View source for WFOS

{{Infobox radio station
| name               = WFOS
| logo               = 
| logo_size          = 200px
| city               = [[Chesapeake, Virginia]]
| area               = [[South Hampton Roads|Southside of Hampton Roads]]
| branding           = The Time Machine Radio Network
| airdate            = {{start date and age|1955|5|2}}
| frequency          = 88.7 [[Megahertz|MHz]]
| format             = [[Oldies]] - [[Motown music|Motown]] - [[Adult Standards]]<ref name="Arbitron"/>
| erp                = 15,500 [[watt]]s
| haat               = {{convert|48|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class              = B1
| facility_id        = 10757
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|43|18.0|N|76|18|3.0|W|type:landmark}}
| callsign_meaning   = W FM Oscar Smith High School<br>(previous owner)
| former_callsigns   =
| owner              = [[Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association]]
| operator           = 
| former_frequencies = 90.5 MHz (1955–1983), 90.3 MHz (1983–1990)
| sister_stations    = [[WHRO-FM]], [[WHRO-TV]], [[WHRV]]
| webcast            = [https://mediaplayer.whro.org/station/wfos Listen Live]
| website            = [http://www.timemachineradio.org timemachineradio.org]
| affiliations       =  
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}

'''WFOS''' (88.7 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[non-commercial educational station|non-commercial]], listener-supported, [[public radio]] [[radio station|station]] [[city of license|licensed]] to [[Chesapeake, Virginia]], and serving the [[South Hampton Roads|Southside of Hampton Roads]].<ref name="Arbitron"/> WFOS is owned by [[Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association]].<ref name="FCC"/>  Its [[radio format|format]] includes [[oldies]], [[Motown music|Motown]], [[adult standards]] and other past musical styles.  

WFOS is a [[list of broadcast station classes|Class B1]] station.  It has an [[effective radiated power]] (ERP) of 15,500 [[watt]]s.  But due to its short [[radio masts and towers|tower]], its signal only covers the [[South Hampton Roads|Southside of Hampton Roads]].  The [[transmitter]] is on Elementary Road in Chesapeake, on property owned by the local school district.<REF>[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=wfos&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/WFOS]</REF>

==Programming==
WFOS is one of three FM stations owned and operated by Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications:  [[WHRV]] 89.5 airs [[NPR]] news and jazz programs, [[WHRO-FM]] 90.3 plays [[classical music]] and WFOS specializes in oldies.  HRETA also runs [[WHRO-TV]] 15, a [[PBS]] television station.  

WFOS calls itself "Time Machine Radio."  Programs include: ''The Ultimate 1950, 60s, 70s and 80s Oldies, The Big Band Experience, Retro Cocktail Hour, Lost in the Shuffle'' and ''The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame'' with Paul Shagrue.

==History==
===Oscar Smith High School===
WFOS [[sign-on|signed]] on the air on {{Start date and age|1955|5|2}}.  The original frequency was 90.3&nbsp;MHz.  It was powered at only 10-watts and was based at the old Oscar Smith High School in South Norfolk. WFOS started with the help of the widow of the school's namesake, who made a donation to pay for an antenna bought from a station in Florida.  She also helped purchase other radio equipment. The school wanted the station's [[call sign]] to be WOFS, for Oscar Frommel Smith, but those call letters were already taken.  They settled for WFOS.  The F stands for [[FM radio]] and the OS are Oscar Smith's initials.  The station would allow students to learn the ins and outs of radio and see if they were interested in broadcasting as a career. 

The City of South Norfolk merged with [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk County]] to form the City of Chesapeake in 1963, resulting in the present [[city of license]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1964/1964-02-10-BC.pdf|accessdate=March 20, 2021|date=February 10, 1964|work=Broadcasting|title=For the Record|page=86}}</ref> At the same time, [[Chesapeake City Public Schools|Chesapeake Public Schools]] replaced the South Norfolk school board as the licensee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1964/1964-01-20-BC.pdf|date=January 20, 1964|work=Broadcasting|title=For the Record|page=85}}</ref>

Students of Chesapeake Public Schools were put on the air to run hour-long shows or to read news or sports. The station sent students to cover local political contests, even sending a contingent to Richmond to cover state elections.

===Moving to 88.7 MHz===
In October 1990, WFOS moved from 90.3&nbsp;MHz to 88.7&nbsp;MHz to accommodate the relocation of [[WHRO-FM]].  At the same time, it had to provide some protection to [[WJLZ|88.5 FM in Virginia Beach]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73945887/|first=Joseph|last=Pryweller|title=WGH-AM swings to country beat|work=Daily Press|date=March 23, 1991|pages=D1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73946079/ D4]|accessdate=March 20, 2021}}</ref> 

