WATA

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WATA

| logo = WATA logo.jpg

| city = Boone, North Carolina

| airdate = February 2, 1951

| frequency = 1450 kHz

| translator = W243DH (96.5 MHz, Boone)

| format = Local News Talk Information

| power = 1,000 watts unlimited

| class = C

| facility_id = 71068

| coordinates = {{coord|36|12|59.00|N|81|42|6.00|W|region:US-NC_type:landmark}}

| callsign_meaning = WATAuga County

| owner = Curtis Media Group

| sister_stations = WWMY, WZJS, WMMY, WECR, WXIT

| website = [http://www.goblueridge.net http://GoBlueRidge.net]

| affiliations = IMG, North Carolina News Network, Westwood One

| licensing_authority= FCC

}}

WATA (1450 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Local News Talk Information format.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WATA |title=WATA Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} Licensed to Boone, North Carolina, United States. The station is currently owned by Curtis Media Group of Raleigh, North Carolina and features predominantly locally produced programming, including Bill Fisher in the Morning, as well as Mike Kelly's Swap Shop, and many others.{{cite web|url=http://www.arbitron.com|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron }}

History

In September 2003 Highland sold WATA, (along with WZJS 100.7FM) to Aisling Broadcasting (Jonathon Hoffman, managing member) for a price of $2.2 million.{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA325800.html|title=Changing Hands|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=2003-09-28|accessdate=2011-10-18}} This added to Aisling's holdings in the High Country, as they had already purchased WECR, WECR-FM, WXIT (from Rondinaro Broadcasting) for $2.2 million in 2003,{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA328916.html?q=wecr-fm|title=Changing Hands|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=2003-10-12|accessdate=2011-10-18}} and WMMY (from Dale Hendrix) in 2004 for $1.58 million.{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA401907.html?display=Business&q=wmmy-fm|title=Changing Hands|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=2004-03-07|accessdate=2011-10-18}}

Aisling went into receivership and George Reed of Media Services Group was appointed to manage the stations until a buyer is found.Scott Nicholson, "Receivership: Local Stations Seek Buyer," The Watauga Democrat, March 14, 2008. Later in the year, Curtis Media Group purchased the stations.{{cite web|url=http://cclamp.radioandrecords.com/RRWebSite20/Members/Transactions.aspx?ContentID=45380&ContentTypeID=103&Archive=1&FormatId=0|title=Transactions for October 10, 2008|work=Radio and Records|accessdate=2011-10-18}}

References

External links

http://www.wataugademocrat.com/2005/placecalledhome/apch_19_bw.pdf A History of Local Media in the Watauga

ATA

Category:Watauga County, North Carolina