WVAX

WVAX (1450 AM) is a sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia.[1] WVAX is owned by Saga Communications, and operates as part of its Charlottesville Radio Group.[2]

WVAX
Broadcast areaCharlottesville, Virginia
Albemarle County, Virginia
Frequency1450 kHz
BrandingFox Sports 102.9
Programming
FormatSports[1]
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio
Ownership
Owner
  • Saga Communications
  • (Tidewater Communications, LLC)
WCNR, WCVL-FM, WINA, WQMZ, WWWV
History
First air date
January 20, 2006
Technical information
Facility ID161156
ClassC
Power1,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
38°02′54.0″N 78°28′12.0″W
Translator(s)102.9 W275CL (Charlottesville)
Links
Websitewvax.com

History

WVAX is Charlottesville's newest AM station. The initial construction permit was applied for in January 2004 by Anderson Communications LLC, owned by Charles M. Anderson of Bowling Green, Kentucky, who holds separate interests in several FM stations in that state. The construction permit was granted in September 2005, and by the end of the month Anderson sold it to Saga Communications for $150,000.[3]

Saga put the station on the air on January 20, 2006, with a progressive talk format from Air America.[4] Air America ceased national programming in January 2010, precipitating format changes at many of its affiliates. WVAX continued with the talk format until April 1, 2011, when it flipped to national sports radio programming from ESPN Radio.

In May 2016, WVAX signed-on a 100-watt FM translator on 103.1 MHz from the Charlottesville antenna farm on Carter Mountain.[5] This translator attracted opposition from Piedmont Communications, and listeners of their co-channel WJMA Culpeper filed interference complaints.[6] Saga's investigation into the interference was largely inconclusive, as several persons admitted that they did not personally experience interference and only complained after a DJ prompted them on-air, while others refused to meet with investigators or did not respond to follow-ups at all.[7] In June 2017, Saga moved the translator to 102.9 MHz to end the dispute without admitting wrongdoing.[8][9]

On July 31, 2023 WVAX switched affiliations from ESPN Radio to Fox Sports Radio and rebranded as "Fox Sports 102.9".[10]

Translator

In addition to the main station, WVAX is relayed by an FM translator to widen its broadcast area.[11]

Broadcast translator for WVAX
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)HAATClassFCC info
W275CL 102.9 FMCharlottesville, Virginia14116212092 m (302 ft)DLMS

References
  1. "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  2. "WVAX Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  3. "WVAX Facility Data". FCCData.
  4. Corbin, Robert (January 20, 2006). "Liberal Talk comes to Charlottesville". VARTV.
  5. "ESPN 1450 Now on FM in Charlottesville". WINA.
  6. "Legal Action Information". Federal Communications Commission.
  7. "OPPOSITION AND STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD REGARDING SECOND INTERFERENCE COMPLAINT OF PIEDMONT COMMUNICATIONS, INC".
  8. "Opposition to Informal Objection".
  9. "ESPN Radio in Charlottesville moves to a new signal". WVAX. June 30, 2017.
  10. WVAX Drops ESPN For Fox Sports Radioinsight - July 31, 2023
  11. "W275CL Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
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