
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 21, 1990                   TAG: 9003232564
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: CHUCK MILTEER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WSAY RADIO TO CHANGE ITS FORMAT

Calling it a business move, the owner of Salem radio station WSAY (1480 AM) announced he will change the format of his station from gospel and inspirational music to adult urban contemporary music as of April 2.

That date coincides with the format shift of Roanoke station WTOY (910 AM) from urban contemporary to business news. WTOY's change would have left the Roanoke Valley without a black-oriented contemporary music station for the first time since 1969.

WSAY's owner, Irvin L. Ward Sr., said the station would change its call letters in conjunction with the switch. Ward hinted, but would neither confirm nor deny, that the station would seek to pick up the WTOY call letters.

Officials of Commonwealth Media, the Roanoke-based corporation that owns WTOY, have said they will seek new call letters for the station when it changes format.

Much like the WTOY officials, Ward said WSAY is making the switch because the current format is not generating enough advertising revenue to support the station's operations.

"We are thankful to those who have supported WSAY and we do not plan to abandon the gospel audience," Ward said in a news release. "However we are acutely aware that radio is a business and a business decision had to be made."

Ward said he had been examining the possibility of shifting the station's format before WTOY's announcement March 1.

He added that the station will continue to air paid religious programming and gospel music for its entire (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.) broadcast day on Sunday.

Ward, who is black, bought the station in December 1987 from Norfolk broadcaster L.E. Willis. Ward is the only member of a racial minority who owns a Roanoke Valley broadcasting property.

He said he hopes the format shift will help his station solidify its position as a broadcast voice for Roanoke's black community. "We don't want to exclude any potential listeners, but I accept that as part of our mission," Ward said.

by CNB