WATA

Infobox Radio station
name = WATA


city = Boone, North Carolina
area =
branding =
slogan =
airdate =
frequency = 1450 kHz
format = Local News Talk Information
power = 1,000 watts unlimited
erp =
haat =
class = C
facility_id = 71068
coordinates = coord|36|12|59.00|N|81|42|6.00|W|region:GB_type:city
callsign_meaning = WATAuga county
former_callsigns =
owner = Aisling Broadcasting of Banner Elk, LLC
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://goblueridge.net.com goblueridge.net]
affiliations = MRN Radio, PRN Radio, Jones Media, ISP, ABC Radio,Westwood One

WATA (1450 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WATA |title=WATA Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ] Licensed to Boone, North Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by Aisling Broadcasting of Banner Elk, LLC and features programing from MRN Radio, PRN Radio, Jones Media, ISP, ABC Radio and Westwood One. [ cite web|url=http://www.arbitron.com|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron ]

The station advertises itself as Watauga County's "Heritage Station." It emphasizes local news and announcements and broadcasts Live Play by Play Watauga High School Sports and Appalachian State University football baseball and basketball games.

History

WATA was started by Mr. and Mrs. Roland Potter, owners of WKBC and WKBC-FM in nearby North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. WATA signed on the air in 1950. WATA's studios were originally located above the Boone bus station, at Depot and Rivers streets. The station broadcast live performances by country and bluegrass artists from that location during its early years of operation. Today WATA broadcasts from studios on Blowing Rock Road in Boone.

In the early 1990's the Potters started WZJS100.7FM.

Roland Potter sold both stations in the late 1990s to Highland Communication Associates.

In September 2003 Highland sold WATA, (along with WZJS 100.7FM) to Aisling Broadcasting (Jonathon Hoffman, managing member) for a price of $2.2 million [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA325800.html] . This added to Aisling's holdings in the High Country, as they had already purchased WECR, WECR-FM, WXIT (from Rondinaro Broadcasting) for $2.2 million in 2003 [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA328916.html?q=wecr-fm] , and WMMY(from Dale Hendrix) in 2004 for $1.58 million [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA401907.html?display=Business&q=wmmy-fm]

Aisling went into receivership and George Reed of Media Services Group was appointed to manage the stations until a buyer is found [Scott Nicholson, "Receivership: Local Stations Seek Buyer," "The Watauga Democrat", March 14, 2008.] .

References

External links

*AMQ|WATA
*AML|WATA
*AMARB|WATA
* http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2005/placecalledhome/apch_19_bw.pdf "A History of Local Media" in the Watauga