WTAR
Encyclopedia
WTAR is a comedy
formatted broadcast
radio station
licensed to Norfolk, Virginia
, serving Hampton Roads
. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.
, which moved from 1350 in the 1980s. They in turn would later swap signals with the original WTAR in the late 1990s.
The call letters WTAR derive from Tidewater Area, the name traditionally used by local residents for southeastern Virginia
. The use of these call letters date back to 1923 when the station first began broadcasting as WTAR 790 radio, The Voice of Tidewater. The call letters and its associated programming moved to 850 on the dial in July 1997.
WTAR is WNIS's sister station, and the two stations used to often complement each other in programming, with WTAR primarily getting the "second tier" syndicated programs. Shows heard on WTAR included Imus in the Morning
, Dr. Laura, Neal Boortz
, Clark Howard
, Dean Edell
, John and Jeff
, and Alex Jones
.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
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 Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, serving Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.
History
The 850 frequency was originally WCAV when it signed on in 1952. But during the 1960s and 1970s they were better known as R&B outlet WRAP. They would later be replaced by WNISWNIS
WNIS is a News/Talk/Sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, serving Hampton Roads. WNIS is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.-History:...
, which moved from 1350 in the 1980s. They in turn would later swap signals with the original WTAR in the late 1990s.
The call letters WTAR derive from Tidewater Area, the name traditionally used by local residents for southeastern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The use of these call letters date back to 1923 when the station first began broadcasting as WTAR 790 radio, The Voice of Tidewater. The call letters and its associated programming moved to 850 on the dial in July 1997.
WTAR is WNIS's sister station, and the two stations used to often complement each other in programming, with WTAR primarily getting the "second tier" syndicated programs. Shows heard on WTAR included Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
, Dr. Laura, Neal Boortz
Neal Boortz
Neal A. Boortz, Jr. is an American Libertarian radio host, author, and political commentator. His nationally syndicated talk show, The Neal Boortz Show, airs throughout the United States on Dial Global . It is ranked seventh in overall listeners, with 4.25+ million per week...
, Clark Howard
Clark Howard
Clark Howard , is a popular U.S. talk radio host of the nationally syndicated consumer advocate program The Clark Howard Show. The show covers consumer and financial news, with advice on how to spend less, save more and avoid rip-offs...
, Dean Edell
Dean Edell
Doctor Dean Edell is an American physician and broadcaster who hosted the Dr. Dean Edell radio program, a syndicated radio talk show which aired live from 1979 until December 10, 2010.- Private life :...
, John and Jeff
John and Jeff
John and Jeff are the hosts of the nationally syndicated John & Jeff Show based in Los Angeles, California, United States. As of 2011, the program is in its 12th year of syndication, and broadcasts live Monday - Friday from 10pm - 2am , 1am - 5am on radio stations across America...
, and Alex Jones
Alex Jones (radio)
Alexander Emerick "Alex" Jones is an American talk radio host, actor and filmmaker. His syndicated news/talk show The Alex Jones Show, based in Austin, Texas, airs via the Genesis Communication Network over 60 AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations across the United States and on the Internet...
.