WBVR-FM

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WBVR-FM

| logo = Beaver1063.webp

| country = US

| branding = Beaver 106.3

| frequency = 106.3 MHz {{HD Radio}}

| translator = {{ubl|{{Radio Relay|95.9|W240CP|Bowling Green|HD2}}|{{Radio Relay|97.3|W247DM|Glasgow|HD3}}|{{Radio Relay|97.5|W248CF|Bowling Green|HD3}}}}

| airdate = {{start date and age|1994|9|19}}

| format = Country

| subchannels = {{ubl|HD2: WOVO simulcast|HD3: Classical "Classical 97.5"}}

| erp = 50,000 watts

| haat = {{convert|123|m|ft|sp=us}}

| class = C2

| facility_id = 48702

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{coord|37|02|39.2|N|86|10|59.9|W|region:US-KY|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning = "Beaver"

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WLMK (1991–1993)|WXPC (1993–1998)|WHHT (1998–2012)|WOVO (2012–2025)}}

| former_frequencies = {{ubl|106.7 MHz (1994–2008)|106.5 MHz (2008–2012)}}

| affiliations =

| owner = Seven Mountains Media

| licensee = Soky Radio, LLC{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WOVO |title=WOVO Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division}}

| sister_stations = WBVR, WOVO, WPTQ, WUHU, WWKU, WKLX

| webcast = [https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=WBVR Listen Live]

| website = [https://beaverfm.com/ beaverfm.com]

}}

WBVR-FM (106.3 MHz) is a country music–formatted radio station licensed to Horse Cave, Kentucky, United States, and serving the Bowling Green area. The station is currently owned by Seven Mountains Media.

The station's studios, shared with Brownsville–licensed WKLX and Glasgow–licensed WPTQ (also owned by Seven Mountains Media), are located on McIntosh Street near US 231 on the south side of Bowling Green. WBVR's transmitter is located on Pine Knob along U.S. Route 68 (US 68) near Smiths Grove, Kentucky, sharing tower space with NBC/CBS/MeTV dual affiliate WNKY (channel 40) and Ion Television affiliate WNKY-LD (channel 35).

History

=The early years=

The station's construction permit, for 106.7 MHz in Horse Cave, was issued under the callsign WLMK in 1991. The callsign was changed to WXPC in 1993; it first signed on the air on September 19, 1994.[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2010/D2-2010-BC-YB-7.pdf 2010 Broadcasting Yearbook, page D-241] It began broadcasting as an oldies–formatted station.{{Cite book|last=Nash|first=Francis M.|date=1995|title=Towers Over Kentucky: A History of Radio and TV in the Bluegrass State|publisher=HOST Communications|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/History/Towers-Over-Kentucky-Nash-1995.pdf|via=World Radio History|isbn=9781879688933|page=148}}

=Sale to Commonwealth Broadcasting and first changeover to AC=

In 1997, the station, along with WHHT, WOVO, WCDS, and four other stations in Kentucky, were acquired by a new business venture named Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation, formed by Steve Newberry and former Kentucky governor Brereton C. Jones.{{cite news|title=Former governor buys radio stations|work=Park City Daily News|date=January 19, 1997|page=11A|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nssaAAAAIBAJ&dq=WOVO+Glasgow+KY&pg=PA6&article_id=4500,1573370|via=Google Books|access-date=June 9, 2024}} On October 23, 1998, the station took on the WHHT call sign{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=48702&Callsign=WHHT |title=WHHT Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division}} and adult contemporary format from 103.7 MHz, which became classic rock station WPTQ.{{efn|The 103.7 facility, as WHHT, had itself operated on 106.7 from 1988 to 1991.}}

=2000s=

Until 2005, WHHT broadcast a variety hits format as Sam FM, airing the syndicated network S.A.M.: Simply About Music from Westwood One. In November 2005, the Sam FM format moved to Brownsville-licensed WKLX (100.7 FM).{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/2933/sam-moves-in-bowling-green-ky?ref=search|title=Sam Moves in Bowling Green, KY|publisher=All Access|date=November 14, 2005|access-date=March 11, 2023}} For the next six years, WHHT broadcast a hot adult contemporary format under the branding Star FM. In 2008, upgrades at Cumulus Media–owned WNFN (106.7 FM, licensed to Millersville, Tennessee) in the Nashville metropolitan area resulted in WHHT shifting to 106.5 MHz.{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/39959/nashville-s-fan-upgrades-signal|title=Nashville's Fan Upgrades Signal|publisher=All Access|date=May 8, 2008|access-date=March 11, 2023}} A format switch to country music occurred sometime in 2010.

=Three-way frequency swap=

File:106.3-WOVO.jpg

In October 2012, Commonwealth Broadcasting instituted a major three-way frequency and FCC license change. WHHT upgraded its signal in a move to 106.3 MHz, which would be traded to WOVO, which moved its adult contemporary format from 105.3 FM. WHHT's country music format was relocated to the 103.7 FM frequency, which that station previously broadcast on from 1991 through 1998; WPTQ and its classic rock programming would replace WOVO on 105.3.{{Cite web|date=October 22, 2012|title=Stations On The Move In Glasgow, KY|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/79382/stations-on-the-move-in-glasgow-ky/|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=June 8, 2024}}

=Sale to Seven Mountains Media=

In October 2024, Commonwealth Broadcasting and Seven Mountains Media agreed to a station swap of several stations in Bowling Green, and Glasgow, Kentucky.{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=October 4, 2024 |title=Commonwealth Broadcasting And Seven Mountains Media To Swap Kentucky Stations |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/283340/commonwealth-broadcasting-and-seven-mountains-media-to-swap-kentucky-stations/ |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=RadioInsight}}

=Stunting, "Wheel of Formats," and Beaver branding=

On November 18, 2024, WOVO dropped its hot adult contemporary format and began stunting with Christmas music, branded as "North Pole Radio".[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/287449/santa-arrives-in-southern-kentucky/ Santa Arrives in Southern Kentucky] Radioinsight - November 19, 2024 On December 27, the stunt was changed to a "Wheel of Formats", with sweepers redirecting listeners to WUHU; it also ran promos for the move of the "Beaver" country music programming of WBVR-FM from 96.7 to 106.3, and the forthcoming launch of Seven Mountain's "Bigfoot Legends" classic country format on 96.7. On January 10, 2025, 106.3 became WBVR-FM, and began simulcasting on WBVR (1490 AM and 94.5 FM), replacing oldies station WBGN; the WOVO call sign moved to 96.7.{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=January 10, 2025 |title=Seven Mountains Completes Bowling Green Format Shuffle |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/290489/wheel-of-format-stunt-on-wovo-promotes-double-flip-in-bowling-green/ |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=RadioInsight}}