WQBE-FM

WQBE-FM
Charleston, West Virginia;
Broadcast area	Charleston MSA
Frequency	97.5 MHz
Branding	97.5 WQBE
Programming
Format	Country
Ownership
Owner	Bristol Broadcasting Company
Sister stations	WBES, WEMM-FM, WNRJ, WVSR-FM, WVTS, WYNL
History
First air date	July 6, 1948
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	6875
Class	B
ERP	50,000 watts
HAAT	152 meters
Transmitter coordinates	38°24′22.0″N 81°43′26.0″W / 38.406111°N 81.723889°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wqbe.com

WQBE-FM (97.5 MHz) is one of three Charleston, West Virginia Country FM radio stations. WQBE is owned by Bristol Broadcasting Company of Bristol, Virginia, with a "twin" radio station WXBQ-FM in that area. WQBE also has another "twin" station WKYQ-FM in Paducah, Kentucky also owned by Bristol Broadcasting. WQBE broadcasts with an ERP of 50,000 watts. According to Bristol Broadcasting Company's website, WQBE's listening audience is strong in the 18 to 49 (male and female), and 25 to 54 (male and female) demographic ranges.

History

The station was established as WKNA-FM on July 6, 1948. The call sign was changed to WKAZ-FM on August 5, 1957. The station was bought by the Bristol Broadcasting Company on September 21, 1971. The call sign was changed again to WQBE-FM on November 11, 1974, according to FCC microfiche files. On October 14, 1983, WKAZ/950 ended its own format and identity and assumed a simulcast of the WQBE-FM signal and thus became WQBE (AM).