West Virginia Radio Corporation 2.48

West Virginia Radio Corporation was founded in 1940 when Agnes and Herbert Greer placed WAJR-AM on the air in Morgantown, West Virginia. The couple already owned the Morgantown Dominion-Post and the Greer Limestone Company. The call letters were the maiden initials of Mrs. Greer (Agnes Jane Reeves).

In 1948 WAJR-FM was put on the air as the first FM station in West Virginia and one of the first commercial FM stations licensed in the United States. The call letters were changed to WVAQ in 1981.

After Mr. Greer’s death, Mrs. Greer ran the various companies for more than twenty years. Upon her death in 1972, company ownership passed on to her three grandsons: Richard, John and David Raese. West Virginia Radio Corporation Policy Manual & Employee Handbook

Dale Miller was elected President of West Virginia Radio Corporation in 1984. A year later the firm began the METRONEWS Radio Network – a statewide news, information and sports network distributed via satellite. METRONEWS has grown to more than fifty news affiliates – originates the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Marshall University Thundering Herd in six states – and owns exclusive radio and television rights to the West Virginia SSAC State High School championships in basketball, football and baseball.

On July 1, 1992, West Virginia Radio Corporation expanded radio properties for the first time in eighteen years with the purchase of radio station WCHS and WKWS in Charleston, West Virginia. Then on May 1, 1993, taking advantage of modified FCC ownership rules, West Virginia Radio Corporation added a second FM in Northern West Virginia with the acquisition of WKKW in Clarksburg – now broadcasting as WWLW (FM). Additionally, on July 19, 1993, WCAW and WVAF were added to the existing Charleston operation. On June 9, 1994, the firm acquired WSSN (FM) – now broadcasting as WFBY (FM) – licensed to Weston, West Virginia, bringing the total to eight owned and operated broadcast stations.

With continued liberalization of FCC ownership and control rules in 1996, a basic revision of the Communications Act of 1934, West Virginia Radio Corporation proceeded by entering into a Time Brokerage Agreement with the former WFGM (FM), which was converted to a Sales Representation Agreement with WKKW (FM) – licensed to Fairmont, West Virginia. Additionally, a Time Brokerage Agreement with WKAZ in Charleston was converted into the purchase of WKAZ (FM) and WCZR-AM on August 12, 1997. Another Time Brokerage Agreement executed between West Virginia Radio Corporation and radio station WRVZ, Pocatalico, West Virginia was converted in the purchase of radio station WRVZ on May 1, 2001.

On August 15, 1997, West Virginia Radio Corporation closed on the purchase of WDNE-AM and WDNE (FM) in Elkins, West Virginia – a station the firm had placed on-the-air in the mid 1940’s. After a Time Brokerage Agreement with First Media Radio, West Virginia Radio Corporation purchased WJLS and WJLS (FM) on February 15, 2013 and signed a deal to acquire WEPM, WLTF and WICL in Martinsburg, West Virginia, on October 28, 2014.

In total, West Virginia Radio Corporation operates and/or controls a total of thirty-four radio stations – nineteen in the northern sector of the state and ten in the state capital region – based in six physical plants. Corporate headquarters are located at 260 Spruce Street in Morgantown.