FM stations in adjacent Highland and Bath Counties, Virginia. WVLS, Monterey and WCHG, Hot Springs, provide WVMR programming during the daylight hours, and then bring local programming to each of their listening areas after dark. As the volunteer base for these stations grow, so will the program schedule.

The elevation at WVMR is 2600 feet above sea level. The weather is quite mild in the summer, but can be pretty chilly in the winter. As of early November, WVMR has already recorded three snowfalls, and the temperature on November 4, 1995 (3:00 PM) was 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-1.5 C).

WVMR operates with 5000 watts, and can be heard over a wide area as far south as Lewisburg (on Interstate 64), as far east as Monterey, Virginia, and north into Franklin, West Virginia. WVMR's call letters stand for "West Virginia Mountain Radio".

Keith Miller, a former DJ at WVMR writes:

The station was established I think in the early 1980's to serve Pocahontas County and the surrounding mountainous areas. This area of the state was not covered by any other local media and being as secluded and mountainous as it is, receiving any radio or television signals was near impossible. The station provides better community programing and news than any station I have ever listened to. It is a nonprofit corporation and most of its operating revenue is provided by donations from local individuals and businesses. There are very few paid employees, maybe 3 or 4, and their salary is mostly a token. Almost all the air time DJ's are volunteers providing their time to keep the station on the air from sunrise to sunset daily every day of the year. Therefore, those of us who have worked or are working at this station also like " Where Volunteers Make Radio ".

Some local people who disagree with some of the ways the station provides coverage of the news have also coined " West Virgina Moscow Radio "

WVMR broadcasts on 1370 am, Sunrise to sunset, is located on State Route 28 10 miles north of Huntersville next to Pocahontas County High School which provides many local students the opportunity to experience broadcasting. Their building is three-quarters underground and is designed to be primarily solar heated in the winter and is cooled by the earth in the summer. Anyone traveling in the Pocahontas Co. area is always welcome to stop in and say Hi and see what goes on inside to bring us what we call radio. That's exactly how I got started ( Hijacked ) into being a volunteer DJ.

WELD, Fisher

Reportedly Fisher was chosen as the site for WELD because it is midway between Moorefield and Petersburg, and neither city would feel slighted. When this station signed on the air, Fisher must have been one of the smallest towns in the United States to have a radio station licensed to it.

WELD-AM Fisher, signed on the air for the first time in August 1956 to serve the communities of Moorefield, Petersburg, Franklin, Romney, Wardensville and other small communities in the counties of Pendleton, Grant, Hardy, Hampshire, and other areas of the Eastern panhandle of the state, including the South Branch Valley. Richard Fields Lewis, Jr. was owner and Kimberly Johnson was manager. He and Johnny Bell and a young lady called "Alice in Recordland" made up a staff for the new daytime station.

The early format was popular or easy listening with periods of the new music sensation, Rock and Roll, in the evening for school-age listeners. Sometime in late 1959, the format changed to full-time country music and remains the same today.

Richard F. Lewis, Jr. passed away suddenly in 1958 and wife, Marian, became owner. In 1962, Kimberly Johnson was promoted to manager of a new station purchased by the Lewis family in New Hampshire. "Zag" Pennell, who had come to WELD in 1959 from WXGI, in Richmond, Va. was named manager. He held this position until retirement in spring of 1985.

In March, 1985, South Branch Communications, a general partnership consisting of Willard L. Earle, Carl D. Thorne, and Randall W. Thorne purchased WELD-AM from the Lewis heirs.

February 6, 1987 FM radio came to the South Branch Valley area when WELD-FM signed on the air. The same year the facilities were remodeled and doubled in size. Several future studio rooms were added.

WELD has always prided itself on community service: live coverage of local fairs and festivals, and local high school basketball, baseball, and football games. Perhaps the greatest service to the area occurred during the November 1985 "Great Flood". WELD remained on the air around the clock to make emergency announcements and to keep people informed. WELD was the only means of communication as telephone and power lines were wiped out.

The present staff includes managing partner, Willard Earle who came to WELD in November of 1960, Edwin "Biddy" Allen (1961), Calvin "Jack" Hose (1963), Alan Yokum (1969), Harold Garber (1985), Eloise Hines (1989), Jim McPeake (1989), and Daniel "Zag" Pennell who works part time. "Zag" was honored as West Virginia Broadcaster's Association's Distinguished Broadcaster (Mel Burka Award) for 1985. Sue Earle handles office duties with help from Annabelle Keller; and Edwin Allen and Larry Kuykendall handle engineering.

Others who worked at WELD over the last thirty years include "Gust" Boyd, Glen Wright (deceased), Charles Alt, Tom Leatherman, Jack Leatherman, Billy Ray Dunn, Julie Shobe, Irene Webster, Margaret Kesner, Amie Thompson, Kenny Pack, and Kathy Rohrbaugh.

WBLK, Clarksburg

The WEXP call shown below apparently was never used. The station apparently went on the air as WBLK in April 1937. The Mar. 15, 1937, issue of Broadcasting reported WBLK would probably go on the air "late this month" and the May 1 issue reports WBLK went on the air "last month."

From the FCC microfiche files, January 2, 1995.

                                    WPQZ

 4/25/36  Application made for a new station on 1370kc with 100 watts,
          daytime, at Clarksburg, WV.

  7/2/36  Granted a C.P. for 1370kc with 100 watts, daytime.

  5/4/37  Date first licensed.  The licensee was The Exponent Co.,
          Clarksburg, WV.  The first listed call letters were WEXP.  They
          were granted 1370kc, 100 watts, daytime.

