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Reason I ask, I have heard that radio in many parts of WV isn't in the cookie cutter sense when compared to what is going on in other states. In other words even though some is predictable, there are some surprises on the air. Some actual gems !! For example One of my good friends swear that Morgantown's WVAQ 102 is the best top 40 station in the entire nation. Even better than similar station he has heard in New york City and LA.
I have also heard that many radio stations in West Virginia, listening to them is like going back in time. Many still do such things as reporting lost pets, obits, school lunch menus and even naming the names of babies born in the local hospital.
TV...there is a story I heard years ago that Pittsburgh's WTAE is so big in West Virginia, so many viewers that Clarksburg, Fairmont, Morgantown, and Wheeling doesn't have their own ABC outlet because WTAE wont let em.
Plus I heard many Tom McGee stories too, for years the best known name in local news in Charleston-Huntington though from what I understand his last news job didn't last very long.
The only WV market I am familiar with is the Eastern Panhandle but that may be a bad example. The biggest radio station there WLTF Lite FM though based in Martinsburg tries very hard to pass themselves as a "Hagerstown" radio station and Martinsburg's oldies station Cool 95.9 pretty much is lame.
The best radio in the Eastern Panhandle is on the AM dial. WEPM and WRNR. I love the way WRNR makes Martinsburg seem so much like a big city. Not long ago morning guy I think it was Tom Tucker who actually suggested that Berkeley County might be better off "making a deal" with Saks Fifth Ave or Nordstrom so they can put a store at Martinsburg Mall. Well nothing wrong with dreaming about it. Kinda like the Martinsburg subway system that WEPM suggested on their Panhandle Live program a few years back.
Charles Town used to have their own radio stations but they have long since moved to nearby Winchester, VA.
But the best thing in broadcasting that came out of Martinsburg I really miss is the old WYVN channel 60. Almost like watching public access !! Such quality programming as a do-it-yourself show on how to learn to line dance ( guess that would come in handy in those Berkeley County C&W bars ), or that hour long local talk show that was so desperate for viewers they had to resort to giving away Subway sandwitch coupons. Then there was Club Karaoke. Guess what that show was about? One day WYVN did a special "gay" version of that show. For one hour hairy gay men singing country western tunes behind a background of a huge gay rainbow flag with a bear claw in the center of it with every other word "woof" or "grrrrrrrrrr". Oh yes..the host of the show would get drunk before the camera with a beer in hand screaming "...ok baby..lets make some noise !!!!!"... There was actually a clip of this on You Tube a few years back, I think its gone now.
and for years WYVN was the only West Virginia station those in nearby Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania received. What they must have thought of the Mountain state !!!! LOL
Last edited by billybobwv; 01-09-2008 at 01:35 PM..
Not only do I remember WYVN, but I was a guest a few times on a public affairs show that ran in the early 90s. Until then the only local station was the NBC affiliate in Hagerstown, WHAG--which was pretty good at covering major events considering it claimed to cover four states (MD, PA, VA & WV), I don't think they ventured much into VA much. I remember that the DC area stations pretty much ignored us unless a major disaster hit---and I suspect that that remains the case today.
WVAQ actually won some award last year for having the best small market top 40 station in the country or something like that. They mentioned it every 10 minutes. Heh. It was kinda sad.
Ok, apparently it's the "Marconi Award". And apparently it was the best top 40 station in the country, period. It's on Wikipedia. I'll be damned. Now that I think about it, in the context of a top 40 station, they are pretty good at what they do. The morning show with Eric and Kevin is actually pretty decent and worth a listen on the drive to work.
Apparently Lacy Neff from WVAQ won "Personality of the Year" for a small market in '06, too. I can't stand that guy though. His voice is incredibly annoying. Especially whenever he does commercial voiceovers. People apparently like him though.
Howard Munroe is another pain in the 'rear end...He's on the fantasia station...1490 am.
Don't see him lasting much longer...they all move on sooner or later...like the local TV announcers...
Howard is giving West Virginia an eduction in moderanilaty...'how to be modern and progressive in thought and 'anal at the same time....He speaks to everyone as if they have never been outside the county borders...
I believe at one time Wheeling,West Virginia, had the most powerful broadcast signal in the State. 50,000 watts at night. When I was in the Navy I can remember picking that station up in Pensacola Fla. and also in North Chicago. I also picked up Williamson's station for a short time one evening when I was stationed in Jacksonville.
V100 in Charleston gives the school lunch menu. May sound corny but it's a good way to get Mom/Pop listening to their station in the AM. At least one of the TV stations also shows it in the AM.
Aren't radio and TV stations required to do so much community service? (Maybe not, but I thought I heard they were.) Lunch menu is a good way to fulfill this.
Only difference I have noticed in radio stations around the state - in some areas most of the stations I can pick up have country. I really really dislike country music.
I do get aggrevated when in Morgantown - does MoTown not have it's own TV station? Seems like when I stay in a hotel there, the only news/weather I can get is Pittsburgh. Is that a hotel network thing or is there not a MoTown TV station? Gosh, you'd think if nothing else that WVU would have one (or do they and if so, what channel?)
Nothing in Morgantown proper, but Channel 5 and Channel 12 out of Bridgeport report the local Morgantown happenings. Because Morgantown is considered the same media market as Pittsburgh, the big broadcasters won't put affiliates there.
Morgantown staffs and broadcasts West Virginia Public Television Channel 24...WNPB Statewide
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