WAAV
Encyclopedia
WAAV is a radio station
broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed to Leland, North Carolina
, USA, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media
.
, and would remain there until 1981, when Cape Fear Broadcasting from Fayetteville
purchased WAAV and WGNI. At that time, the station flipped from FM to AM 1340
; in 1984 the station moved to 980, where it remains today. The previous occupant of the 980 frequency was top 40 WKLM, part of the Harold Thoms Group.
Because of FCC
regulations regarding the number of stations one owner could have, WAAV had to be sold in 1988. Don Ansell, who was hosting the morning show "Talk Of The Town", bought the station and ran it until selling it to Cumulus in 1997.
After Hurricane Diana
hit the area in September 1984, WAAV had just started its news/talk format, and it was the only radio station on the air, using a diesel generator named "Old Bessie." Ansell stayed on the air for 24 hours using a flashlight and a telephone. Ansell said, "It put us on the map." He said to The Star-News back then, "'It's quite a bit different when there are no crutches. No tapes, no music, no commercials - just your voice."
In September 1994, WAAV planned an FM station at 94.1 which would air sports talk. The AM station already had a number of sports programs. Roman Gabriel III, a USFL
player and son of Los Angeles Rams
quarterback Roman Gabriel
, began hosting the station's first five-day-a-week sports talk program August 1, 1994. At that time, the station aired UNC
and N. C. State
football and basketball (including coaches' shows), "ACC
Hotline," NASCAR
races and talk shows, high school football, college football, "Monday Night Football
," the NBA Charlotte Hornets, the CBS Radio
baseball game of the week, The World Series
, UNCW
baseball and women's basketball, and American Legion
baseball. For their two years in the area, WAAV also aired the games of the minor league baseball
Port City Roosters
.
On April 30, 1997, Cumulus Broadcasting announced its purchase of WAAV, WWQQ, WXQR
, and WQSL
. Ansell stayed as host of "Talk of the Town". After the purchase WAAV dropped UNCW sports. UNCW games moved first to WMFD
and then to WLGX before returning to WAAV three years later.
On December 21, 2006, Ansell retired after 22 years as WAAV morning host; on January 2, 2007, Marty Shirah
took over, and remained there until May 28, 2010. On June 1, he moved to late afternoons.
On June 1, 2010, Curtis Wright, conservative host of the highly successful "The Morning Beat", previously heard on WLTT
/WNTB-FM, debuted a new conservative talk radio morning show on the station and on Cumulus sister station WFNC
in Fayetteville
.
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...
broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed to Leland, North Carolina
Leland, North Carolina
Leland is a town in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,938 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, USA, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
History
WAAV debuted as a FM station in 1972 at 102.7WGNI
WGNI is a radio station broadcasting an Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Licensing Llc.-History:...
, and would remain there until 1981, when Cape Fear Broadcasting from Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
purchased WAAV and WGNI. At that time, the station flipped from FM to AM 1340
WLSG
WLSG is a radio station broadcasting a Religious format. Licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is currently owned by Carolina Christian Radio.-History:...
; in 1984 the station moved to 980, where it remains today. The previous occupant of the 980 frequency was top 40 WKLM, part of the Harold Thoms Group.
Because of FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
regulations regarding the number of stations one owner could have, WAAV had to be sold in 1988. Don Ansell, who was hosting the morning show "Talk Of The Town", bought the station and ran it until selling it to Cumulus in 1997.
After Hurricane Diana
Hurricane Diana (1984)
Hurricane Diana was the fourth tropical storm, the first hurricane, the first major hurricane, and the strongest storm of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Diana was the first major hurricane to hit the U.S. East Coast in nearly 20 years. Watches and warnings were issued for the storm...
hit the area in September 1984, WAAV had just started its news/talk format, and it was the only radio station on the air, using a diesel generator named "Old Bessie." Ansell stayed on the air for 24 hours using a flashlight and a telephone. Ansell said, "It put us on the map." He said to The Star-News back then, "'It's quite a bit different when there are no crutches. No tapes, no music, no commercials - just your voice."
In September 1994, WAAV planned an FM station at 94.1 which would air sports talk. The AM station already had a number of sports programs. Roman Gabriel III, a USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
player and son of Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
quarterback Roman Gabriel
Roman Gabriel
Roman Ildonzo Gabriel, Jr. is a former American football player. The son of a Filipino immigrant, he was the first Asian-American to start as an NFL quarterback and is considered by many to have been one of the best players at that position during the late 1960s and early 70s.Gabriel attended and...
, began hosting the station's first five-day-a-week sports talk program August 1, 1994. At that time, the station aired UNC
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
and N. C. State
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
football and basketball (including coaches' shows), "ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Hotline," NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
races and talk shows, high school football, college football, "Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
," the NBA Charlotte Hornets, the CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
baseball game of the week, The World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, UNCW
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, sometimes referred to as UNC Wilmington, is a public, co-educational university located in Wilmington, North Carolina...
baseball and women's basketball, and American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
baseball. For their two years in the area, WAAV also aired the games of the minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Port City Roosters
Port City Roosters
The Port City Roosters were a minor league baseball team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. The team, which played in the Southern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners major-league club. The Roosters played in Brooks Field on the campus of the University of North Carolina,...
.
On April 30, 1997, Cumulus Broadcasting announced its purchase of WAAV, WWQQ, WXQR
WXQR
WXQR-FM 105.5 is eastern North Carolina's oldest rock radio station. Originally based in Jacksonville, North Carolina, the station is now headquartered in New Bern. Having been broadcasting for over 40 years, "The Rock" is the "original rock station" for the Carolina Coast...
, and WQSL
WQSL
WQSL is an urban adult contemporary radio station licensed to Jacksonville, North Carolina. The station airs The Touch format from ABC Radio Networks and the Steve Harvey morning show.-History:...
. Ansell stayed as host of "Talk of the Town". After the purchase WAAV dropped UNCW sports. UNCW games moved first to WMFD
WMFD (AM)
WMFD is a sports radio station broadcasting in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is currently branded under the ESPN Radio.The radio station carries the games of the Cape Fear Rugby Football Club.-History:WMFD was Wilmington's first radio station...
and then to WLGX before returning to WAAV three years later.
On December 21, 2006, Ansell retired after 22 years as WAAV morning host; on January 2, 2007, Marty Shirah
took over, and remained there until May 28, 2010. On June 1, he moved to late afternoons.
On June 1, 2010, Curtis Wright, conservative host of the highly successful "The Morning Beat", previously heard on WLTT
WLTT
WLTT / WNTB "The Big Talker FM" is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Bolivia, North Carolina, USA, and Topsail Beach, North Carolina, USA, respectively, WLTT and WNTB serve the Wilmington area. The stations are currently owned by Sea-Comm, Inc...
/WNTB-FM, debuted a new conservative talk radio morning show on the station and on Cumulus sister station WFNC
WFNC (AM)
WFNC is an AM radio station in Fayetteville, North Carolina broadcasting on frequency 640. The station has a conservative talk format and is under ownership of Cumulus Media.-History:...
in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
.