WGRQ
Encyclopedia
WGRQ is an American broadcast
radio station
licensed
to serve Fairview Beach, Virginia
, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in May 1986, is currently owned and operated by Telemedia Broadcasting, Inc.
The station was assigned the call sign
WGRQ by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on December 1, 1985.
music format
to the Fredericksburg, Virginia
, area. , weekday on-air personalities include Dave Adler on morning drive, Lisa Parker on mid-days, Mark Clifford on afternoons, and Mike Harvey on evenings. Each year, beginning on the day after Thanksgiving
, WGRQ flips to all-Christmas music
programming and becomes "Your Home for the Holidays." This format flip completed its fifth year in 2010.
In addition to its music programming, since 2009 the station has broadcast Virginia Cavaliers football
games as a member of the Virginia Football Radio Network. WGRQ also broadcasts Washington Redskins
games as a member of the Redskins Radio Broadcast Network.
for this station was granted by the FCC on December 7, 1984. This would be a new station broadcasting on 95.9 MHz with 3,000 watt
s of effective radiated power
from an antenna 91.3 metres (299.5 ft) in height above average terrain
. The new station's city of license
was to be Colonial Beach, Virginia
. The still-under construction station was assigned call sign
WPOT on February 25, 1985.
In November 1985, original permit holder Colonial Beach Broadcasting, Inc., applied to the FCC to transfer the permit to Potomac Broadcasting, Inc. The call sign was changed to WGRQ on December 1, 1985, and has remained stable for more than 25 years. The sale to Potomac Broadcasting was finalized in March 1986.
on May 3, 1986, with an adult contemporary music format. The station received its broadcast license
from the FCC on November 16, 1987. Just days later, Potomac Broadcasting applied to the FCC to transfer the license to Telemedia Broadcasting, Inc. The FCC approved the transfer on January 4, 1988, and the transaction was consummated on January 20, 1988.
The station flipped formats from oldies
to classic hits
in February 2005. WGRQ had broadcast Virginia Tech Hokies football
games as a longtime member of the Virginia Tech Sports Network before transitioning to Virginia Cavaliers football
broadcasts in September 2009.
, a violation of FCC regulations. WGRQ acknowledged that its studios were 28.8 miles (46.3 km) from the center of Colonial Beach, Virginia
, but successfully asserted that it was in compliance with the law because "unique terrain" kept the studio location within the station's "principal community contour".
In August 2005, Telemedia Broadcasting applied for a "main studio waiver" which would have allowed them to relocate their broadcast studios even farther from the center of Colonial Beach. The new site, 2.5 miles (4 km) farther from the city center, would have allowed the station to eliminate a 100-foot tower built for the studio-transmitter link, a point of contention with the Spotsylvania County Planning Commission. The FCC denied this application on September 20, 2005.
In January 2010, Telemedia Broadcasting applied to the FCC to change WGRQ's city of license from Colonial Beach to Fairview Beach, Virginia
. Fairview Beach is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia
, roughly 15 miles (24.1 km) WNW of Colonial Beach and significantly closer to the primary market of Fredericksburg. The FCC authorized the change on April 27, 2010.
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
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Fairview Beach, Virginia
Fairview Beach, Virginia
Fairview Beach is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 230 at the 2000 census. It is located within the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area winemaking appellation....
, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in May 1986, is currently owned and operated by Telemedia Broadcasting, Inc.
The station was assigned the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
WGRQ by the Federal Communications Commission
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...
(FCC) on December 1, 1985.
Programming
WGRQ broadcasts a classic hitsClassic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
music format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
to the Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, area. , weekday on-air personalities include Dave Adler on morning drive, Lisa Parker on mid-days, Mark Clifford on afternoons, and Mike Harvey on evenings. Each year, beginning on the day after Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
, WGRQ flips to all-Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
programming and becomes "Your Home for the Holidays." This format flip completed its fifth year in 2010.
In addition to its music programming, since 2009 the station has broadcast Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
games as a member of the Virginia Football Radio Network. WGRQ also broadcasts Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
games as a member of the Redskins Radio Broadcast Network.
Launch
After an application was filed in March 1983, the original construction permitConstruction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
for this station was granted by the FCC on December 7, 1984. This would be a new station broadcasting on 95.9 MHz with 3,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s of effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
from an antenna 91.3 metres (299.5 ft) in height above average terrain
Height above average terrain
Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts...
. The new station's city of license
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
was to be Colonial Beach, Virginia
Colonial Beach, Virginia
Colonial Beach is a town in Westmoreland County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,228 at the 2000 census. Possessing the second largest beach front in the state, Colonial Beach was a popular resort town in the early to mid-20th century, before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge made ocean...
. The still-under construction station was assigned call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
WPOT on February 25, 1985.
In November 1985, original permit holder Colonial Beach Broadcasting, Inc., applied to the FCC to transfer the permit to Potomac Broadcasting, Inc. The call sign was changed to WGRQ on December 1, 1985, and has remained stable for more than 25 years. The sale to Potomac Broadcasting was finalized in March 1986.
Telemedia era
WGRQ began broadcasting under program test authorityProgram test authority
In broadcasting, program test authority is an authorization to conduct on-air testing of broadcast station facilities authorized to be built under a construction permit...
on May 3, 1986, with an adult contemporary music format. The station received its broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
from the FCC on November 16, 1987. Just days later, Potomac Broadcasting applied to the FCC to transfer the license to Telemedia Broadcasting, Inc. The FCC approved the transfer on January 4, 1988, and the transaction was consummated on January 20, 1988.
The station flipped formats from oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
to classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
in February 2005. WGRQ had broadcast Virginia Tech Hokies football
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
games as a longtime member of the Virginia Tech Sports Network before transitioning to Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
broadcasts in September 2009.
Studio controversy
The station was involved in controversy when a rival broadcasting company complained to the FCC in July 2001 that WGRQ's main studios were located too far from the station's city of licenseCity of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
, a violation of FCC regulations. WGRQ acknowledged that its studios were 28.8 miles (46.3 km) from the center of Colonial Beach, Virginia
Colonial Beach, Virginia
Colonial Beach is a town in Westmoreland County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,228 at the 2000 census. Possessing the second largest beach front in the state, Colonial Beach was a popular resort town in the early to mid-20th century, before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge made ocean...
, but successfully asserted that it was in compliance with the law because "unique terrain" kept the studio location within the station's "principal community contour".
In August 2005, Telemedia Broadcasting applied for a "main studio waiver" which would have allowed them to relocate their broadcast studios even farther from the center of Colonial Beach. The new site, 2.5 miles (4 km) farther from the city center, would have allowed the station to eliminate a 100-foot tower built for the studio-transmitter link, a point of contention with the Spotsylvania County Planning Commission. The FCC denied this application on September 20, 2005.
In January 2010, Telemedia Broadcasting applied to the FCC to change WGRQ's city of license from Colonial Beach to Fairview Beach, Virginia
Fairview Beach, Virginia
Fairview Beach is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 230 at the 2000 census. It is located within the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area winemaking appellation....
. Fairview Beach is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia
King George County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 23,584 people, 9,411 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile . There were 6,820 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, roughly 15 miles (24.1 km) WNW of Colonial Beach and significantly closer to the primary market of Fredericksburg. The FCC authorized the change on April 27, 2010.