88.1 WMUC-FM / College Park / MD. - Freeform College
The DC areas only real college station unfortunately is only pushing 10 watts! They cover a surprisingly large area for such a tiny signal,
and they webcast too. This is the only place left of the dial where listeners can hear real college radio, not NPR
trash, C-SPAN, or any other "service" that takes away the Public from Public Radio. If this station had some real
power behind it, I would never turn it off. Unfortunately, if it did have some power behind it, NPR would probably
suck it up like the many other former college oriented stations.
88.5 WAMU-FM / Washington / News-Talk, NPR
American University owned and operated WAMU is a mostly news/talk station, with blue grass banjo music weekday afternoons. They have a lot of local talk,
but unfortunately NPR is weasling their canned stuff into WAMU's schedule. WAMU is a good counter station to the right
wing talk stations. Not as left as NY's WBAI, but definately leaning towards that direction.
89.3 WPFW-FM / Washington / News-Talk, Jazz
Pacifica's WPFW is DC's only place to hear non-commercial jazz. They also feature left wing talk fare, something that their owner "Pacifica" is well known for (NY's WBAI, for example). DC's only full
powered public radio station that is not affiliated with a programming service like NPR.
90.1 WCSP-FM / Washington / C-SPAN Political Talk
Gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Senate and Congress. C-SPAN radio is where you can hear simulcasts of the C-SPAN Cable Networks programming, as well as
coverage of hearings that are not on the Cable Network. Incredibly boring radio. Did Brian Lamb (C-SPAN Owner and all
around weirdo) really need to take over a once-public station? Did you know that a nickle of every cable bill that you
pay goes to Mr. Lamb's C-SPAN, like it or not? Some "gift".
90.5 WJYJ-FM "Joy" / Fredericksburg, VA / Religious
Not really a DC station, but they do have a translator in Alexandria on 97.7 FM. Standard right wing religious stuff here. The simulcaster (they have a bunch) on 97.7 interferes with WIYY (97.9) in a three mile area of Alexandria....was that done on purpose?
90.9 WETA-FM / Washington / Classical
WETA-FM had a classical format for many years, then gave it up for NPR in 2005. In 2007 when WGMS dropped it's long running
classical format for "George", they donated their classical library to WETA and WETA flipped back to classical. WETA is DC's strongest station,
pumping out 75,000 watts and they have a simulcaster in western Maryland on 89.1 FM.
91.3 WTRM-FM / Winchester, VA / Religious
Winchester is pretty far from DC, but because of the high elevation - the Winchester area stations cover DC pretty well. This religious outlet is no exception.
91.9 WGTS-FM / Takoma Park, MD / Religious
Man, there are a lot of religious outlets in DC/Baltimore. This station is typical of all of the others. I don't understand how religious outlets
serve the community, or are even "public" for that matter.
92.5 WINC-FM / Winchester, VA - Adult Contemporary
Another Winchester VA station that broadcasts from up in the mountains. I can get this station out in Annapolis (with bleed from WERQ-92.3).
Huge signal that easily goes 100 miles from their transmitter. A slightly "hot" mix of contemporary music, meaning that
this station sometimes sounds like a top-40 station, rather than a sleepy station that your mom would like!
92.7 FM WWXT-FM / Prince Frederick, MD - Sports
Part of Dan Snyder's (Redskins Owner) sports radio tiple-cast of stations that cover the edges of Washington DC. Home to the
Washington Redskins Football games and network ESPN Radio programming. The 92.7 signal is what comes in around Kent Island.
Co-owned with 94.3 WWXX and WXTR-730AM.
93.3 WFLS-FM / Fredericksburg, VA / Country
For a long time the Fredericksburg area only had three FM stations that had any real coverage! This was one of them. WFLS is a standard Country outlet that covers from just
north of DC to Richmond, VA. This ratings winner in Fredericksburg even shows up in the DC ratings, but usually towards
the bottom.
93.9 WKYS-FM "Kiss" / Washington / Urban
Radio One owned WKYS is usually one of the three top rated stations in DC. This stations calls itself "The People's Station", the same slogan used at Radio One's WERQ-92.3 in Baltimore.
