WVIE (FM)

WVIE
Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands;
Frequency	107.3 MHz
Branding	K-LOVE
Programming
Format	Contemporary Christian
Ownership
Owner	Educational Media Foundation
Sister stations	WJKL
History
First air date	1991
Former call signs	WVNX (1991–1998); WVGN (1998–2015)
Former frequencies	97.1 MHz (1991-2001)
Call sign meaning	Virgin Islands Radio Entertainment
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	14999
Class	A
ERP	1,650 watts
HAAT	439 meters (2315 feet)
Transmitter coordinates	18°21′24″N 64°57′59″W / 18.35667°N 64.96639°W / 18.35667; -64.96639
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	www.klove.com

WVIE (107.3 MHz), branded on-air as K-LOVE, is a non-commercial FM radio station in Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands. The station is currently owned by Educational Media Foundation and carries network programming from K-LOVE, EMF's main Contemporary Christian music network.

Ownership

The station, then known as WVGN, was acquired by Caribbean Broadcasting Network (then known as LKK Group; Keith Bass, President) from Calypso Communications in 2002.^[2]^[3]

While Caribbean Broadcasting Network is a company whose television stations are affiliates of commercial networks, WVGN was operated under a separate arm, Caribbean Community Broadcasting, and solicited and accepted donations from listeners, as would most other NPR members.

Caribbean Broadcasting Network reached a deal to sell WVGN to R.J. Watkins, owner of WHPR-FM and operator of W33BY-D in Detroit, on August 7, 2014;^[4] the sale was completed on February 17, 2015,^[5] accompanied by a call sign change to WVIE.^[6] WVGN's NPR programming continued through March 15, 2015; Watkins replaced this programming with contemporary music and talk shows.^[7]

Since November 7, 2015, WVIE's signal was simulcast on W33BY's 3rd subchannel. Until then, it had been a SD simulcast of 33.1, 33.2 and 33.4, however, are still simulcasting W33BY-DT1 in SD.

Sale to Educational Media Foundation

On March 14, 2023, it was announced that the Educational Media Foundation was buying WVIE for $150,000. The station would be EMF's second located in a U.S. territory and would switch to the company's K-Love network. The sale was completed on May 26, 2023.

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WVIE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ "Application Search Details". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
^ BIA Financial Networks (2002-03-11). "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
^ "APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. August 7, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
^ "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
^ "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
^ "Contemporary format to replace NPR programs as 107.3 is sold". Virgin Islands Daily News. March 14, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.

External links

WVIE official website
WVIE in the FCC FM station database
WVIE in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

This article about a radio station in the United States Virgin Islands is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "Facility Technical Data for WVIE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[2] "Application Search Details". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.

[3] BIA Financial Networks (2002-03-11). "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2007-12-25.

[fcc-saletowatkins-4] "APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. August 7, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2015.

[fcc-saletowatkinscomplete-5] "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.

[fcc-callsigns-6] "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved March 15, 2015.

[vidn-wvgnnprend-7] "Contemporary format to replace NPR programs as 107.3 is sold". Virgin Islands Daily News. March 14, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.