AAA “101.5 The Mountain” WVMP Vinton/Roanoke will depart the FM signal at midnight tonight.
The brand has been heard on the WVJT Inc. owned signal since December 1, 2019 when it moved from then Flinn Broadcasting owned 102.5 WBZS Shawsville. The AAA format dates back to 2009 when it launched on 101.5 WVMP as “The Valley’s Music Place“. After a series of sales, the station would be heard on both 101.5 and 102.5 from December 2016 and rebrand as “The Mountain” in October 2017. In February 2018 it moved exclusively to WBZS until moving back to WVMP the following year.
Announcements are running on-air announcing the station will only be available online starting on December 1. A brief Facebook statement says, “Hi everyone, we are speechless at the moment as we ases the situation at The Mountain. After midnight we are no longer employed and we have no corporation or terrestrial signal. Continue to listen”. The Mountain currently features Station Manager Chris Conner and newscaster Bill Trifiro in mornings and Denise Allen Membrano in afternoons.
No word yet as to what will replace “101.5 The Mountain” on WVMP.