WRGA

WRGA AM 1470 and W254CF FM 98.7 ( "News Talk 98.7 and AM 1470 ") is a radio station broadcasting a news talk information format. Licensed to serve Rome, Georgia, United States, the station serves Floyd and adjacent counties of northwest Georgia and a sliver of northeast Alabama. The station is currently owned by Rome Radio Partners, LLC [3]

WRGA
Broadcast areaRome GA area
Frequency1470 kHz
Branding98.7 FM - 1470 AM
Programming
FormatNews/talk
AffiliationsABC News Radio
Westwood One News
The Weather Channel
Bloomberg Radio
Ownership
OwnerRome Radio Partners, LLC
History
First air date
March 5, 1930 (as WFDV)
Former call signs
WFDV (1929–1934)[1]
Call sign meaning
Rome, GeorgiA[2]
Technical information
Facility ID40856
ClassB
Power5,000 watts day
5,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
34°18′5.00″N 85°9′19.00″W
Translator(s)98.7 W254CF (Rome)
Links
Webcastwrga.streamon.fm Listen Live
Websitewrganews.com

Prior to spring 2009, WRGA was owned by McDougald Broadcasting, and was run by Southern Broadcasting Company, which is the owner-operator of WSRM FM 93.5, WQTU FM 102.3, WTSH FM 107.1, and WGJK AM 1360, from its studios on John Davenport Drive in Rome.

From spring 2004 to July 9, 2009, WRGA simulcast a substantially stronger and better quality signal on WSRM-FM. Until spring 2009, WSRM's radio tower was located in Coosa, Georgia; however after the ownership change the tower was moved to Mount Alto in Rome, and the carrier frequency was changed from 95.3 to 93.5 FM. The result was a substantial increase in the size of WSRM's coverage area, which led to issues which resulted in Rome Radio Partners having to end the five-year-old FM simulcast. WSRM's format was changed on July 9, 2009, to "Life FM", an "eclectic blend of Christian and secular adult contemporary" music; a later format change on WSRM was to country music.

WRGA operates under the tagline "Rome's NewsTalk". WRGA carries Brian Kilmeade, Erick Erickson, Sean Hannity, and Larry Elder during their daily program schedule. ABC News Radio is carried at the top of the hour and Westwood One News at the bottom of the hour.

Locally produced programming on WRGA includes First News with Tony McIntosh. Other popular locally produced programming included Talk of the Town, which was hosted by the late Nelle Reagan.

WRGA is the only station in Rome with a full-time video news team including News Director, David Crowder, and Digital News Editor, Ethan Garrett. Spot news coverage is provided as situations necessitate. Election coverage live from the Floyd County Courthouse is provided any day the polls are open.

As of March 1, 2014, WRGA also simulcasts on a broadcast translator at 98.7, with broadcast callsign W254CF. This change was partly to extend the coverage area at night, when skywave RF interference reduces the AM station's broadcast range. (Previously this was prohibited by the FCC, with translators reserved only for FM stations to cover gaps caused by terrain, a change which blocks frequencies that community LPFM stations could otherwise use locally.) The addition of the FM signal was soon followed by a rebranding as "News Talk 98.7 and AM 1470, WRGA". The station has also been using the tag line "Local News Now" more heavily in 2014.

History

The station began operation on March 5, 1930, as WFDV,[4] operating on 1370 kHz with a power of 100 W. On June 26, 1931, the station was permitted to change its frequency to 1310 kHz. By April 1935 its callsign had become WRGA. On May 16, 1948, WRGA changed its frequency from 1490 kHz to 1470 kHz with a concurrent increase in power from 250 W to 5 KW.[4]

References
  1. "WRGA history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  2. Nelson, Bob (April 15, 2018). "Call Letter Origins: Key and Listing". The Broadcast Archive. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  3. "WRGA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. "WRGA Moves to 1470 kc, Increases Power to 5 kw" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 24, 1948. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
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