WBQB (101.5 FM, "B101.5") is a hot adult contemporary–formatted radio station in Fredericksburg, Virginia, serving Central Virginia with a primary focus of Spotsylvania County.[1] WBQB is owned and operated by Centennial Broadcasting.[5] The studio and offices are located on Mimosa Street in Fredericksburg.
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Central Virginia |
| Frequency | 101.5 MHz |
| Branding | B101.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Hot adult contemporary[1] |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WFVA | |
| History | |
First air date | May 15, 1960[2] |
Former call signs | WFVA-FM (1960–1989)[3] |
| Technical information[4] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 41812 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 150 meters (490 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°19′57.5″N 77°23′39.9″W / 38.332639°N 77.394417°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
History
editOn May 15, 1960,[2] AM radio station WFVA signed on WFVA-FM as an FM sister station simulcasting the same programming. Both stations were owned by Mid-Atlantic Network Inc.
On August 7, 1989, WFVA was authorized by the FCC to change its callsign to WBQB.[6] The change in call sign coincided with the breaking of a years-long simulcast on the FM frequency and the reformatting of the renamed WBQB to be less of a full-service middle-of-the-road station and target the 25–44 age group.[7] The adult contemporary format was tweaked in 1992 to reduce the classic rock component.[8]
On May 17, 2007, it was announced that Mid-Atlantic Network Inc. would sell six radio stations to Centennial Licensing II LLC for $36 million.[9]
Programming
editWBQB broadcasts an adult contemporary music format. As of July 2023, weekday on-air personalities include Jeremy Grey in the morning, Kristin Nash in the afternoon, The Drive Home with Trapper Young, and Bill Carroll at night. Primary marketing focus is on female listeners and demographic as an audience.
Among the recurring segments on WBQB every week: 101 Minutes of Today's BEST Music a one hundred and one minute commercial free segment during Kristin Nash's timeslot, Kristin's Canines and Kittens featuring animals from the Fredericksburg SPCA, and the 5 O'Clock Cartunes.
Community activity
editB101.5 participates in multiple community events within Fredericksburg throughout the year. It participates as the primary sponsor for the Great Train Race, one of the largest annual youth 1-mile races on the East Coast. The race has been held in Fredericksburg for almost 30 years.[10] The station also participates in the annual Spotsylvania Stars and Stripes Spectacular for the Fourth of July, where it provides the music for the fireworks show at the end of the event.
References
edit- ^ a b "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-564. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "Call Sign History". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WBQB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WBQB Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "FM Broadcast Station License" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission (published February 29, 1988). August 11, 1988. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
- ^ Dennen, Rusty (August 25, 1989). "Format switch and staff shake-up signal change in the air at WFVA". The Free Lance-Star. p. 6.
- ^ Hedelt, Rob (November 12, 1992). "WBQB gets with-it, WGRQ turns down the heat". The Free Lance-Star. p. D1.
- ^ Mangino, Stephanie (May 17, 2007). "SOLD! $36M for WINC's corporate parent". The Winchester Star. pp. 1, A8. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
- ^ "Home | Great Train Race". Great Train Race. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
External links
edit- B101.5 Online
- Facility details for Facility ID 41812 (WBQB) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WBQB in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
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