This was one leg of a three-part frequency and license shuffle that took years to come to fruition, in which WHRO-FM moved to 90.3 on WFOS's old license.  The prior WHRO-FM became [[WHRV]]; and WFOS moved to what had been the frequency of the [[dark (broadcasting)|silent]] WNHS at [[I. C. Norcom High School]] in [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73947737/|title=Eurythmics caught in flap over '1984' soundtrack|date=February 3, 1985|work=Daily Press|page=H6|first=Jory|last=Farr}}</ref> WNHS launched on September 14, 1973.{{r|LaunchDateWNHS}} But low student interest a decade later prompted the school district to discontinue broadcasting.{{r|graham}} The shuffling was made because the 90.3 frequency could be used at higher power than 89.5 or 88.7.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73949703/|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73949642/ A2]|title=Classical station planned|work=Daily Press|date=January 9, 1985|accessdate=March 20, 2021|first=Lynda|last=Page}}</ref> WHRO bought the transmitter WFOS used on 88.7.<ref name="graham">{{Cite thesis |last=Graham |first=Barry |title=A History of Public Radio in an Urban Community: Its Impact Upon Education, Culture, Public Opinion and Policy Education, Culture, Public Opinion and Policy |date=2001 |publisher=Old Dominion University |url=https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1112}}</ref>

In the late 1990s, WFOS increased its power to 15,500 watts. Eight [[disc jockey|DJ]]s were on rotation during the week, playing music throughout the day. 
As a non-commercial station, WFOS airs no advertisements.

===Sale to HRETA===
In 2015, Chesapeake Public Schools decided to stop offering a radio program to students.  Advancements in technology had made music more accessible to the public in other formats.  Fewer students were seeking jobs in local radio, making it less vital for Chesapeake Public Schools to train students in the field.  At the time, students interested in communications or audio engineering could still get credit and experience in radio production.<ref name="beloved">{{cite news|title=Chesapeake schools will stop funding its beloved radio station, WFOS. Will it survive?|work=The Virginian-Pilot|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/news/education/vp-nw-fz20-chesapeake-radio-station-20201126-uiykdflverbphh2dv7hnfapyvq-story.html|first=Gordon|last=Rago|date=November 26, 2020|accessdate=March 20, 2021}}</ref> 

In November 2020, WFOS attempted a [[fundraiser]] plan, posting on its [[Twitter]] account that it was aiming to become listener-funded.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1293216866979262464 |user=WfosFm |title=Operating the station without any upgrades to older equipment takes at least $40,000 a year. We also need funding for upgrades to older equipment, such as a new transmitter to provide a better listening experience to you, our listeners.}}</ref> By fall, it had raised 15% of a $40,000 goal.{{r|beloved}} The station had a lengthy list of needed repairs, totaling about $150,000 on top of the $200,000 a year it cost to run it.

Chesapeake Public Schools and the Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Authority, which already owned WHRO-FM 90.3 and WHRV 89.5, began talks. On January 27, 2021, they reached a programming and services agreement to allow for the operations of the station to continue.  Two months later, HRETA filed with the FCC to buy WFOS outright.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2021 |title=Assignment |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/assignmentDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff3771d0d5f01772b1c36242ac4&id=25076ff3771d0d5f01772b1c36242ac4&goBack=N |access-date=March 20, 2021 |website=FCC Licensing and Management System}}</ref>

===Time Machine Radio Network===
HRETA took over ownership of the station on May 1, 2021, but was required to wait for the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to give its OK to fully operate the station.  The FCC gave final approval in June 2021.  The station began calling itself ''The Time Machine Radio Network''.  Its signal was expanded to cover Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.  Additionally, listeners can stream it online at whro.org/timemachine.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Elliott|first=Belinda|title=WFOS Welcomes Returning Radio Hosts To The New Time Machine Radio Network|url=https://whro.org/radio/21100-wfos-welcomes-returning-radio-hosts-to-the-new-time-machine-radio-network|access-date=2021-07-28|website=WHRO.org}}</ref>

HRETA announced that two popular WFOS personalities were returning to host their own shows. Larry Williams, known for ''Larry’s Doo Wop'' and ''Larry’s Beach Party'', played [[beach music]], and Jerry Carter, known for his show ''Blues Traffic Jam'', hosted a [[blues]] show.  WHRV host Paul Shugrue, known for his program ''Out of the Box'', took on the role of music coordinator for the station and hosts an oldies show.

Time Machine Radio Network seeks to transport listeners to their favorite moments in time through music. Listeners find a mix of tunes from the 1950s through the ‘80s, including [[Doo Wop]], [[Motown music]], Oldies, Classic [[R&B]] and [[Adult Standards]], all without commercials.


==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="LaunchDateWNHS">{{cite book|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2010/D4-2010-BC-YB-7.pdf|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 2010|date=2010|access-date=July 16, 2015|publisher=ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V.|page=D-562}}</ref>
<ref name="Arbitron">{{cite web|url=http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP15&band=fm&callLetter=WFOS|title=Arbitron Station Information Profiles|access-date=July 16, 2015|work=[[Nielsen Audio]]/[[Nielsen Holdings]]}}</ref>
<ref name="FCC">{{cite web|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WFOS|title=WFOS Facility Record|access-date=July 16, 2015|work=[[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* {{FM station data|10757|WFOS}}

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{{Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News Radio}}

[[Category:1955 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1955]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Virginia|FOS]]