WPAQ - 740 AM

WPAQ - 740 AM, also known as "The Voice of the Blue Ridge," is a commercial radio station licensed to Mount Airy, North Carolina. It began broadcasting on Groundhog Day, February 2, 1948, as the brainchild of Ralph Epperson, who built the station's brick-and-timber headquarters on Springs Road. Operating as a Class D station on a clear channel frequency, it utilizes 10,000 watts during the day but must reduce power to 1,000 watts during critical hours and 7 watts at night. Now owned by WPAQ Radio, Inc. and managed by Ralph’s son, Kelly Epperson, the station also broadcasts via a 250-watt FM translator at 106.7 MHz to serve the Piedmont area of North Carolina and parts of Southwest and Southside Virginia.

The station’s programming is centered on a specialized mix of bluegrass, old-time string music, and southern gospel. A hallmark of its schedule is the "Merry-Go-Round" program, which has aired every Saturday since the station's inception in 1948 and is recognized as the second-longest-running live radio show in the United States. Broadcast live from the Historic Earle Theatre, the show features local and regional musicians such as the Slate Mountain Ramblers and the Twin County Ramblers. Weekday content includes "Mountain Morning," "Mountain Mid-Day," and "Sundown Serenade," alongside religious programs like "Morning Devotions" and "Thru the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee."

WPAQ maintains a strong commitment to community service through unique long-standing features such as the "Pet Patrol," which helps reunite owners with lost animals, and the reading of local obituaries at least three times daily. The station also provides local sports coverage for the Mount Airy High School Granite Bears and airs "The Regional Voice" to discuss community affairs. In addition to its musical and religious offerings, the station broadcasts tobacco market reports and agricultural pricing, reflecting its historical roots in the region. While it continues to operate from its original 1948 location, WPAQ has expanded its reach by streaming content online and through its own YouTube channel.