Not really a station for all the "people" because owner Radio One specifically targets African-Americans at all of its
stations across the country. Compared to other area Radio One properties, WKYS is definately the most professional
sounding music formatted station of the bunch (WERQ, WWIN, WMMJ). The airstaff sounds like they know what they are
playing, and they don't dumb-down the delivery like over at WERQ. This is the home of the syndicated "Russ Parr"
morning show.
94.3 WWXX-FM "Triple X ESPN Radio" / Warrenton, VA - Sports
Part of Dan Snyder's (Redskins Owner) sports radio tiple-cast of stations that cover the edges of Washington DC. Home to the
Washington Redskins Football games and network ESPN Radio programming. The 92.7 signal is what comes in around Kent Island.
Co-owned with 92.7 WWXT and WXTR-730AM.
94.7 WTGB-FM "Fresh" / Bethesda. MD / Adult Contemporary
WARW (Now WTGB) was once your standard classic rock station playing nothing but the same 20 bands over and over, but in 2007 they changed formats to "Adult Album Alternative" (AAA) and called
themselves "The Globe", playing a mixture of alternative rock and classic rock. That didn't last long and now the station has
abandoned rock completely for "A.C.", which is pretty much a clone of WASH-FM. So far the station has been doing ok with its
target female audience, but it's not close to beating WASH-FM or "Mix 107.3" yet. "Fresh" does have some signal problems in Annapolis due to another station in Delaware that broadcasts on the same
frequency. Usually WTGB is the stronger signal of the two, but on occasion it suffers major interference.
95.5 WPGC-FM / Morningside, MD / Urban Hits
WPGC "Jams". They play lots of hit oriented Rap and R&B that plays well with the DC area. WPGC is the other top rated station, neck in neck with with WKYS and WHUR, another Urban.
The presentation at WPGC is definately not for the masses. Very street sounding and slang talking jocks can get quite
annoying if you are not accostomed to that sort of thing. WPGC has a big signal that allows the station to also get
numbers in Baltimore.
96.3 WHUR-FM / Washington / Urban AC
The first all-Black college in the country, Howard University, runs this commercial station that also targets the African American population in DC. A big radio pioneer,
WHUR is the first minority institution owned commercial radio station to become a number one rated station.
Catherine Hughes, who went on to form "Radio One" (now a competitor of WHUR) got her start at WHUR.
WHUR is more professional sounding than WPGC and WKYS, but they are going for an older crowd.
This station plays a lot of modern R&B and lighter rap-ish stuff.
97.1 WASH-FM / Washington / Adult Contemporary
The place to hear Love Songs at night, and soft hits throughout the rest of the day. WASH calls its music "Soft Rock" but I don't think that Carly Simon and Anne Murray can be called Rock in any way!
WASH doesn't really have much of a personality, they just play the music. This station is perfect for being played at
Doctor Offices, Banks, Real Estate Offices....you get the point. They are also the station that goes "All Holiday Music" every year for over a month around Thanksgiving.
98.3 WSMD-FM "Star 98.3" / Mechanicsville, MD / Classic Hits
A mostly automated station that calls itself Classic Rock, but really is Classic Hits. Lots of softer old rock, and some old rock-ish pop. This station covers Southern Maryland up to US-50, and Virginia along the Potomac River.
98.7 WMZQ-FM / Washington / Country
One of the only non-urbans to chart well in the DC book. They are a pretty standard Country outlet, with very good jocks.
WMZQ is DC's only country outlet with full coverage of the market, so they have the country listeners all tuned in.
99.1 WLZL-FM / Annapolis - Crofton, MD / Spanish
After over three decades as the Washington and Baltimore Alternative Rock station, the suits at CBS / Infiniti flipped WHFS to Spanish "El Zol 99.1".
WHFS was getting bad ratings in Washington over the last few years, but it's Baltimore numbers were pretty good. The station could have been fixed.
