97.3 The Eagle

What 97.3 The Eagle does

97.3 The Eagle (WGH-FM) is a country music radio station broadcasting at 97.3 MHz under an FCC license held by MHR License LLC and operated by Max Media LLC, a privately held regional media company headquartered at 5589 Greenwich Road, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded in 1990, the station serves the Coastal Virginia market including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, and Yorktown through a combination of over-the-air FM broadcast, live website streaming, iOS and Android mobile apps, the Max Podcast Network, and an SMS text line (757-490-9797). Core technology is the SoCast digital platform, which powers the website and streaming infrastructure. Programming is anchored by four weekday dayparts hosted by named on-air personalities (Steve & Karen in mornings, Jerry Hoyt middays, Jimmy Ray afternoons, Stephanie Taylor evenings) plus weekend specialty shows (B-Dub Radio, Country Top 40 with Fitz), with community-facing segments including Furry Friday pet adoption and charitable initiatives for St. Jude and Operation Smile.

The station operates a dual-sided business model: a free, advertising-supported listener experience and a B2B advertising sales operation. Revenue is generated exclusively through radio and digital advertising sold to local businesses and national brands targeting Coastal Virginia, with Max Media's unified sales team selling across a cluster of five stations in the market (97.3 The Eagle, 92.9 The Wave, 100.5 The Vibe, 94.1 ESPN Radio, Fox Sports 1310). Pricing is quote-based and non-transparent; there is no consumer subscription or premium tier. Marketing and audience engagement efforts span organic social (Facebook), mobile app push, SMS marketing, podcast distribution, and a content blog covering country music news and local community stories. The company has 11-50 employees, no disclosed funding, and no M&A activity, though an FCC license transfer application was filed in June 2022 for the WGH-FM station and other Coastal Virginia properties.

Name

97.3 The Eagle

Legal name

Max Media LLC

Website

https://973eagle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

97.3 The Eagle (WGH-FM) is a country music radio station headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, operating since 1990 under Max Media LLC and serving Coastal Virginia listeners via FM broadcast, mobile apps, streaming, and SMS. It monetizes exclusively through radio and digital advertising sold to local and national advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)

Keywords

• Country music radio
• Fm broadcasting
• Digital advertising
• Audio streaming
• Radio station

Headquarters

HQ city

Virginia Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: Radio advertising sales to local businesses and national brands targeting Coastal Virginia listeners. The station offers radio and digital advertising solutions through Max Media.
2. Digital Advertising: Digital marketing solutions including social media, streaming, and online advertising packages for advertisers seeking to reach the station's audience.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

97.3 The Eagle (WGH-FM) is a commercial country music radio station broadcasting at 97.3 MHz from Newport News, VA, serving Coastal Virginia listeners with personality-driven programming across morning, midday, afternoon, and evening dayparts. The station extends its reach through digital channels including a mobile app, website streaming, podcast distribution via Max Podcast Network, and an SMS text line, while monetizing its audience through radio and digital advertising sales.

Product overview

97.3 The Eagle (WGH FM) is a country music radio station owned by Max Media LLC, broadcasting from Newport News, Virginia. The station operates as a unified platform combining live AM/FM radio broadcasting at 97.3 MHz with digital extensions including a mobile app for iOS and Android, live audio streaming via website and smart devices, podcast distribution through Max Podcast Network, and an SMS text messaging service. The station's programming lineup features live on-air personalities across morning, midday, afternoon, and evening dayparts, complemented by community programming like Furry Friday pet adoption segments and local concert/event coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eagle Mornings: Morning show hosted by Steve & Karen, weekdays 5:30a-10a
• Country Top 40 with Fitz
• Furry Friday
• Stephanie Taylor's Shelter Stories

Products and services

• 97.3 The Eagle Radio Broadcasting

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Max MediacoreOthersParent company and licensee of WGH-FM (97.3 The Eagle). Max Media operates multiple radio stations in the Coastal Virginia market including 92.9 The Wave, 100.5 The Vibe, 94.1 ESPN Radio, and Fox Sports 1310. The station advertising is sold through Max Media's unified sales team.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• 92.9 The Wave (WTWV): Sister station under Max Media LLC operating in the same Coastal Virginia market on a different format/frequency (adult contemporary). Direct competitor for both listeners and local ad budgets in the exact same DMA.
• 100.5 The Vibe (WVBW): Another Max Media Coastal Virginia FM station focused on a different format. Competes for the same local ad dollars and shares the same Max Media sales force and back office.
• 94.1 ESPN Radio (WVSP): Max Media sibling sports/talk station in Coastal Virginia. Direct in-market peer sharing licensee, sales team, and operational infrastructure with the Eagle.
• WGH-AM (Fox Sports 1310): AM simulcast/sister station also under Max Media in the same Coastal Virginia cluster; competes and shares infrastructure directly with 97.3 The Eagle.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia Norfolk / Coastal Virginia cluster: Largest U.S. radio operator (iHeart) runs competing FM stations across the Norfolk/Virginia Beach DMA including country and other formats. Direct audio competitor and digital ad seller in the same regional market.
• Audacy (formerly Entercom) Norfolk cluster: Audacy operates multiple formats in the Norfolk/Hampton Roads DMA; competitors to the Eagle for ad spend and listeners, especially in country or similar formats.
• Townsquare Media Coastal Virginia stations: Mid-size U.S. radio group that competes in markets of similar size to Norfolk/Virginia Beach; could overlap in the same DMA or in adjacent country-format markets nationally.
• Cumulus Media: Major U.S. radio broadcaster with stations across the country including country formats; competes with Max Media stations at the group level and may overlap in Norfolk/Virginia Beach.
• iHeart Country stations (national): Other country-format FM stations operated by iHeart in similar mid-size DMAs nationwide; comparable in format, programming style, and revenue model to 97.3 The Eagle.

Others

• SoCast (digital streaming platform): Technology vendor whose streaming, app, and website platform powers 97.3 The Eagle's digital presence. Adjacent infrastructure provider rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/973theeagle
• Xx.com/973theEAGLE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/97-3-the-eagle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 97.3 The Eagle