WRAD

Infobox Radio station
name = WRAD


city = Radford, Virginia
area = New River Valley
branding = 1460 WRAD Radford
slogan = "Timeless Classics"
airdate = 1948
frequency = 1460 kHz
format = Oldies
power = 5000 watts day, 500 watts night
erp =
class = A
callsign_meaning = RADFORD ; Radford All Day
former_callsigns = The Big "R", AM Stereo 1460 WRAD, Classic Country 1460 WRAD, CD Country WRAD, Radford All Day 1460 WRAD, Sports Radio 1460 WRAD
owner = Cumulus Media
licensee =
sister_stations = WBRW, WFNR-FM/WFNR, WPSK, WWBU
webcast =
website =
affiliations = ABC News Radio, NASCAR

WRAD / 1460 AM is a Oldies formatted radio station licensed to Radford, Virginia. WRAD is owned by Cumulus Media, along with 107 Country WPSK-FM, 105.3 The Bear WBRW-FM, Hot 100.7 WFNR-FM, SuperSports 101.7 WWBU-FM, and News/Talk 710 WFNR-AM. The studios are located at 7080 Lee Highway in Radford, Virginia, but the physical broadcast antenna is located 1½ miles southeast of the Lee Highway studios.

WRAD is the New River Valley affiliate of ABC News Radio, Radford University, NASCAR, and select Virginia Tech Baseball games.

WRAD's history with Virginia Tech sports broadcasts dates back to September 18, 1954 when Joe Knakel and Bob Bradford called the first-ever VT football radio broadcast — a 30-21 victory over N.C. State.

History

O. Wayne Rollins and his brother, John Rollins, purchased WRAD in 1948. The business grew quickly, and they renamed their company Rollins Broadcasting. One of the first companies to create programming for specific community markets, Rollins Broadcasting expanded into the television industry in 1956.

WRAD's format in 1948 was current popular music (what is now known as "nostalgia" or Adult standards) broadcasting with 200 watts on 1340 AM and known as The Big "R" Radio. The station originally broadcast from downtown Radford, next to the train station and the old post office on Main Street next to Radford University. Later, the frequency was changed to 1460 kHz in favor of a larger signal—therefore a greater coverage area—and moved across the bridge. The 1340 frequency was sold to new owners and is now WBLB. Throughout the years, the wattage was upgraded to 500, 1,000, then 5,000 kHz during daytime hours. The format was changed to country, putting themselves into direct competition with Roanoke's 610 WSLC-AM (now WVBE-AM).

WRAD was the first AM station in the New River Valley to broadcast in AM stereo, beginning in the early 1980s. The AM stereo phenomenon didn't catch on with consumers. WSLC & WRAD both remained in AM stereo until about 1999.

In 1965 WRAD acquired a FM sister station WRIQ-FM (currently WWBU) 101.7 mHz. WRIQ used to broadcast a country format independent of WRAD-AM. In 1996, new owners made WRAD a simulcast of WRIQ's CD Country format. Two years later, WRAD was changed to "Music and Memories", a nostalgia format that brought WRAD around full circle. Then in 1999 WRAD moved to facillites' that would also house 3 other area FM stations, and 2 other AM stations. In 2004, the nostalgia format was dropped in favor of a sports talk format.

Became "Timeless Favorites" 1460 WRAD 8-4-08

pecialty Programming

NASCAR Live with "Eli Gold" — Tuesdays nights 7-8pm

Local weather forecast provided by meteorologists from Roanoke TV station WDBJ-7 multiple times each hour.

Local Sports

Radford Bobcats High School Football live every Friday night during high school football season. For over six decades WRAD has been the home for the RHS Bobcats.

RU women's basketball; all games air locally on WRAD with the pre-game show beginning 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

External links

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