89.1 FM WCNV is a public radio station licensed to Heathsville, Virginia that simulcasts the programming of Richmond, VA's 88.9 WCVE. These two stations, along with three others and two television stations, are what used to be known as the "Idea Stations." In 2019 they rebranded as VPM (Virginia Public Media.)
UPDATE: A much more detailed account of the recent history of these stations can be found in the comments. Thanks Tybois!
3 comments:
Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation (CPBC), in 2017, consisted of WCVE-FM/Richmond, WMVE-FM/Chase City, and WCNV-FM/Heathsville, all carrying the "WCVE News" feed (NPR News/Talk). The format was branded on air as "WCVE News from the IdeaStations".
WNVC-TV/Fairfax (now licensed to Culpeper) and WNVT-TV/Goldvein (now licensed to Spotsylvania Courthouse) were bought by CPBC in 1974. In 2017, the two stations carried a variety of public television programming and international news networks as "MHz TV" along with their own "MHz WorldView".
In November 2017, CPBC merged with Shenandoah Valley Educational Television Corporation, which owned WVPT/Staunton and WVPY, then licensed to Front Royal, now New Market. The two companies became VPM Media Corporation.
Both WNVC and WNVT had their signal bandwidth sold off in March of 2017 for $182 Million. WVPY's bandwidth was sold off as well for $19,851,752 at the same time in July 2018.
In December 2017, WWLB-FM/Ettrick and WBBT-FM/Powhatan were acquired from Alpha Media. Both stations simulcasted WCVE-FM until June of 2018 when they began airing a Classical/Jazz/NPR Music format as "WCVE Music". The format was branded on air as "WCVE Music from the IdeaStations".
In August 2019, all the TV stations were rebranded as VPM TV on their name PBS feeds. WCVE-FM/WMVE/WCNV were all rebranded as "VPM News" with WWLB/WBBT rebranded as "VPM Music"
MHz WorldView would continue until 2020. WNVC now shares WHTJ-TV's broadcast channel, WNVT now shares WCVE-TV's broadcast channel. WVPY shares WVPT's broadcast channel and simulcasts WCVW-TV.
WHTJ-TV/Charlottesville has always been owned by CPBC/VPM and has rebroadcast WCVE-TV since it's sign on in 1989.
WCVW-TV/Richmond has carried "overflow" PBS programming since it's sign on in 1967.
WNVC/WNVT carry PBS's "World Channel" and brand as "VPM World".
Prior to their sign offs, WVPY and WNVT were available to the entire DC market on DirecTV and Dish Network.
Thank you Tybois!
You're Welcome! :)
Post a Comment