×

• CLOSINGS & CANCELLATIONS

Stay up to date with school closings, event cancellations, and emergency alerts for the High Country.

View All Closings > 

SERVING THE HIGH COUNTRY

OUR STATIONS

NEWS | TALK | SPORTS

WATA

The High Country’s favorite for local News, Talk, and Sports!

COUNTRY

The Highway

The Highway is your country music powerhouse

70s – 80s HITS

Classic Hits

Classic Hits of the 70s & 80s, bringing you back to the good ‘ol days of music!

TOP 40

Pulse Boone

Playing all of the newest Top 40 hits and the throwbacks!

LISTEN TO OUR

PODCASTS

MAKING LIFE BETTERUNC HEALTH APPALACHIAN AND HIGH COUNTRY RADIO

Wakin’ Up In The High Country

Mark in the Morning welcomes in guests daily from all over the High Country!

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

We want to introduce you to new faces and new places all over the area that you will want to discover! High Country Radio brings you New Business Spotlight twice a month presented by First Community Bank!

HIGH COUNTRY RADIO

LATEST LOCAL NEWS

WATA 1450 & 96.5 Named NCAB's 2026 Non-Metro Station of the Year BOONE, N.C. - For the first time in its 75-year history, WATA 1450 AM & 96.5 FM has been honored as the best in the state by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB). The NCAB named WATA its 2026 Non-Metro Station of the Year on Wedne...
Oct 7, 2026
BOONE, N.C. - The Watauga Pioneers are moving on! Watauga opened the NCHSAA football playoffs in impressive fashion Friday night, knocking off Olympic High School 16-8 at Jack Groce Stadium to advance to the second round of the 6A West state playoffs. The Pioneers, the defending 6A state champions, entered the postseas...
3h ago
It appears that provisional ballots could hold the outcome to what will finalize the official winner of the 5th Congressional District in North Carolina. The race from the November 3rd election that saw Democratic Challenger Chuck Hubbard defeat Republican incumbent Virginia Foxx by 99 votes. Foxx actual won eight of t...
18h ago
HIGH COUNTRY RADIO

LOCAL SPORTS

BOONE, N.C. - The Watauga Pioneers are moving on! Watauga opened the NCHSAA football playoffs in impressive fashion Friday night, knocking off Olympic High School 16-8 at Jack Groce Stadium to advance to the second round of the 6A West state playoffs. The Pioneers, the defending 6A state champions, entered the postseas...
3h ago
The defending 6A state champion Watauga Pioneers closed out the regular season in style on Senior Night, defeating St. Stephens 35-22 Friday night at Watauga High School. The victory marks Watauga's fourth straight and improves the Pioneers to 5-5 overall and 4-1 in conference play. After opening the season 1-5, Wataug...
Nov 1, 2026
App State came up short in a battle for first place in the Sun Belt East Division, falling 19-3 to Georgia Southern Saturday night in Statesboro. The Eagles controlled the clock throughout the game, holding the ball for nearly 44 minutes compared to just 16 minutes for the Mountaineers. Georgia Southern built a 16-3 le...
Nov 1, 2026
The Pioneers are rolling! Watauga makes it three straight wins with a convincing 42-22 victory on the road at McDowell Friday night. The win improves Watauga to 4-5 overall and 3-1 in Northwestern 6A/7A Conference play, following victories over South Caldwell and Alexander Central in the previous two weeks. And the con...
Oct 24, 2026