WSVA is a News

News Radio

News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....

/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...

/Sports

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...

 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 Harrisonburg, Virginia

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...

, serving the Central Shenandoah Valley

Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...

. WSVA is owned and operated by M. Belmont VerStandig, Inc.

History

Radio station WSVA went on the air on June 9, 1935 with 500 watts of power. It was the first radio station to serve Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, and the call letters originally stood for "We Serve Virginia Agriculture." The station was affiliated with NBC, and offered news, agricultural programs, music and other items of local interest. Bluegrass singer Mac Wiseman worked at the station as a news reader and disc jockey in the 1940s. From 1953 to 1976, the radio station was co-owned with WSVA-TV, channel 3 (now WHSV-TV

WHSV-TV

WHSV-TV, channel 3 , is an ABC affiliate television station for the Harrisonburg, Virginia, market. WHSV News 3, as it is known on-air, is owned by Gray Television and has its transmitter located west of the town of Stanley on Massanutten Mountain...

). In the late 1980s, the station switched to a daytime talk format.

Programming

WSVA's current lineup includes Early Mornings with hosts Jim Britt & Frank Wilt, news by Paul Busa and Karl Magenhofer plus sports from Bill Phipps and Mike Schikman's Question of the Day from 5:30 am til 10:00 am. In addition to local information, the show features agricultural news with Jeff Ishee, who started with the station and produces the nationally syndicated On The Farm Radio program, Stuff & Nonsense at 7:50 and 8:50am, and Mike Huckabee. The morning show is number one in the market and has reached the pinnacle of number one nationally. Britt has been with the station since 1987 and Wilt since 1989.

After "Early Mornings" from 10 till 11 a.m. is "Middays" with Jim Britt. During the program listeners can talk with government officials including the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and local county and city council and board of supervisors members. Other guests include experts in gardening and pet care.

WSVA Midday News airs from 11 till 1 p.m. and features Local News updates every 20 minutes, Mike Huckabee, Kim Komando's digital minute, Wall Street updates, Agriculture reports and detailed weather reports for farming and those suffering from Allergies.

National consumer advocate Clark Howard airs from 1 till 4 p.m.

WSVA Late Afternoon News runs from 4 till 6 p.m. and is anchored by Mike Schikman. Featuring local news updates every 20 minutes, traffic and weather along with sports updates and features including The Huckabee Report with Mike Huckabee, Talking Points with Bill O'Reilly.

Evenings on WSVA include syndicated programming from Neal Boortz from 6 till 10 p.m. and Jim Bohannon

Jim Bohannon

James E. "Jim" Bohannon is an American broadcaster who has worked in both television and radio.During the 1980s he was a fill-in for Larry King when King had his popular nighttime national radio program. He also does much work with the Smithsonian Associates...

, from 10 p.m. till 1 a.m. as well as numerous broadcasts of high school football, basketball and baseball.

Midnight Radio Network airs from 1 till 5 a.m. and features listeners a chance to comment on national issues.

External links

• NewsRadio 550 WSVA Online