The Voices of Our Community
Celebrating 80 years of WEPM radio, the people behind the microphones, and the local stations connecting the Eastern Panhandle.
Watch the ULiveUSA Legacy Project feature celebrating WEPM’s 80th anniversary.
What Does Legacy Mean to Radio?
For generations, local radio has been part of everyday life in Martinsburg and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. From breaking news and high school sports to familiar voices and favorite songs, radio has helped connect people to the places they call home.
On October 13, 2026, WEPM marked 80 years since its first broadcast in 1946. To recognize this milestone, ULiveUSA visited the station for a special installment of The Legacy Project, exploring what eight decades of broadcasting mean to the people and community it serves.
The result is a conversation about community, connection, service, and the stories we carry forward. It’s also a reminder that the voices we hear today can become part of tomorrow’s history.
Meet the Stations of WVRC Media
Explore local news, sports, music, personalities, and community programming from the stations serving Martinsburg, Berkeley Springs, and the surrounding region.
WEPM / Panhandle News Network
Local news, talk, sports, community conversations, and regional coverage. A longtime voice of the Eastern Panhandle.
Explore WEPM →95.9 The Big Dawg
Classic country favorites, familiar on-air personalities, and local community connections.
Explore 95.9 →Today’s 97.5
More music, better variety, and entertainment for listeners across the Four-State region.
Explore 97.5 →Cool 92.9
Classic hits and music memories serving Berkeley Springs and the surrounding area.
Explore 92.9 →WCST / Panhandle News Network
News, talk, and sports coverage serving Berkeley Springs and the Eastern Panhandle.
Explore WCST →WVRC Media
Connecting communities through radio broadcasting, statewide news, digital media, and video production.
Visit WVRC Media →Local Voices. Lasting Connections.
WVRC Media brings together local radio stations and broader media services that help inform, entertain, and connect West Virginia communities. Its work spans radio, digital marketing, news, and video production.
For local businesses, organizations, and community members, radio remains one of the ways people discover events, hear important announcements, and stay connected to what’s happening around them.
Learn More About WVRC Media →The Legacy Project
In collaboration with Empowered Legacy by Dr. Veronique Walker, ULiveUSA is inviting people from all walks of life to reflect on their purpose, share their experiences, and celebrate the positive impact they hope to leave behind.
You don’t have to be famous to leave a meaningful legacy. You only need a story worth sharing.
Record a 30–90-second video telling us what legacy means to you and discover how to participate.
Do You Remember Listening to WEPM?
Maybe you remember a familiar radio personality, a local sports broadcast, a favorite program, or an important moment in our community’s history. Those memories matter, too.
We’d love to hear what WEPM and local radio have meant to you and your family.
Share Your Memory in the YouTube Comments →80 Years of Community Voices: A Milestone Worth Remembering
For eight decades, WEPM has been part of the broadcasting story of Martinsburg and West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Its 80th anniversary celebrates more than the longevity of a radio station. It invites us to reflect on the voices, conversations, and connections that help define a community.
Through ULiveUSA’s Legacy Project, we explore a question that reaches beyond broadcasting: What does it mean to leave a legacy? The anniversary offers an opportunity to recognize local radio’s place in the lives of generations of listeners.
WEPM Celebrates 80 Years on the Air in Martinsburg
The Journal-News has also highlighted this milestone in its community news coverage. Read the local newspaper’s anniversary article for another perspective on WEPM’s 80 years on the air.
Read the Journal-News Article →Every Community Has a Legacy. What’s Yours?
ULiveUSA’s Legacy Project invites individuals, families, and local businesses to share the stories and values they want future generations to remember.
WEPM Radio and 80 Years of Community Connection
In Martinsburg, West Virginia, WEPM radio represents a long tradition of local broadcasting. Since 1946, the station has been part of the Eastern Panhandle’s changing media landscape, connecting listeners with information, conversations, and community life.
The station’s 80th anniversary in October 2026 offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of local radio, the people who have worked behind the microphones, and the memories listeners have formed over generations.
At ULiveUSA, our mission is to document and celebrate authentic local stories . Our WEPM anniversary video is one example of how community storytelling can preserve meaningful moments and introduce them to new audiences.
Why Local Radio Still Matters in Martinsburg, WV
The Eastern Panhandle connects communities such as Martinsburg, Inwood, Hedgesville, Shepherdstown, Charles Town, and Berkeley Springs. Local radio helps listeners follow news, sports, music, public conversations, and regional happenings.
Even as streaming, podcasts, and social media continue to change how people consume information, local radio provides something distinctive: voices that are connected to the communities listeners know.
That connection complements the growing collection of local stories, attractions, and experiences featured in ULiveUSA’s community articles and regional guides . Together, these different forms of media can help people discover more about the places where they live.
WEPM, 95.9 The Big Dawg, and Today’s 97.5
WVRC Media’s regional radio presence includes WEPM and the Panhandle News Network, 95.9 The Big Dawg, Today’s 97.5, and other stations serving listeners across the region. Each offers its own programming identity, from news and sports to country music and adult contemporary favorites.
For local residents, these stations can be part of everyday routines: listening during the morning commute, following a local game, hearing community announcements, or enjoying music while working and traveling.
Preserving Community History Through Video
An anniversary is more than a date on a calendar. It provides a reason to remember the people, places, and experiences that have helped shape a community over time.
Through The Legacy Project with Dr. Veronique Walker , ULiveUSA is inviting people throughout West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to reflect on the influence they have had and the stories they want to preserve.
The WEPM 80th-anniversary feature brings that question into the world of broadcasting: what does it mean for a radio station to become part of a community’s legacy?
Similar opportunities exist throughout the region. Historic landmarks, local organizations, small businesses, and longtime residents all have stories worth documenting. ULiveUSA’s community storytelling projects invite people to help bring more of those stories to life.
Connecting the Four-State Region Through Local Stories
Martinsburg is part of a larger Four-State region that includes Winchester, Virginia; Hagerstown, Maryland; and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Families, workers, businesses, and organizations often share connections across these communities.
ULiveUSA highlights regional experiences, local businesses, and community projects to help people discover what’s happening beyond their immediate neighborhood.
Readers interested in community participation can explore ULiveUSA’s regional community survey initiative , while local businesses interested in sharing their stories can contact ULiveUSA about a community feature .
What Will the Next Generation Remember?
WEPM’s 80-year milestone invites a bigger conversation about the future of local media. The technology may change, but communities will continue to need ways to share information, celebrate accomplishments, and remember the people who made a difference.
Whether a story begins on the radio, at a neighborhood event, or through a short community interview, preserving it creates something future generations may be able to discover and appreciate.
