Hoppy Kerchavel Visits Concord

There are many radio stations in West Virginia, but one of the popular ones is West Virginia MetroNews. West Virginia MetroNews is a radio network that can be heard through many radios in the state of West Virginia. The network is carried on all West Virginia Radio Corporation owned stations and other syndicated stations in markets where WVRC does not do business.

    Within a radio market there is generally only one or two West Virginia MetroNews affiliates and almost always owned by the same company due to market exclusivity. MetroNews offers a wide variety of programming such as News, Talkline, Hotline, Sports line, WV Outdoors, High School Game Night, Outdoors Today, and High School Basketball. West Virginia MetroNews is carried on 57 different radio stations throughout the state of West Virginia. They also have two stations in Kentucky, one station in Ohio, and one station in Virginia.

    MetroNews is a popular news station, but what makes it popular is one of its founding fathers: Hoppy Kerchavel. Kerchavel broadcast live from Concord University on November 15, and it was a great experience.

    Kerchavel is one of the most popular broadcasters known today. He is the radio “dean” of West Virginia broadcasters. Kerchavel focuses mainly on news, sports, and a talk line. Kerchavel joined the West Virginia Radio Corporation in 1976; he is a native of Jefferson County West Virginia and attended school at West Virginia State University, where he was a news anchor and a reporter for WAJR in Morgantown. After graduating with honors from WVU, Kerchavel took over as News Director at WAJR. It was there that he started to turn into a leading broadcaster. 

    Kerchavel is a founding father of MetroNews and served as News Director until he became the Vice President of Operations in 1991. He created MetroNews Talkline in 1993 and it quickly turned into a popular network program. Kerchavel is known to have a gift for interviewing, which helps make Talkline popular for anyone who enjoys local, state, and national politics.

    Kerchavel has a Master of Science in Journalism degree from WVU. He also has an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from West Virginia Wesleyan. Kerchavel has received many awards and recognitions over the years, including the Mel Burka Award, which is given annually by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association to the top broadcaster in the state. Kerchavel and his wife have had the opportunity to travel all over the world, including nineteen different countries, and Concord University was able to be a part of those visits. 

    Kerchavel made a stop at CU and broadcast his show live. The local media was invited and students and faculty were as well. Kerchavel invited many professors, staff, faculty and students on his show as well. He personally went to the bookstore to buy prizes for students who could answer trivia questions about Concord. The students and audience learned many things about Concord University through Kerchavel’s news broadcast, and even received some tips on how to be a good broadcaster. 

    Kerchavel stayed in town after his live broadcast to attend the Concord University Beckley Foundation Dinner. He was the guest speaker for the event and many attendees were able to hear a presentation from Kerchavel about the current political situation in West Virginia.