WBRW
Radio station in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WBRW (105.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Blacksburg, Virginia, and serving the New River Valley and part of the Roanoke metropolitan area.[1] It broadcasts an active rock radio format known as "The Bear." It is owned by Monticello Media LLC, with radio studios and offices on Lee Highway (U.S. Route 11) in Radford.
| |
| |
| Broadcast area | |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 105.3 MHz |
| Branding | 105.3 The Bear |
| Programming | |
| Format | Active rock[1] |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Monticello Media LLC |
| WPSK-FM, WRAD, WRAD-FM, WVXL | |
| History | |
First air date | December 1964[2] |
Former call signs | |
Former frequencies | 104.9 MHz (1964–1996)[5] |
Call sign meaning | "Bear" |
| Technical information[6] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 5795 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 12,000 watts |
| HAAT | 146 meters (479 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 37°11′12″N 80°28′54″W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WBRW has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 12,000 watts. The transmitter is on Stroubles Creek Road in Blacksburg.[7]
History
The station signed on the air in December 1964[2] as the FM counterpart to WJJJ (1260 AM). The original call sign was WVVV and its frequency was 104.9 MHz. The owner was Blacksburg-Christiansburg Broadcasters and it aired an album rock radio format.[8]
In 1996, WVVV moved to its current dial position after changing its call letters the previous year to WVMJ Became Majic 105 and was A/C Format. In 1999, the station switched to its current call sign, WBRW, flipping to an active rock format.
WBRW had been owned and operated by Cumulus Media.[9] On September 6, 2018, Cumulus Media announced it would sell its Blacksburg cluster to Monticello Media.[10] The sale was approved December 1, 2018.[11]
