WRAD
Encyclopedia
WRAD is a sports
/talk
formatted broadcast
radio station
licensed to Radford, Virginia
, serving Pulaski
and Montgomery
counties in Virginia. WRAD is owned and operated by Cumulus Media
, Inc.
WRAD's format in 1948 was current popular music—what is now known as "nostalgia" or Adult standards
--broadcasting with 200 watts on 1340 AM and known as "The Big "R" Radio". The station originally broadcast from downtown Radford, next to the train station and the old post office on Main Street next to Radford University
. Later, the frequency was changed to 1460 kHz in favor of a larger signal—therefore a greater coverage area—and moved across the bridge. The 1340 frequency was sold to new owners and is now WBLB. Throughout the years, the wattage was upgraded to 500, 1,000, then 5,000 watts during daytime hours. The format was changed to country, putting themselves into direct competition with Roanoke's 610 WSLC-AM (now WVBE-AM).
WRAD was the first AM station in the New River Valley
to broadcast in AM stereo
, beginning in the early 1980s. The AM stereo phenomenon didn't catch on with consumers. WSLC & WRAD both remained in AM stereo until about 1999.
In 1965 WRAD acquired a FM sister station
WRIQ-FM (currently WWBU
) 101.7 mHz. WRIQ used to broadcast a country format independent of WRAD-AM. In 1996, new owners made WRAD a simulcast of WRIQ's CD Country format. Two years later, WRAD was changed to Music and Memories, a nostalgia format. Then in 1999 WRAD moved to facillites' that would also house 3 other area sister FM stations, and 2 other sister AM stations. In 2004, the nostalgia format was dropped in favor of a sports talk format.
They became "Timeless Favorites" 1460 WRAD August 4, 2008.
WRAD has been the home of Radford High School Bobcat Football since 1969, celebrating 50 years in 2009.
Due to "Timeless
'" (Citadel Media) demise on February 15, 2010, this station has flipped back to its previous format.
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
/talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
formatted broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Radford, Virginia
Radford, Virginia
Radford is a city in Virginia, United States. The population was 16,408 in 2010. For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County, including the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, calling the combination the...
, serving Pulaski
Pulaski County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,127 people, 14,643 households, and 10,147 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 16,325 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile...
and Montgomery
Montgomery County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
counties in Virginia. WRAD is owned and operated by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
, Inc.
History
In 1947, O. Wayne Rollins founded Rollins Broadcasting and bought 1460 WRAD, an AM radio station based in the rural town of Radford, Virginia. As television continued to intrude on the traditional radio market, Rollins Broadcasting took advantage of falling radio station prices by increasing its holdings and launching programming targeted toward African-Americans. Rollins then developed a coordinated approach to advertising by buying billboards that allowed him to offer clients multiple advertising venues for their products. In 1956, Rollins Broadcasting expanded its business into television.WRAD's format in 1948 was current popular music—what is now known as "nostalgia" or Adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
--broadcasting with 200 watts on 1340 AM and known as "The Big "R" Radio". The station originally broadcast from downtown Radford, next to the train station and the old post office on Main Street next to Radford University
Radford University
Radford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
. Later, the frequency was changed to 1460 kHz in favor of a larger signal—therefore a greater coverage area—and moved across the bridge. The 1340 frequency was sold to new owners and is now WBLB. Throughout the years, the wattage was upgraded to 500, 1,000, then 5,000 watts during daytime hours. The format was changed to country, putting themselves into direct competition with Roanoke's 610 WSLC-AM (now WVBE-AM).
WRAD was the first AM station in the New River Valley
New River Valley
The New River Valley is a region in the eastern United States along the New River in the Commonwealth of Virginia . The valley comprises the counties of Montgomery , Pulaski, Floyd, Giles and the independent City of Radford...
to broadcast in AM stereo
AM stereo
AM stereo is a term given to a series of mutually incompatible techniques for wireless radio broadcasting stereo audio in the AM band in a manner that is compatible with standard AM receivers...
, beginning in the early 1980s. The AM stereo phenomenon didn't catch on with consumers. WSLC & WRAD both remained in AM stereo until about 1999.
In 1965 WRAD acquired a FM sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
WRIQ-FM (currently WWBU
WWBU
WWBU is a Sports Radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Radford, Virginia, serving Pulaski and Montgomery counties in Virginia. WWBU is owned and operated by Cumulus Media, Inc.-History:Throughout the 1990s, WWBU was WRIQ-FM "CD Country"...
) 101.7 mHz. WRIQ used to broadcast a country format independent of WRAD-AM. In 1996, new owners made WRAD a simulcast of WRIQ's CD Country format. Two years later, WRAD was changed to Music and Memories, a nostalgia format. Then in 1999 WRAD moved to facillites' that would also house 3 other area sister FM stations, and 2 other sister AM stations. In 2004, the nostalgia format was dropped in favor of a sports talk format.
They became "Timeless Favorites" 1460 WRAD August 4, 2008.
WRAD has been the home of Radford High School Bobcat Football since 1969, celebrating 50 years in 2009.
Due to "Timeless
Timeless (radio network)
Timeless was a 24-hour satellite music service of Citadel Media . It has distributed a mix of soft oldies and adult standards to radio stations around the USA...
'" (Citadel Media) demise on February 15, 2010, this station has flipped back to its previous format.