WVAX

WVAX is a Sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia.[1] WVAX is owned and operated by Saga Communications.[2]

WVAX
CityCharlottesville, Virginia
Broadcast areaCharlottesville, Virginia
Albemarle County, Virginia
Branding"1450 ESPN"
Frequency1450 kHz
First air dateJanuary 20, 2006
FormatSports[1]
Power1,000 watts day and night
ClassC
Facility ID161156
Transmitter coordinates38°02′54.0″N 78°28′12.0″W
AffiliationsESPN Radio
OwnerSaga Communications
(Tidewater Communications, LLC)
Sister stationsWCNR, WQMZ, WINA, WWWV
WebsiteWVAX Online

History

WVAX is Charlottesville's newest AM station. The initial construction permit was applied for in January 2004 by Anderson Communications LLC, owned by Charles M. Anderson of Bowling Green, Kentucky, who holds separate interests in several FM stations in that state. The construction permit was granted in September 2005, and by the end of the month Anderson sold it to Saga Communications for $150,000.[3]

Saga put the station on the air on January 20, 2006 with a progressive talk format from Air America.[4] Air America ceased national programming in January 2010, precipitating format changes at many of its affiliates. WVAX continued with the talk format until April 1, 2011, when it flipped to national sports radio programming from ESPN Radio.

In May 2016, WVAX signed-on a 100-watt FM translator on 103.1 MHz from the Charlottesville antenna farm on Carter Mountain.[5] This translator attracted opposition from Piedmont Communications, and listeners of their co-channel WJMA Culpeper filed interference complaints.[6] Saga's investigation into the interference was largely inconclusive, as several persons admitted that they did not personally experience interference and only complained after a DJ prompted them on-air, while others refused to meet with investigators or did not respond to follow-ups at all.[7] In June 2017, Saga moved the translator to 102.9 MHz to end the dispute without admitting wrongdoing.[8][9]

The translator was authorized in July 2017 to upgrade to 250 watts at 107.1 MHz. The construction permit has not yet been built out and expires in July 2020.[10]

Translator

In addition to the main station, WVAX is relayed by an FM translator to widen its broadcast area.[11]

Call signFrequency
(MHz)		City of licenseFacility
ID		ERP
(W)		Height
(m (ft))		ClassFCC info
W275CL102.9Charlottesville, Virginia14116212092 m (302 ft)DFCC

References
  1. "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  2. "WVAX Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  3. "WVAX Facility Data". FCCData.
  4. Corbin, Robert (January 20, 2006). "Liberal Talk comes to Charlottesville". VARTV.
  5. "ESPN 1450 Now on FM in Charlottesville". WINA.
  6. "Legal Action Information". Federal Communications Commission.
  7. "OPPOSITION AND STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD REGARDING SECOND INTERFERENCE COMPLAINT OF PIEDMONT COMMUNICATIONS, INC".
  8. "Opposition to Informal Objection".
  9. "ESPN Radio in Charlottesville moves to a new signal". WVAX. June 30, 2017.
  10. "W275CL Facility Data". FCCData.
  11. "W275CL Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
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