Changes are taking place on the Northern Neck FM radio dial. Some you can hear, some you will hear, and some you won’t hear at all.

WRAR-FM, on location with the Prize Wheel.

Perhaps the biggest change was Two Rivers Communication’s acquisition of WNDJ-FM (104.9) earlier this year and replacing the easy listening/talk format with a country music format. The station also changed its call letters to WIGO, with the handle “WIGO Country.”

“We're delighted at the listener response to the new WIGO Country," said General Manager Charlie Lassiter. "We knew there were a lot of country music fans in the area, but people are constantly telling us how thrilled they are to have a new country station.”

Two Rivers Communications also owns adult contemporary Bay FM, with both stations operating under one roof.

"We think our two stations, Bay FM and WIGO Country, appeal to a wide cross section of listeners in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula,” Charlie added. We try to bring them the music they like, as well as extensive local news coverage."

Change that has yet to be heard is the addition of a new signal in the region. Public radio WCVE-FM (88.9) in Richmond plans a Heathsville-based “repeater” to rebroadcast its signal on 89.1 FM, bringing the area its first public station. However, General Manager Bill Miller says an engineering snag has forced another delay that may mean the new station won’t be on the air until early next year.

The changes you won’t hear all took place behind the scenes at WRAR-FM (105..5) in Tappahannock and WNNT-FM (100.9) in Warsaw. Long time owner Danny Wadsworth sold WRAR and his bother Lyn sold WNNT to Real Media, Inc., made up of WRAR employees Rich Morgan, Tom Davis, Jon Stallard, and Terry Brooks.

“You won’t hear any change at all on WRAR. We plan to operate it pretty much the way Danny has all these years,” Rich said. “There is a change to mornings on WNNT. Lynn had been doing the morning show with Mark Bryant and he stepped down after the sale. Bruce Hamilton moves to mornings to team up with Mark.”

WRAR is a full service adult contemporary that carries Washington Redskins football and UVa sports. WNNT has a country format and offers extensive NASCAR coverage.

“We plan to continue operating these stations as the full service, locally-oriented stations that they are,” Rich said.

© 2006 Northern Neck Buyers Guide. All Rights Reserved.