Years of mismanagement by Infiniti turned the once "cutting edge" station into a pop station. If they would have went back to being a real alternative
station they would have gained listeners. Now they are the station for foreign language people that don't want to
assimilate into this country.
99.5 WIHT "Hot 99.5" / Washington / CHR / Top-40
Owned by radio giant 'Clear Channel', "Hot 99.5" is the areas only CHR (Top-40) station. Musically, they play lots of music aimed at the younger set and have a high energy presentation.
The place to hear Nelly, Green Day, and Gwen Stefani, "Hot 99.5" is a relatively rap-free station in a market filled with hip-hop.
WIHT signed on in 2001, after the plug was pulled on "Jammin' 99.5", an Urban oldies station. Before "Jammin'",
99.5 was WGAY, a soft Adult Contemporary station.
99.9 WFRE-FM "Free Country" / Frederick, MD / Country
This country outlet, broadcasting way out in Western Maryland, covers a big part of the DC market. I can usually get WFRE all the way out in Annapolis too.
A pretty standard small market country outlet that focuses only on the Frederick area.
100.3 WBIG-FM "Big 100" / Washington / Classic Hits
Was a standard "Good Time Oldies" type station, but changed formats to "Classic Hits in April 2006. DC's place to hear
watered-down classic rock. If your an Elton John fan, this is your station.
101.1 WWDC-FM "DC101" / Washington / Rock
DC101 is an Alternative Rock station that borders on mainstream rock and Top-40 rock. DC101 stays away from most of the angry rap-rock in favor of more straight forward rock-ish songs.
They are probably going for a slightly older audience then a standart alt-rock station, and possibly a more upscale audience too. "Elliott in the Morning" is a pretty funny morning show.
It's the typical shock-jock type talk, but there is a definate chemistry between all the players on the show that just works. John Ballards "Road Show" in the afternoon drive is also a good show.
Plenty of music news and tidbits, along with humor and music. DC101 puts in a good signal in Annapolis.
101.5 WBQB-FM "B101.5" / Fredericksburg, VA / Adult Contemporary
This station, along with WFLS, puts in one great signal to the DC area. This station can even be heard in Annapolis, MD.
They are a community oriented station with local traffic and news for the Fredericksburg area. The music is Adult Contemporary
bordering on Top-40 hits at times. WBQB is a tough catch in Annapolis, but it does come in.
102.3 WMMJ "Majic 102.3" / Bethesda, MD / Urban Oldies
This Radio One owned station puts out a great signal for a little class A (low power) station. They play lots of vintage R&B, Motown, and 70's retro. The Tom Joyner Show gives WMMJ the number one spot in the AM Drive, and a great lead in for the rest of the day. This station sounds very good, great jocks and professinal imaging. Some Radio One properties sound extremely low budget - like WERQ-92.3 in Baltimore and WWIN-95.9 in Glen Burnie - but WMMJ sounds like a real deal urban oldies outlet complete with a personality all its own.
103.5 WTOP-FM / Washington / News
103.5 was the home of classical outlet WGMS for many years until owner Bonneville decided to move the classical music to the old
'Z104' frequencies of 104.1/103.9 to make way for cash cow WTOP. WTOP started out on 1500AM and grew to be simulcasted on 107.7 FM
in Virginia and 820AM in Frederick MD. The AM signal had problems in DC, especially pennetrating buildings, and the 107.7 frequency was too far south to cover most of the area.
The solution was to get rid of the ratings challenged 'Z104' and move WGMS to the signals that cover the 'burbs well and to place all-news WTOP on the signal that covers the entire DC market fairly well.
WTOP puts in a decent signal to Kent Island as well.
104.1 WPRS-FM "Praise" / Waldorf, MD / Gospel
This current Gospel station briefly used to be Classical WGMS, then Z104, a pop station.
WPRS-104.1 F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP
105.1 WAVA-FM / Arlington, VA / Religious
This station used to be a great CHR before they were sold to Salem, and now they are a low rated religious outlet.
Standard right wing religious talk and news. WAVA simulcasts on 1230AM in Baltimore.
105.9 WJZW-FM "Smooth Jazz 105.9" / