Hokies Radio Broadcasts Upgrade to 93.5 Sunny FM in Roanoke

April 19, 2011

Tech also Extends Radio Partnerships in other Key Virginia Markets

Station Capsules

WNIS-AM, With its news-talk format and immensely-popular morning radio show, NewsTalk 790 has consistently been Norfolk’s top-rated AM station, and one of the top-five rated stations overall in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach market for the last 15 years. Its strong signal covers the entire Tidewater region including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, and Portsmouth.

WRVA-AM. One of America’s great radio stations, WRVA-AM has been the “voice of Richmond” for over a half-century. With its 50-thousand watt clear channel signal, WRVA-AM can be heard in the eastern half of the United States at night and it remains one of the Commonwealth’s highest-rated stations. WRVA carries all Virginia Tech nighttime broadcasts.

WRNL-AM. Sportsradio 910 is one of Virginia’s highest-rated all-sports stations and is the home of the Hokies in Richmond. The stations broadcasts weekly remotes throughout Central Virginia and has a strong commitment to local sports talk each day including the Wes McElroy show each weekday afternoon.

WSNV-FM. Sunny FM has been one of the real success stories for Clear Channel in recent years. Among the top-rated stations in Roanoke market, its powerful FM signal blankets the Roanoke Valley and beyond. The station carries all Virginia Tech Sports Network programming as well as music from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.

WBBC-FM. With a powerful 25,000 watt FM signal, WBBC-FM blankets 24 counties in Virginia and North Carolina. ‘Bobcat Country’ is home to great country music, NASCAR, and all Virginia Tech sports broadcasts. ‘Bobcat Country’ covers all of south-side Virginia and northern counties of North Carolina.

WJFK-FM. With a powerful 25,000 watt FM signal, 106.7 The Fan serves the Washington, D.C. area with a top-rated lineup of local sports personalities including The Sports Junkies, The Mike Wise Show with Holden Kushner, The LaVar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes, and Overtime with Bill Rohland. 106.7 The Fan also broadcasts the Washington Wizards, Washington Nationals, NFL Playoffs, and has aired Washington Capitals playoff games since 2008.

The Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network and Clear Channel Communications today announced that all Hokies sports radio broadcasts in the Roanoke, Virginia market will move to SUNNY-FM, WSNV-FM, 93.5 FM starting with the 2011-2012 season. Tech sports had been heard on Clear Channel’s Steve-FM (106.1 FM) in Roanoke for the past several years.

“We are proud of our partnership with the Clear Channel team in Roanoke and look forward to taking our programming to another quality station like 93.5 SUNNY FM,” said Rick Barakat, General Manager, Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network. “The signal and format are a great fit with our loyal fans throughout the Roanoke area.”

SUNNY-FM will carry all Virginia Tech football and men’s basketball broadcasts, plus the network’s ancillary programs such as Tech Talk LIVE, the ACC Tournament, and other events on the new, stronger signal.

“We are excited about our continued partnership with Virginia Tech Athletics and IMG,” said Dave Carwile, 93.5 SUNNY FM General Manager. “Virginia Tech has a loyal fan base in the Roanoke area and one of the top brands in the state. We are especially excited about moving football and men's basketball broadcasts to 93.5 SUNNY FM. It will give Hokie fans a greater signal in the Roanoke area and one of Roanoke's best-known air personalities promoting the Hokies every Monday through Friday, Larry Dowdy. That's priceless!”

In addition, The Virginia Tech IMG Sports network also announced today long-term extensions of several broadcast partnerships within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The agreements ensure Virginia Tech football and basketball game broadcasts, coaches’ shows, and other ancillary programs will continue to air on some of the regions most powerful and highly-rated radio stations.

The affiliation contract extensions are with the following broadcast partners:

Sinclair Communications, owners of WNIS-AM in Norfolk, Virginia.
Clear Channel Communications, owners or WRNL-AM, and WRVA-AM, Richmond, Virginia.
Denbar Communications, owners of WBBC-FM, Blackstone, Virginia.

Last spring, Virginia Tech also announced a long-term partnership with CBS Radio, owners of WJFK-FM in Washington. The 25-thousand watt station, which blankets Washington, DC and Northern Virginia, is the exclusive home of Virginia Tech sports broadcasts in the nation’s capitol.

“In each of these markets, DC, Richmond, Norfolk, Roanoke, and Blackstone, we’ve been able to secure stations which deliver powerful signals and consistently big ratings numbers. Those are important factors for our coaches, our fans and our corporate sponsors,” said Bill Roth, Director of Broadcast Operations. “To partner the Virginia Tech brand with the region’s biggest broadcast outlets is exciting for all of us.”

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