WTAR

WTAR

City of license	Norfolk, Virginia
Broadcast area	Hampton Roads
Branding	"Funny 850"
Frequency	850 kHz
First air date	1952
Format	Comedy
Power	50,000 Watts daytime 25,000 Watts nighttime
Class	B
Facility ID	60472
Transmitter coordinates	38°57′22.0″N 77°4′57.0″W
Callsign meaning	We Tow And Repair reference to nearby Naval Station Norfolk[citation needed]
Affiliations	24/7 Comedy Network
Owner	Sinclair Telecable, Inc.
Sister stations	WNIS, WNOB, WROX-FM, WUSH
Webcast	WTAR Webstream
Website	WTAR Online

WTAR is a comedy formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, serving Hampton Roads. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.

History

The 850 frequency was originally WCAV when it signed on in 1952. But during the 1960s and 1970s they were better known as R&B outlet WRAP. They would later be replaced by WNIS, which moved from 1350 in the 1980s. They in turn would later swap signals with the original WTAR in the late 1990s.

The call letters WTAR derive from Tidewater Area, the name traditionally used by local residents for southeastern Virginia. The use of these call letters date back to 1923 when the station first began broadcasting as WTAR 790 radio, The Voice of Tidewater. The call letters and its associated programming moved to 850 on the dial in July 1997.

WTAR is WNIS's sister station, and the two stations used to often complement each other in programming, with WTAR primarily getting the "second tier" syndicated programs. Shows heard on WTAR included Imus in the Morning, Dr. Laura, Neal Boortz, Clark Howard, Dean Edell, John and Jeff, and Alex Jones.

Format Change

WTAR changed into a comedy station on June 20th, 2011.

External links

• Funny 850 Online
• WTAR Tribute Site
• Query the FCC's AM station database for WTAR
• Radio-Locator Information on WTAR
• Query Arbitron's AM station database for WTAR