The radio “dean” of West Virginia broadcasters, Hoppy Kercheval joined West Virginia Radio Corporation in 1976. Through the years Hoppy’s assignments have spanned the gamut to include news, sports, and talk.
A native of Summit Point in Jefferson County, Hoppy began as a news anchor/reporter at WAJR in Morgantown while still attending West Virginia University. After graduating with honors from WVU, Kercheval took over as news director at WAJR and began carving an identity as one of the leading broadcasters in West Virginia.
A founding father of Metronews, Kercheval served as News Director until assuming the role of Vice President of Operations in 1991. In 1993, he created Metronews Talkline, which has become a signature program of the network. Hoppy’s gift of interviewing has made Talkline a must-listen for lawmakers and anyone interested in state politics and the day’s top news events.
Kercheval has a Master of Science in Journalism degree from WVU. He also has an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from West Virginia Wesleyan. Kercheval has received a number of honors over the years, including the Mel Burka Award, which is given annually by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association to the state’s top broadcaster.
An avid traveler, Hoppy’s adventures have taken him to 19 different countries around the world. He and his wife, Karin, live in Morgantown. Kercheval has one son, Ben, who lives in Denton, Texas where writes for the sports website bleacherreport.com.
Recent Articles by Hoppy Kercheval
Morrisey blames Justice, legislature for budget shortfall
The West Virginia state budget is a fascinating Rorschach Test for former Governor Jim Justice and new Governor Patrick Morrisey. When Justice looked at the ink blot of the state’s finances he saw sunbeams and unicorns. When Ogden Newspaper reporter Steven Allen Adams asked Justice back in December about a possible upcoming budget shortfall, Justice
February 6, 2025 - 12:27 am
House of Delegates rule change makes for more public input, not less
One of the hallmarks of representative government is the ability of the public to express their views to those in power. Generally speaking, the closer politicians are to the people, the more likely they are to reflect the views of their constituents. So, it is understandable that some private citizens and representatives of interest groups
January 30, 2025 - 12:21 am
Trump's erosion of the rule of law
Donald Trump’s inauguration and his pardoning of January 6th rioters provides a lot to think about. Start with the fact that it was a remarkable moment; a former president, who lost the previous election and facing myriad legal challenges, returns to power. Trump’s critics have consistently made the mistake of underestimating his popularity and political
January 23, 2025 - 12:20 am
Morrisey's week one overreach
New Governor Patrick Morrisey has come out of the blocks fast with a series of executive orders to implement his policies. Several of the orders are pretty straightforward; he wants state agencies to operate more efficiently, a review of state spending dating back to the start of the fiscal year, and an examination of state
January 16, 2025 - 12:26 am
Morrisey's budget cutting challenge
West Virginia Governor-elect Patrick Morrisey promises to cut government. He said it repeatedly during the campaign and he emphasized it again earlier this month when he introduced his administration team. “Everyone here reflects an important goal of the administration,” Morrisey said. “We want to make sure that the people coming on board are going to
January 10, 2025 - 12:28 am
My last show
My entry into the radio news business started unexpectedly in 1974 with a manila folder. I wanted to be a big-time disk jockey, like the ones I listened to on WCFL in Chicago and WKBW in Buffalo when I was growing up on our family dairy farm near Summit Point, Jefferson County. I got my
January 3, 2025 - 12:01 am
Jimmy Carter and West Virginia
The news that former President Jimmy Carter has died got me thinking about his term in office (1976-1980) and his connections to West Virginia. Carter left office with only a 34 percent approval rating, but he was supported by a majority of West Virginians. West Virginia was one of just six states (West Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Rhode Island,
December 30, 2024 - 7:16 am
