WTAR

Infobox Radio Station
name = WTAR


city = Norfolk, Virginia
area = Norfolk/Virginia Beach
branding = "AM 850 WTAR"
slogan =
airdate = 1952
frequency = 850 kHz
format = Talk/Sports
power = 50,000 Watts Daytime 25,000 Watts Nighttime
erp =
Daytime Number of Towers = 4
Nighttime Number of Towers = 6
former_callsigns = WNIS
class = B
sister_stations =WROX-FM, WPYA, WUSH, WNIS
owner = Sinclair Communications
website = [http://www.wtar.com Official Site]
callsign_meaning = W Tidewater ARea |

WTAR, nicknamed "AM 850 WTAR", is a sports/talk radio station broadcasting in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, serving the Hampton Roads radio market. The station is owned by Sinclair Communications (no relation to Sinclair Broadcast Group, which happens to own television station WTVZ-TV in the same market).

History

The 850 frequency was originally WCAV when it signed on in 1952. But during the 1960s and 1970s they were better known as R&B outlet WRAP. They would later be replaced by WNIS, which moved from 1350 in the 1980s. They in turn would later swap signals with the original WTAR in the late 1990s.

The call letters WTAR derive from Tidewater Area, the name traditionally used by local residents for southeastern Virginia. The use of these call letters date back to 1923 when the station first began broadcasting as WTAR 790 radio, "The Voice of Tidewater". The call letters and its associated programming moved to 850 on the dial in July 1997.

When WTKR-TV was WTAR-TV/WTAR-AM, they referred the calls as Television And Radio

Programming

WTAR is WNIS's sister station, and the two stations often complement each other in programming, with WTAR primarily getting the "second tier" syndicated programs. Shows heard on WTAR include Imus in the Morning, Dr. Laura, Bill O'Reilly's The Radio Factor, Glenn Beck Program, Clark Howard, Dean Edell, John and Jeff, and Alex Jones.

External links

* [http://www.wtar.com AM 850 WTAR official website]
* [http://wtar790.homestead.com/ WTAR Tribute Site]
*AMQ|WTAR
*AML|WTAR