WATV signed on the air in 1946 as WRAX. It took it’s present call sign in 1958 as a CBS affiliated, dual talk/MOR formatted station. Prior to then, the call sign of the station was WLBS. Due to the restrictions of the Federal Communications Commission, the station originally broadcast only during daylight hours. In 1976, the owner of WENN, the top-rated urban formatted station in Birmingham, died.
WENN was then bought by a local businessman Dr. A. Gaston, who immediately fired Joe Lackey, the station manager; all of the radio announcers quit in protest. Lackey was then given a job to manage WATV, a radio station located on the 20th floor of the Thomas Jefferson Hotel (the now abandoned Leer Tower), where he brought all the former WENN personalities with him. Lackey and the ex-WENN announcers immediately became the top-rated radio station in Birmingham. During the 1980s, the station’s format evolved from soul music to the forerunner of today’s urban adult contemporary format. In 1994, WATV dropped the urban AC for ABC Radio Networks Urban Gold. Eventually the station was forced to move to 3025 Ensley Avenue, where the station remains to this day. In 2002, the station owners, The Rev. Dr. Erskine Faush and Dr. Shelley Stewart, both longtime radio personalities in the Birmingham area, sold the station to MCL/MCM-INC, a subsidiary of Sheridan Broadcasting. On September 14,2006, Sheridan Broadcasting restructured its radio division, and WATV was put under the control of MCL/MCM Alabama LLC. In April 2017, Courtney French purchased WATV. Courtney strives for WATV to continue to provide great music and valuable information to the community. He humbly stands on the shoulders of many foot soldiers and civil rights activists who paved the way, so that a child from West End could one day be the owner of a radio station such as this and he firmly believes the best is yet to come. V949 WATV is the home for LOCAL, LIVE, AND LIT mornings with The HOMETEAM MORNING SHOW with Homie Jay, Bennie, and Dreka. They talk about what's important to Birmingham
Beginning at 10am daily, check out Lady Woo's "Fun-Sway in your Midday," and commercial free Woo for U Midday Mix at 12Noon, The Fun-Sway Continues until 3pm followed by The Chris Coleman Radio Network. Chris Coleman has been a Birmingham entertainment fixture for many years. He provides you with a fun drive home each day with old school R&B, news, traffic and information. From 7p-10p we want to welcome you to Room 1420 with the legendary Isis Jones them it's Nights with the "V"– which is the most romantic and relaxing music in Birmingham until 2am
So, as you can see, we have a very extensive and upbeat staff that will provide you with INFORMATION, INSPIRATION AND ENTERTAINMENT all week long!!! Tell a friend to tune in and listen to one of the best line ups in the city! The secret is out, so tell everyone you know about the All New V949 WATV
