Outlet profile

WataugaOnline

U.S. local/community, no clear partisan lean

Owned byPrivately owned by Kenneth Reece, founder and publisher

FundingLocal advertising and sponsorships

On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

WataugaOnline launched as a Facebook page on December 13, 2010, created by Kenneth Reece, a Watauga County native with more than 30 years of experience in local broadcasting as a radio DJ, news reporter, and Appalachian Sports Network talent. The page drew more than 4,000 followers in its first four weeks, indicating strong community demand for a hyperlocal news hub. In February 2013, it became the first High Country-based media website to offer an interactive radar, and in June 2014, it was the only locally based High Country outlet to offer mobile apps. By the end of 2015, the operation had grown into a full website at WataugaOnline.com with a major hosting upgrade. The site set page-view records in three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, accumulating more than 13 million total page views during that stretch. As of mid-2023, WataugaOnline had over 48,000 Facebook followers — the largest social media following of any locally owned media outlet in the region. The site is funded through local advertising and sponsorships targeted at high-traffic pages such as weather, traffic alerts, and webcams. Its editorial focus remains narrowly local: county and town government, Appalachian State University news, community events, and emergency information. There is no discernible national political stance, and coverage of the Trump administration is incidental, limited to local-impact items such as federal funding or disaster relief.

Sources

Profile compiled 2026-08-17; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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