- WQPO
Infobox Radio station
name = WQPO-FM
city =Harrisonburg, VA
area = CentralShenandoah Valley
branding = "Q101"
slogan = "All The Hits"
airdate =February 6 ,1986
frequency = 100.7 MHz
format =Contemporary Hit Radio
power = 50,000Watt s
erp =
class = B
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WSVA-FM (1946-1972)
owner = VerStandig Broadcasting
sister_stations =WBHB-FM ,WHBG ,WJDV ,WSVA
webcast =
website = [http://www.q101online.com q101online.com]
affiliations =WQPO is a
radio station inHarrisonburg, Virginia broadcasting atFM 100.7 MHz) playing a diverse range oftop 40 music, including rock and hip-hop. It is owned and operated by VerStandig Broadcasting, which owns 5 radio stations in theHarrisonburg, Virginia area. Q101's studio and transmitter is located just west of Harrisonburg. The station identifies as "Harrisonburg/Waynesboro/Staunton" on-air, referring to the major cities of theShenandoah Valley .Due to elevation, Q101 can only be heard in parts of Pendleton, Hardy and Grant counties of
West Virginia .History
WQPO went on the air in 1946 as WSVA-FM, it was the third FM on in the state. It was automated with a variety of music formats as from the start. The last before changing call letters was "Country Sunshine". Call letters changed in 1972 to WQPO, Stereo 101 - using Drake Chenault's Solid Gold format (4 reels and a bunch of cart decks) - a solid sound, but FM had not taken off yet. Around 1982, then-owner Gilmore Broadcasting decided to try to make money with it, taking out the automated format and hired a full staff and hosted an Adult Contemporary format. They changed the name to Q-101 and built out the facility to its fully licensed 50KW signal. Prior to that they ran at 7200w from one of the AM towers of sister WSVA. A new 500-ft tower was built in the field next to the studios on Rt. 33 West. Station took off in the ratings, quickly outpacing the dominant WSVA-AM during the '80s. Gilmore sold the AM-FM combo in 1987 to VerStandig.
Format Change
In 1998, Q101 switched from a hot adult contemporary format to a mainstream top 40 (CHR) format.
External links
*fmq|WQPO
* [http://q101.valleyradio.com Q101 Online]
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