  9/4/36  The call letters changed to WBLK.

 9/14/37  Granted mod. of lic. for 1370kc, 100 watts, unlimited, eff.
          10/26/37.

 3/20/39  Granted a C.P. for 1370kc, 100 watts, 250 watts LS, unlimited.
          License to cover the C.P. granted 5/31/39.

  8/8/39  Granted a mod. of lic. for 1370kc, 250 watts, unlimited.

  3/4/41  Vol. assign. of lic. to Charleston Broadcasting Co., eff. 4/8/41.

 3/24/41  Under NARBA, they were granted 1400kc, 250 watts, unlim.

 1/23/47  Vol. assign. of lic. to News Publishing Co., eff. 2/1/47, on
          condition that C.P. for WOPK is surrendered for cancellation,
          which it was on 2/1/47.

 11/6/50  Vol. assign. of lic. to Ohio Valley Broadcasting Co., eff.
          11/30/50.

  4/5/57  Vol. transfer of cont. of lic. corp. from News Publishing Co. to
          WSTV, Inc., eff. 5/10/57.

 7/15/57  The call letters changed to WBOY.

 7/23/57  Vol. assign. of lic. to WSTV, Inc., eff. 8/1/57.

 3/29/61  Granted a C.P. for 1400kc, 250 watts, 1kw LS, unlimited.  License
          to cover the C.P. granted 7/26/62.

 11/8/61  Vol. transfer of cont. of lic. corp. to United Printers and
          Publishers (Incorporated), eff. 1/25/62.

 8/27/62  Vol. mod. of lic. to change the name of the licensee to Rust Craft
          Broadcasting Co.

 3/20/64  Vol. assign. of lic. to Northern West Virginia Radio Broadcasting
          Co., eff. 7/10/64.

12/16/69  Vol. transfer of cont. of lic. corp. from Fortnightly Corp. to
          Marion R. Ascoli, et al, eff. 12/29/69.

 8/12/76  Vol. assign. of lic. to WBBN Broadcasting Co., eff. 9/30/76.

 10/1/76  The call letters changed to WBBN.

 2/20/80  Vol. assign. of lic. to Allegheny Broadcasting Co., eff. 3/30/80.

 3/31/80  The call letters changed to WPQZ.

WTCS, Fairmont

WTCS Christmas 1985, in the hallway. Left to right: Scott Reppert, Denny Burnworth, Gary Deavers, Nick L. Fantasia, Lacy Neff. Photo courtesy of Scott Reppert wtcs1.jpg

WTCS Christmas 1986, in the studio. Left to right: Tommy Baron, Gary Deavers, Nick L. Fantasia, Scott Reppert. Photo courtesy of Scott Reppert. wtcs2.jpg

WHAR, Clarksburg

Following is the obituary of Mr. Fawcett which appeared Sunday, July 27, 1997, in the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram.

FAIRMONT - James Thomas Fawcett, 90, of North Conway, N.H., and formerly of Fairmont and Clarksburg, died Friday afternoon in the Clipper House Nursing Home in New Hampshire.

He was born June 22, 1907, in Fairmont, the son of the late James Herdon and Mayme Thomas Fawcett.

Surviving are one son, James C. Fawcett, Grafton; five grandchildren, James Fawcett, Newburg, Elizabeth Doerr, McHenry, Md., Thomas Fawcett, Waverly, Ohio, Greg White, Mansfield, Mass. and Gary White, Amherst, N.H.; four great-grandchildren, Ryan and Kassandra Fawcett, Waverly, Austin Doerr, McHenry, and Abigail Lynn White, Mansfield.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marguerite M. Fawcett, who died in 1981, and a daughter, Lynn Ann White.

He retired in 1988 as owner-operator of WHAR/WVHF radio station in Clarksburg with 25 years of service. He previously worked at WMMN radio in Fairmont for 10 years, the Jones Department Store, Fairmont and Owens Illinois Glass Factory in Fairmont.

He was a graduate of East Fairmont High School, where he was active in sports and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fairmont, where he taught Sunday School and coached basketball.

Friends will be received from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Monday at the Ford Funeral Home, Fairmont, and from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday. The funeral service will be held in the funeral home at 11 a.m. Tuesday with Rev. Roger Waybright officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery in Fairmont.

WTNJ, Mount Hope

Newspaper article, "WTNJ Radio Station Goes On the Air Today" wtnj1.jpg

Newspaper ad, WTNJ signs on today wtnj2.jpg

WELC, Welch

In Feb. 2008 it was reported that Pocahontas Broadcasting Co. was selling WELC AM and FM to West Virginia-Virginia Holding Company, LLC (Bob Spencer, manager/member), for $300,000. At that time the AM station was operating on 1150 kHz with 5 kw and the FM station was operating on 102.9 MHz with 2000 watts and antenna height 423 ft. The buyer owns WPMW, Mullens. The FM station was expected to be moved to Tazewell County, Virginia.

Mebane Native Is Main Owner In Radio Firm

Mebane, Sept. 4—Howard R. King, formerly of Mebane and son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude C. King of Mebane, is principal owner of a new 1,000 watt Standard Broadcast Station WELC in Welch, West Virginia. The station began operation Saturday, August 19, on 1150 kilocycles as authorized by the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D. C.

King attended school in Mebane and completed a course in Radio Communication given by North Carolina State College. Since then he has been affiliated with stations in North Carolina and West Virginia: WAIR in Winston-Salem, WDNC in Durham, WMIT Charlotte, WMRC in Greenville, S. C., and WSJS in Winston-Salem and was chief engineer for WBRW, Welch, West Virginia, from 1944 to 1949.