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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Radio station WAJR-AM in Morgantown is one of West Virginia’s most influential stations. In 1949, it became the flagship station for a statewide network (now the Mountaineer Sports Network) distributing broadcasts of West Virginia University football and basketball games. For nearly 50 years these broadcasts featured the well-known announcer, Jack Fleming. In 1985, WAJR launched the Metronews Radio Network, which now provides daily news, talk, and sports programming via satellite to more than 60 affiliates statewide.
The West Virginia Radio Corporation has owned WAJR since it began broadcasting December 7, 1940. Founder H. C. Greer was also publisher of the Morgantown Post and the Dominion News (now the Dominion Post). The station was named for the initials of Greer’s wife, Agnes Jane Reeves Greer. In 1968, both radio and newspaper facilities moved into the new Greer Building. In 1976, control of the company was transferred to Greer family heirs, Richard, John, and David Raese. In 1957, the station increased power from 250 to 5,000 watts and assumed its current frequency of 1440 kHz. WAJR-FM (now WVAQ) began in 1948. WAJR’s programming evolved through several music formats, and now the station offers a mix of national and local news, talk, and sports.
When the FCC relaxed ownership restrictions in the early 1990s, West Virginia Radio Corporation, also known as WVRC, began acquiring additional stations in the state and now owns owns and operates more than 30 stations in the Morgantown, Clarksburg, Elkins, Charleston, Beckley, Martinsburg, Berkeley Springs, and Summersville areas in West Virginia and in Cumberland, Maryland. In addition to rock, country, top 40, and classic hits, it also covers news, talk, and sports through its MetroNews network. Its main offices remain in Morgantown.
Written by Ed McDonald