WSVA went on the air on June 9, 1935 with 500 watts of power. It was the first radio station to broadcast in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Although it appears that the call letters stand for Shenandoah VAlley, they actually stand for We Serve Virginia Agriculture." The station was affiliated with NBC, and offered news, agricultural programs, music and other items of local interest. Bluegrass singer Mac Wiseman worked at the station as a news reader and disc jockey in the 1940s. WSVA was originally owned by Frederick L. Allman. In 1946, it produced the Valley's first FM station, WSVA-FM, and in 1953 it added a television station, WSVA-TV. Allman sold his stations to a partnership of Transcontinent Television and former NBC executive Hamilton Shea in 1956, earning a significant return on his investment of 21 years earlier. In 1959, the Washington Evening Star, owner of WMAL AM-FM-TV in Washington, D.C., bought Transcontinent's share of the stations, as well as 1% of Shea's stake. Michigan businessman James Gilmore bought the WSVA stations in 1965. Gilmore sold off channel 3 in 1976, but held onto the radio stations until 1987, when he sold them to local businessman John David VerStandig. Over the years, VerStandig added WTGD-FM, WJDV-FM, and WHBG-AM to his portfolio. In 2009 the station moved into a new building located on the same property to the old one on Heritage Center Way. On January 1, 2015, WSVA began simulcasting its programming on FM translator W221CF, broadcasting at 92.1 FM. It exists to fill in the gaps in WSVA's nighttime coverage. The AM signal must power down to 1,000 watts at night to protect the directional nighttime signal of WGR in Buffalo, New York and other regional stations. The sale of Verstandig Broadcasting of Harrisonburg to Saga Communications was closed on July 31, 2015, at a purchase price of $9.64 million.
Programming
The WSVA morning show, known as "Early Mornings" airs from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and features hosts Jim Britt, Frank Wilt and Jennifer Armstrong along with news reported by Karl Magenhofer. Mike Schikman hosts afternoon drive time; a noon news hour is also locally originated. The station's syndicated programming is a hodgepodge of programs from various networks including The Dave Ramsey Show, shows from Westwood One and the Salem Radio Network. Weekend talk programming consists of numerous lifestyle programs. WSVA broadcast local sports programs including high school football, basketball and baseball along with James Madison University football and basketball broadcast.
Translator
In addition to the main station, WSVA is relayed by an FM translator to widen its broadcast area.
