View source for WRGA

{{short description|News/talk radio station in Rome, Georgia, United States}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name             = WRGA
| logo             = WRGA 98.7FM-1470AM logo.png
| logo_size        = 200px
| city             = [[Rome, Georgia|Rome]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
| area             = [[Rome metropolitan area, Georgia|Rome GA area]]
| branding         = 98.7 FM - 1470 AM
| airdate          = March 5, 1930 (as WFDV)
| frequency        = 1470 [[kHz]]
| translator       = {{Radio Relay|98.7|W254CF|Rome}}
| format           = [[Talk radio|News/talk]]
| power            = 5,000 [[watt]]s day<br>5,000 watts night
| erp              =
| haat             =
| class            = B
| facility_id      = 40856
| coordinates      = {{coord|34|18|5.00|N|85|9|19.00|W|region:US-GA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = '''R'''ome, '''G'''eorgi'''A'''<ref name="oldradio-wrgameaning">{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Bob |title=Call Letter Origins: Key and Listing |url=http://nelson.oldradio.com/origins.call-list.html |website=The Broadcast Archive |accessdate=November 20, 2018 |date=April 15, 2018}}</ref>
| former_callsigns = WFDV (1929–1934)<ref name="fcc-wfdvtowrga">{{cite web |title=WRGA history cards |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=66481 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |accessdate=November 20, 2018 |format=PDF}}</ref>
| owner            = Rome Radio Partners, LLC
| licensee         =
| sister_stations  =
| webcast          = [http://wrga.streamon.fm/ wrga.streamon.fm Listen Live]
| website          = {{URL|http://wrganews.com/}}
| affiliations     = [[ABC News Radio]]<br>[[Westwood One News]]<br>[[The Weather Channel]]<br>[[Bloomberg Radio]]
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}
'''WRGA''' [[AM broadcasting|AM]] 1470 and '''W254CF''' FM 98.7 ( "'''News Talk 98.7 and AM 1470''' ") is a [[radio station]] broadcasting a [[news talk information]] format. Licensed to serve [[Rome, Georgia]], United States, the station serves [[Floyd County, Georgia|Floyd]] and adjacent counties of [[northwest Georgia]] and a sliver of [[northeast Alabama]].  The station is currently owned by Rome Radio Partners, LLC <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=WRGA |title=WRGA Facility Record |work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division }}</ref>
Prior to spring 2009, WRGA was owned by McDougald Broadcasting, and was run by Southern Broadcasting Company, which is the owner-operator of WSRM FM 93.5, WQTU FM 102.3, WTSH FM 107.1, and WGJK AM 1360, from its studios on John Davenport Drive in Rome.
From spring 2004 to July 9, 2009, WRGA [[simulcast]] a substantially stronger and better quality signal on WSRM-FM.  Until spring 2009, WSRM's [[radio tower]] was located in [[Coosa, Georgia]]; however after the ownership change the tower was moved to [[Mount Alto]] in Rome, and the [[carrier frequency]] was changed from 95.3 to 93.5 FM.  The result was a substantial increase in the size of WSRM's coverage area, which led to issues which resulted in Rome Radio Partners having to end the five-year-old FM simulcast.   WSRM's format was changed on July 9, 2009, to "Life FM", an "[[wikt:eclectic|eclectic]] blend of Christian and secular adult contemporary" music; a later format change on WSRM was to country music.
WRGA operates under the tagline "Rome's NewsTalk". WRGA carries [[Brian Kilmeade]], [[Erick Erickson]], [[Sean Hannity]], and [[Larry Elder]] during their daily program schedule. [[ABC News Radio]] is carried at the top of the hour and [[Westwood One News]] at the bottom of the hour.
Locally produced programming on WRGA includes First News with '''Tony McIntosh'''. Other popular locally produced programming included Talk of the Town, which was hosted by the late '''Nelle Reagan'''.
WRGA is the only station in Rome with a full-time video news team including News Director, '''David Crowder''', and Digital News Editor, '''Ethan Garrett'''. Spot news coverage is provided as situations necessitate.  Election coverage live from the Floyd County Courthouse is provided any day the polls are open.
As of March 1, 2014, WRGA also simulcasts on a [[broadcast translator]] at 98.7, with [[broadcast callsign]] W254CF. This change was partly to extend the coverage area at night, when [[skywave]] [[RF interference]] reduces the AM station's [[broadcast range]].  (Previously this was prohibited by the FCC, with translators reserved only for FM stations to cover gaps caused by [[terrain]], a change which blocks frequencies that [[community radio|community]] [[LPFM]] stations could otherwise use locally.)  The addition of the FM signal was soon followed by a rebranding as "News Talk 98.7 and AM 1470, WRGA".  The station has also been using the [[tag line]] "Local News Now" more heavily in 2014.
==History==
The station began operation on March 5, 1930, as WFDV,<ref name=bc>{{cite news|title=WRGA Moves to 1470 kc, Increases Power to 5 kw|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1948/1948-05-24-BC.pdf|accessdate=14 December 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=May 24, 1948}}</ref> operating on 1370&nbsp;kHz with a power of 100 W. On June 26, 1931, the station was permitted to change its frequency to 1310&nbsp;kHz. By April 1935 its callsign had become WRGA. On May 16, 1948, WRGA changed its frequency from 1490&nbsp;kHz to 1470&nbsp;kHz with a concurrent increase in power from 250 W to 5 KW.<ref name=bc/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://wrganews.com/}}
{{AM station data|40856|WRGA}}
{{clear}}
{{Rome GA Radio}}
{{News/Talk Radio Stations in Georgia}}
[[Category:Radio stations in Georgia (U.S. state)|RGA (AM)]]
[[Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1929]]
[[Category:1929 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]