WAAV

WAAV (980 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed to Leland, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Wilmington area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media.

History

WAAV debuted as a FM station in 1972 at 102.7, and would remain there until 1981, when Cape Fear Broadcasting from Fayetteville purchased WAAV and WGNI. At that time, the station flipped from FM to AM 1340; in 1984 the station moved to 980, where it remains today. The previous occupant of the 980 frequency was top 40 WKLM, part of the Harold Thoms Group.

Because of FCC regulations regarding the number of stations one owner could have, WAAV had to be sold in 1988. Don Ansell, who was hosting the morning show "Talk Of The Town", bought the station and ran it until selling it to Cumulus in 1997.

After Hurricane Diana hit the area in September 1984, WAAV had just started its news/talk format, and it was the only radio station on the air, using a diesel generator named "Old Bessie." Ansell stayed on the air for 24 hours using a flashlight and a telephone. Ansell said, "It put us on the map." He said to The Star-News back then, "'It's quite a bit different when there are no crutches. No tapes, no music, no commercials - just your voice."