WVIA-FM founding father George Graham will retire after more than 50 years of presenting local music.
Graham, a broadcaster, producer and engineer, will sign off at the end of the year. He was the first employee of WVIA and his flagship show, “Mixed Bag,” has been in continuous daily broadcast more than 50 years.
He also created and continues to produce “All That Jazz,” a nightly hour of mainstream and acoustic jazz; and “Homegrown Music,” a weekly series launched in 1976 to spotlight local and regional musicians.
“George Graham is not just a radio host, he’s an institution,” Carla McCabe, president and CEO of WVIA said in a news release. “His passion for music, his unwavering support for local artists, and his excellence as a broadcaster and engineer have defined WVIA’s sound and soul for over 50 years. His legacy will resonate long after his final sign-off.”
Graham a staple of local radio scene
Graham, of Carbondale, joined the station in 1972 during the design and construction and flipped the switch to send it over the air for the first broadcast in 1973.
“Little did I know after joining WVIA right out of college to engineer a new radio station, that 53 years later I would still be here,” Graham said in the release.
“But WVIA Radio has always been exceptional for its values of quality, creativity, artistic integrity and professionalism, which has made it an ideal place for me to spend my career. I have been blessed with wonderful colleagues who have shared these values and who have become dear friends. And it has been a privilege to get to know and work with the literally hundreds of artists who have shared their musical work with the station’s listeners and supporters. These are challenging times for public broadcasting, but I am confident that WVIA will continue to embody those values as we move into the future.”
Graham is also director of artistry and repertoire for the jazz record label Chiaroscuro Records, plus a freelance recording, mastering and production engineer.
The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters named him Broadcaster of the Year in 2023. Last year, he was inducted into the Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame.
Originally Published: October 22, 2025 at 3:16 PM EDT