WLRX (106.1 FM) and WAWX (101.7 FM) are

broadcast Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

s. WLRX is licensed to

Vinton, Virginia Vinton is a town in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,059 at the 2020 census. Vinton is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Roanoke Region of Virginia. History By the late 18th century, settlers ...

, serving Metro Roanoke. WAWX is licensed to

Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...

, serving Metro Lynchburg. WLRX plays a

Contemporary Christian Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

format, while WAWX airs a

Contemporary Worship Contemporary worship is a form of Christian worship that emerged within Western evangelical Protestantism in the 20th century. It was originally confined to the charismatic movement, but is now found in a wide range of churches, including many w ...

format as an affiliate of

Air1 Air1 is an American Christian radio network. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), it primarily broadcasts contemporary worship music, and is a sister to the EMF's K-Love network. History In 1986, KLRD began broadcasting Christia ...

. Both WLRX and WAWX are owned and operated by

Educational Media Foundation Educational Media Foundation (formerly EMF Broadcasting, abbreviated EMF) is an American nonprofit Christian media ministry based in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. EMF is the parent company of K-LOVE and Air1—the world's largest ...

Combined 106.1/101.7 history

106.1 FM started out with the call sign WWFO on January 18, 1991 and officially launched in 1994. 101.7 FM started out with the call sign WDMS-FM on August 1, 1964 before being changed to WJJS in 1969 with a

Black music Black music is a sound created, produced, or inspired by black people, people of African descent, including African music traditions and African popular music as well as the music genres of the African diaspora, including Caribbean music, Lati ...

format. In 1986 the calls and format moved to its sister station at

1320 AM The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1320 kHz: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commis ...

, while the FM became Top-40 as "U102" WXYU. On January 1, 1992, the Urban format and WJJS calls returned to 101.7, while WXYU, by then a Country station, moved to AM. In 1994, the frequencies began a simulcast as "Jammin' 101.7 and 106.1" and 106.1 FM as a rhythmic top 40 format. 101.7 FM moved its callsign, WJJS to 106.1 FM on May 18, 1994, while 101.7 FM became WJJX on April 29, 1994. On August 29, 1996, 106.1 FM modified the callsign to WJJS-FM and the WJJS call sign was returned to 1320 AM (now

WVGM WVGM is a Sports Radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, serving Metro Lynchburg. WVGM is owned and operated by 3 Daughters Media. History 3 Daughters Media bought WVGM and WGMN from Clear Channel Communications ...

). In 1998, WJJS-FM/WJJX shifted to

contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...

and began a serious challenge to take on the area's longtime rival

WXLK WXLK (92.3 MHz "K92") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Roanoke, Virginia, serving the New River Valley and Southwest Virginia. WXLK airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned and operated by Mel Wheeler, Inc. WXLK's studios an ...

in a battle would last for nearly seven years, even though they maintained a Rhythmic lean during that tenure. But by 2005, WJJS-FM/WJJX would start shifting back towards a pure rhythmic direction as they began phasing out non-rhythmic product, resulting in a complete return to rhythmic top 40 in the Spring of 2006. At noon on December 17, 2007, the WZBL call sign and

classic country Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country and western music hits from past decades. Repertoire The radio format specializes in hits from the 1950s through the early 1980s, and focus primarily on innov ...

format was moved from 104.9 FM to 106.1 FM as "106.1 The Bull". This was part of a frequency swap that moved the WJJS call letters to 104.9 FM as "Jammin' JJS". On the same date, the 101.7 FM "WJJX" simulcast was also swapped with WSNV, which had been broadcasting on 102.7 FM, simulcasting WSNV at 93.5 FM. At noon on March 27, 2009, the format was changed to adult hits as "106.1 Steve FM; Playing Whatever We Want". The new callsign, WSFF, went into effect a day later on March 28. By late 2012, the slogan changed to "Random Radio". At 5:00 P.M. on March 25, 2011, WSFF began simulcasting on WSNZ at 101.7 FM, once again reuniting 106.1 FM with 101.7 FM. WSFF was part of a group of stations owned by Clear Channel that are scheduled to be sold as part of Clear Channel's conversion from a public to a private company. The station formerly broadcast all Virginia Tech sporting events including Hokies football and basketball games until the start of the 2011-2012 year when it was moved to WSNV. On March 3, 2019, iHeart announced it would sell four stations in its Aloha Station Trust, including WSFF and WSNZ, to the Educational Media Foundation in exchange for six translators already operated by iHeart. The stations were expected to flip to one of EMF's national networks ( K-Love,

Air 1 Air1 is an American Christian radio network. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), it primarily broadcasts contemporary worship music, and is a sister to the EMF's K-Love network. History In 1986, KLRD began broadcasting Christia ...

, or

K-Love Classics K-Love Classics was a Christian classic hits radio network owned by Educational Media Foundation (EMF) and was carried over FM stations, translators, and HD subchannels in the United States. Such stations include WAIW 88.1 in Wheaton, Illinois ...

) upon the sale's closure. On May 31, 2019, EMF closed the sale and flipped its format to their "K-Love" branding while "Steve-FM" was moved to sister station WJJS. EMF also changed call letters to WLRX for Roanoke and WAWX for Lynchburg.EMF Sets New Call Letters For Cumulus/Aloha Acquisitions; WRQX Moves To…
/ref> Sometime in 2020, WAWX has split from the simulcast and has since flipped to EMF's

network,

References

External links

* * {{K-LOVE LRX (FM) Radio stations established in 1995 1995 establishments in Virginia Educational Media Foundation radio stations K-Love radio stations LRX (FM)