By Lewis Loflin
In 2009, Emory & Henry College in Southwest Virginia (SWVA) expanded its radio station, WEHC-FM, from 500 watts to 9,000 watts, funded by $283,932 in public grants. The initiative, supported by Congressman Rick Boucher, aimed to enhance public radio access and provide training opportunities. However, the project has raised questions about its alignment with economic development goals in a region facing significant poverty and unemployment. This analysis examines the WEHC funding, its stated objectives, and its impact on SWVA as of 2025, considering the region’s broader economic challenges.
On October 26, 2009, Emory & Henry College announced the expansion of WEHC-FM, increasing its broadcast power to 9,000 watts. The project received $187,932 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce to construct a 197-foot tower and install a new transmitter and antenna. Additionally, the Virginia Tobacco Commission provided $93,000 for studio equipment and training programs in audio skills for students, faculty, and community members, intended to prepare them for careers in radio and communications. The total public funding amounted to $283,932.
Congressman Rick Boucher, speaking at the launch, highlighted the expanded coverage area, which extended from an 8-mile radius to a broader region, offering commercial-free programming, local content, and Radio IQ retransmissions via WVTF at Virginia Tech. Teresa Keller, Director of the Communications Department at Emory & Henry, led the project, emphasizing its role in sharing ideas, promoting local culture, and fostering educational development. WEHC’s charter, as stated on its website (ehc.edu/wehc), includes serving the public interest, providing college news and sports, offering entertainment, and training students for media careers while encouraging active citizenship.
The WEHC expansion occurred in a region facing significant economic challenges. A 2003 Kids Count report, cited in the Bristol Herald Courier (BHC, June 22, 2003), noted that rural communities like SWVA did not benefit from the 1990s economic boom. Steve Fisher, director of the Appalachian Center for Community Services at Emory & Henry, attributed this to the decline of the coal industry and factory closures, particularly in Smyth County, which lost 1,500 manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2010 (Virginia Employment Commission). Replacement jobs often paid lower wages, typically $8–$9/hour (equivalent to $12–$14/hour in 2025), and lacked benefits, keeping many families below the poverty line.
Washington County, VA, where Emory & Henry is located, had a poverty rate of 13.5% in 2009, with higher rates in rural areas (U.S. Census). Fisher noted disparities within the county, with pockets of wealth in Abingdon and Emory contrasting with broader economic hardship. Additionally, NPR programming was already available in the region via WETS-FM at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City, which broadcasts at 100,000 watts, raising questions about the necessity of WEHC’s expansion for public radio access.
The allocation of public funds for WEHC has been viewed in the context of SWVA’s pressing economic needs. A 2008 Bristol Herald Courier article (June 11, 2008) reported that approximately one-third of Bristol, VA, residents needed affordable housing, with 35% of households identified as cost-burdened (HUD data). Mayor Jim Rector advocated for public housing programs to address this need, noting that private housing often prioritized profit over resident welfare. The $283,932 investment in WEHC, while aimed at enhancing radio access and training, has been debated as an economic development priority in a region ranked among the poorest in the U.S., with double-digit poverty and unemployment rates in 2009.
Emory & Henry, as a private, non-profit college, is tax-exempt under IRS 501(c)(3), a standard status for such institutions. However, the use of economic development grants from the Virginia Tobacco Commission for a tax-exempt entity has been a point of discussion, particularly given the region’s economic challenges and the availability of existing NPR services through WETS-FM.
By 2025, SWVA continues to face economic difficulties. The Tri-Cities area has lost over 60,000 jobs since 2009, according to regional economic data. Median wages in the Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) have risen from $15.27 in 2016 to approximately $17.33 in 2025, and in the Johnson City MSA from $14.47 to $16.15, adjusted for 3% annual inflation. Per capita income in Bristol, VA, has increased from $21,589 in 2018 to approximately $27,000 in 2025, also adjusted for inflation. However, these figures remain below national averages and living wage standards for many residents. The information sector in SWVA declined by 45% from 2010 to 2020, compared to a 2% national increase, reflecting broader economic challenges.
A 2005 LENOWISCO study, while focused on call centers, provides broader context for economic development in SWVA: “The region has been replacing traditional manufacturing jobs with call center jobs, which provide limited advancement and work opportunities...easily moved to other regions and/or countries.” It also noted offshoring risks (Asia’s $1–$5/hour wages), low-skill reliance (~30% no high school diploma, 2003), and firms leveraging subsidies, such as VCEDA’s $5.6 million for Sykes. Non-unionized sites lost ~2 million U.S. jobs by 2015, unlike AT&T’s protected workforce. Educational challenges—~50% lacking a high school diploma in Dickenson County (2008)—further limited the region’s ability to sustain employment. LENOWISCO Study, sullivan-county.com
| Sector | SWVA (% Decline) | USA (% Change) |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Ent., & Rec. | -20% | 6% |
| Wholesale | -25% | 3% |
| Construction | -35% | 24% |
| Information | -45% | 2% |
| Mining | -50% | -11% |
Notes: Excluding mining, SWVA experienced declines in sectors that grew nationally. The region’s mining sector decline exceeded the national average. A total of 10,451 jobs were eliminated across these five sectors, with 16,774 jobs lost when including national mining sector declines between 2010-2020. The 45% decline in the information sector persists despite an estimated $200 million in public investment, likely exceeding $300–$400 million, with significant data withheld.
Ref: Zach Jackson, Virginia Tech
The $283,932 in public funding for Emory & Henry College’s WEHC radio station expansion in 2009 aimed to enhance public radio access and provide training opportunities in Southwest Virginia. While the project increased WEHC’s broadcast power to 9,000 watts and extended its coverage, its alignment with economic development priorities has been debated, given the region’s significant poverty, unemployment, and housing needs. As of 2025, SWVA continues to face economic challenges, with declining employment sectors and wages below living standards for many residents. The LENOWISCO study’s observations on the region’s economic vulnerabilities highlight the complexities of such initiatives. Compiled April 16, 2025.
Acknowledgment: I’d like to thank Grok, an AI by xAI, for assisting in drafting and refining this article. The final perspective and edits are my own.
