WKTR-AM 840 — the Greene County-based, ESPN-affiliated AM radio station that covers local sports, as well — will go off the air June 30, to be replaced by a religious format, station officials confirmed.

“Our parent company got an offer for the radio station that they just couldn’t refuse, so they agreed to lease out the signal and facilities,” said Mike Tingle, general manager of WKTR-AM, known locally as ESPN 840. “It is my understanding that the format will be changed to a religious format.”

ESPN 840’s parent company, Base Communi-cations, owns and operates the Sports Addict Network that includes ESPN-affiliates in Blacksburg and Martinsville. Company officials could not be reached for comment regarding financial considerations or the organization that would take over programming.

The organization reportedly is non-commercial and will broadcast non-local religious programming.

“The new group also purchased one of our parent company’s non-commercial FM translators, so they will have some kind of FM presence,” Tingle said.

Three members of the Greene County station’s four-person staff will be looking for jobs after the change, Tingle said. Only the station’s operations manager will continue with the new broadcasters after the switchover.

“Everyone else was offered generous severance packages effective immediately. There will be no new local programming from now through June 30,” Tingle said. “At ESPN 840 we’ve always had a very small staff. As of May 31, the entirety of the station consisted of four people. As you might imagine, it’s incredibly difficult to generate significant revenue with just a two-person sales staff, but they did the best they could.”

Tingle said the changeover does not reflect the quality of the station’s programming but simply a business opportunity for the owners.

“This move was never about the quality of the station. Since I got here in 2007, ESPN 840 has been a relative ratings success, and we led the way in new media development with our high school videocasts and social media,” he said. “Overall, I’ve been thrilled with the coverage we were able to provide, and I hope that if nothing else, we helped to raise the standards of local high school and college sports coverage for everyone else.”

Tingle said he’s grateful for the community support for ESPN 840.

“I greatly appreciate everything my staff has done. It was my goal to never sound like a four-person radio station, and I think we provided the best local coverage we possibly could,” he said. “I just want to thank everyone in Central Virginia for supporting us, embracing us, and for allowing us to serve the community for as long as we did.”