WGH (AM)

WGH
Broadcast areaHampton Roads
Frequency1310 kHz
BrandingFox Sports 1310 and 100.9
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio
Ownership
Owner
WGH-FM, WTWV-FM, WVBW-FM, WVSP-FM
History
First air date
December 6, 1926; 98 years ago (1926-12-06)
Former call signs
  • WPAB (1926–1927)
  • WRCV (1927–1928)
  • WIVA (1928)
  • WNEW (1928)
  • WGH (1928–1984)
  • WNSY (1984)
  • WGH (1984–2004)
  • WCMS (2004–2005)[1][2]
Former frequencies
  • 940 kHz (1926–1927)
  • 1430 kHz (1927–1928)
Call sign meaning
"World's Greatest Harbor"[3]
Technical information[4]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID72103
ClassB
Power
  • 20,000 watts day
  • 5,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
37°2′43.53″N 76°26′52.81″W / 37.0454250°N 76.4480028°W / 37.0454250; -76.4480028
Translator(s)100.9 W265EF (Newport News)
Repeater(s)94.1 WVSP-FM HD2 (Yorktown)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitefoxsportsradio1310.com

WGH (1310 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Newport News, Virginia, and serving Hampton Roads.[5] WGH is owned and operated by Max Media,[6] and airs a sports radio format. It mostly carries shows from Fox Sports Radio and calls itself "Fox Sports 1310 and 100.9." Studios and offices are on Greenwich Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[7]

WGH operates with 20,000 watts by day and 5,000 watts at night. To protect other stations on 1310 AM, it uses a directional antenna, sending much of the signal to the east. The transmitter is off Mary Ann Drive in Hampton, just over the line from Newport News.[8] Programming is also heard on 250-watt FM translator W265EF at 100.9 MHz in Newport News.[9]

History

Station WPAB was first licensed on 940 kHz on December 6, 1926. The station was assigned the call letters WGH and moved to 1310 kHz in 1928. Due to the implementation of the NARBA treaty, WGH moved to 1340kHz in 1941, only to move back to 1310kHz in 1948.[2] Because it dates back to the early days of radio, WGH is the only station in Virginia to retain its three-letter call sign, although there were periods in its history when it used the call letters WNSY and WCMS. The call letters for WGH and its sister station 97.3 WGH-FM stand for "World's Greatest Harbor", a slogan for the Hampton Roads or Tidewater area of Virginia, where there is a large shipbuilding industry and both commercial and military ports. For much of the 1960s and 1970s, WGH was a popular top 40 station.

On October 5, 2009, WGH swapped formats with WXEZ (94.1 FM) and became an urban gospel station as "Star 1310".[10] On July 28, 2017, WGH switched to a format of 1950s-60s oldies.[11]

On February 28, 2019, WGH changed its format from oldies to urban talk and urban oldies, branded as "1310 The Power".[12]

On June 15, 2020, WGH changed its format to business talk, branded as "Money Talk".[13]

On January 6, 2023, WGH changed its format from business talk to sports, branded as "Fox Sports 1310".[14]

Translator

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
W265EF 100.9 FM Newport News, Virginia 202208 250 D 36°50′28.80″N 76°8′9.4″W / 36.8413333°N 76.135944°W / 36.8413333; -76.135944 (W265EF) LMS

References

  1. ^ "Call Sign History". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "FCC History Cards for WGH".
  3. ^ "Call Letter Origins: Key and Listing". Bob Nelson. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  4. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WGH". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. ^ "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  6. ^ "WGH Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  7. ^ "Google Maps".
  8. ^ "WGH-AM Radio Station Daytime Coverage Map". radio-locator.com.
  9. ^ "W265EF-FM 100.9 MHz - Newport News, VA". radio-locator.com.
  10. ^ "Press Release: ESPN Radio 94.1-FM (Formerly 1310-AM) Launches October 5" (PDF). MAX Media Hampton Roads. September 18, 2009. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  11. ^ "WGH Flips to Oldies".
  12. ^ Max Media to Launch 1310 The Power Norfolk Radioinsight - February 27, 2019
  13. ^ Money Talk Comes To Norfolk Radioinsight - June 11, 2020
  14. ^ WGH Brings Fox Sports Back to Norfolk Radioinsight - January 6, 2023