WWWV
Encyclopedia
WWWV is an Active Rock
formatted broadcast
radio station
licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia
, and serves Central Virginia and the Central Shenandoah Valley
. WWWV is owned and operated by Saga Communications
.
The station is known for its local popularity, its Fan Club, the 3WV Freeloaders, and the Big Greasy Breakfast morning show. The BGB has been the most popular, highest rated, longest running morning show in Central Virginia for over 16 years. Through the 80's the morning show was helmed by Jay Lopez (now at sister station WQMZ) and Vinnie Kice (now at a crosstown Clear Channel affiliate). The duo left 3WV for another station in North Carolina and were replaced with the Max in the Morning Show in 1992 with Max Hoecker and Michelle DeLang. In 1996, Michelle stepped down to become the Local Sales Manager of the station and Rick Daniels took over her news/sidekick responsibilities. The show was renamed the Big Greasy Breakfast and went on to gain local fame with his Friday Freakouts, a general weekly recap of the past week's news, sports and entertainment irritabilities. Rick then decided to leave the show after getting an offer to host the morning show on sister station WINA. Highway John, formerly nights (and sometime BGB participant) now fills Rick's chair.
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
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 Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, and serves Central Virginia and 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...
. WWWV is owned and operated by Saga Communications
Saga Communications
Saga Communications is a broadcasting company that owns and operates stations in 26 markets in the United States. The company, which is based in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, primarily operates radio stations , but it also operates 9 television stations Saga Communications is a broadcasting...
.
History
The station had been WCHV-FM but changed to Album Rock in the early 70s, implementing an automated version of the Lee Abrams 'Superstars' format that included voice tracking from WCHV-AM personalities. Under Operations Manager Ed Owens, Rad Messick became 3WV's first program director and live personality/morning host in April 1978. WDVE's Phil Kirzyc later joined for evenings; Messick moved to afternoons and Greg Wells became the new morning host. Jim Huste, Ashley Allen, Dave Mitchell, and Steve Harris were also members of the late 70s 3WV airstaff.The station is known for its local popularity, its Fan Club, the 3WV Freeloaders, and the Big Greasy Breakfast morning show. The BGB has been the most popular, highest rated, longest running morning show in Central Virginia for over 16 years. Through the 80's the morning show was helmed by Jay Lopez (now at sister station WQMZ) and Vinnie Kice (now at a crosstown Clear Channel affiliate). The duo left 3WV for another station in North Carolina and were replaced with the Max in the Morning Show in 1992 with Max Hoecker and Michelle DeLang. In 1996, Michelle stepped down to become the Local Sales Manager of the station and Rick Daniels took over her news/sidekick responsibilities. The show was renamed the Big Greasy Breakfast and went on to gain local fame with his Friday Freakouts, a general weekly recap of the past week's news, sports and entertainment irritabilities. Rick then decided to leave the show after getting an offer to host the morning show on sister station WINA. Highway John, formerly nights (and sometime BGB participant) now fills Rick's chair.