I've browsed Wikipedia, the WGH tribute sites and other locations to no avail in a quest to find out more about the history of WAVY Radio 1350. In the absence of any other information, let me take a few stabs. Please correct what's wrong.
In the late 40's, what became WAVY was initially WSAP/1400. They later added an FM at 105.3, which ultimately became Pat Robertson's WXRI.
At some point in the 50's, WSAP got the superior 1350 frequency at which point they changed the calls to WAVY. The 1400 frequency then became available to WHIH (which later evolved to WWOC and is now WPCE).
Around 1968, WAVY-TV (Tidewater Teleradio) spun off the radio, keeping channel 10. The radio became WCVU -- Sea View. Sometime thereafter, the calls were changed to WKLX and a top 40 format was installed to compete with WGH and WNOR.
The next major move was that WKLX became WNIS with a news/talk format at 1350. Subsequently, a frequency swap occurred with WRAP, allowing WNIS to get the superior 850 frequency.
Of course, WRAP is long gone and WGPL occupies the old WAVY frequency. Adding to many changes over the years is that WNIS swapped with WTAR and moved to 790.
Therefore, the legacy of what I recall as WAVY radio started at 1400, moved to 1350, 850 and finally settled into the longtime WTAR frequency.
As much as I revere WGH, I'd sure like to see similar information for other stations that were part of Hampton Roads radio history -- notably WTAR, WVEC, WCMS and WNOR. Here where I now live (D/FW), there's a wealth of documentation about the electronic media in this market. I'm surprised that with preservationist bent that characterizes Virginia, so little has been recorded about Tidewater media.
In the late 40's, what became WAVY was initially WSAP/1400. They later added an FM at 105.3, which ultimately became Pat Robertson's WXRI.
At some point in the 50's, WSAP got the superior 1350 frequency at which point they changed the calls to WAVY. The 1400 frequency then became available to WHIH (which later evolved to WWOC and is now WPCE).
Around 1968, WAVY-TV (Tidewater Teleradio) spun off the radio, keeping channel 10. The radio became WCVU -- Sea View. Sometime thereafter, the calls were changed to WKLX and a top 40 format was installed to compete with WGH and WNOR.
The next major move was that WKLX became WNIS with a news/talk format at 1350. Subsequently, a frequency swap occurred with WRAP, allowing WNIS to get the superior 850 frequency.
Of course, WRAP is long gone and WGPL occupies the old WAVY frequency. Adding to many changes over the years is that WNIS swapped with WTAR and moved to 790.
Therefore, the legacy of what I recall as WAVY radio started at 1400, moved to 1350, 850 and finally settled into the longtime WTAR frequency.
As much as I revere WGH, I'd sure like to see similar information for other stations that were part of Hampton Roads radio history -- notably WTAR, WVEC, WCMS and WNOR. Here where I now live (D/FW), there's a wealth of documentation about the electronic media in this market. I'm surprised that with preservationist bent that characterizes Virginia, so little has been recorded about Tidewater media.
