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There's a whole lot of shakin' goin' on the local radio dial, but most listeners won't notice any changes--at least not for a while.
On one hand, Joyner Radio Inc. is buying WCVA-AM and WCUL -FM in Culpeper from Culpeper Broadcasting Corp.
The AM station now plays adult standards music. The FM station plays country.
On the other hand, Piedmont Communications Inc. is buying country music station WLSA-FM in Louisa from Mid-Virginia Broadcasting Corp. Piedmont already owns oldies station WVCV-AM and country station WJMA-FM in Orange.
The deals, announced by the Federal Communications Commission, are expected to close in December.
Here's where the mixing comes in: the companies have worked out a deal where Piedmont would swap WJMA-FM to Joyner, and Piedmont would take over WCVA -AM and WCUL-FM--pending FCC approval.
Eventually, Joyner plans to move WJMA from Orange to Midlothian, giving the community of about 15,000 its first radio station with local news coverage.
That move, too, awaits FCC approval.
Currently, all three of the FM stations play country music. But that could change, station operators say.
The shake up will mean more options for local radio listeners, said Thomas Joyner, president of Cary, N.C.-based Joyner Radio.
"You don't need three radio stations playing country music" all in the same area, he said. The way it is, he said.
Joyner said surveys are being conducted to determine what type of music Midlothian-area listeners want.
"Whatever the format is that the community wants, that's what we'll do," he said.
John Schick, president of Piedmont Communications in Orange, said the deal is a growth opportunity for his company. If everything goes as planned, Piedmont will add two stations to its holdings.
Schick also said surveys are being conducted for his company's listening areas, too.
"We're going to try to respond to the market and give people what they want to hear," he said. "It's safe to say our company will continue to offer country music on one of the radio stations. It's just a question of how things shake out and where it will be."
Station operators hope to complete the deal within a year. But it could take longer, depending on FCC approval, they said.