| City | Spotsylvania, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Country | US |
| Area | Fredericksburg, Virginia |
| Branding | Live 99-3 |
| Frequency | 99.3 MHz |
| Airdate | January 26, 1988 |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Erp | 3,000 watts |
| Haat | 100 meters (330 ft) |
| Class | A |
| Facility id | 22484 |
| Coordinates | 38°8′30.5″N 77°41′33″W |
| Callsign meaning | Vibe (previous branding) |
| Former callsigns |
|
| Affiliations | |
| Owner | Connoisseur Media |
| Licensee | Alpha Media Licensee LLC |
| Sister stations | WFLS-FM · WNTX · WWUZ |
| Website | www.live993.com |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
WVBX (99.3 FM Live 99-3) is a commercial radio station licensed to Spotsylvania, Virginia and serving the Metro Fredericksburg area. WVBX is owned and operated by Connoisseur Media LLC, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC.[2] It airs a contemporary hit radio format.[3]
History
The station first launched on January 26, 1988, with the call sign WYND-FM.[4] It aired a smooth jazz/new age music format and was owned by Richard J. Hayes and Associates. On April 10, 1989, WYND-FM changed to WPLC, simulcasting the urban contemporary format of then-WPLZ in Petersburg, also on 99.3. It became WYSK on September 30, 1994.
In 1994, the station was purchased by The Free Lance–Star, a daily newspaper in Fredericksburg. On July 16, 1996, WYSK modified its call letters to WYSK-FM, switching to an adult contemporary format. On March 4, 2002, WYSK-FM flipped to alternative rock, branded as "99.3 WYSK – The Rock Alternative".
At noon on January 7, 2008, WYSK-FM dropped its alternative format and switched to rhythmic contemporary with the station's first song being Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack". The call letters were changed from WYSK to WWVB-FM on January 11, 2008, to go along with the new moniker "The Vibe".
On August 13, 2009, the call sign was changed from WWVB-FM to WVBX.[5]
On January 23, 2015, Alpha Media "entered into a definitive agreement" to purchase WVBX and sister stations WFLS-FM, WNTX, and WWUZ from Free Lance-Star License, LLC.[6] The purchase was consummated on May 1, 2015, at a price of $8.1 million.
On June 1, 2018, WVBX rebranded as "Live 99-3".[7] The station is now airing a more traditional contemporary hit radio playlist, moving away from the rhythmic format.[8]
Alpha Media was acquired by Connoisseur Media in September 2025.[9]
References
- ^ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database
- ^ "WVBX Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division
- ^ Inside Radio "Format Flips" June 12, 2018
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1989 page B-314[dead link]
- ^ "WVBX 99.3 257A". VARTV.com. June 5, 2010. Archived from the original on December 19, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^ "Alpha Media To Purchase Free Lance-Star Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ WVBX Relaunches as Live 99.3 Radioinsight - June 1, 2018
- ^ "Alpha Media, Fredericksburg Launches LIVE 99.3". Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Venta, Lance (September 4, 2025). "Introducing The New Connoisseur Media". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 8, 2025.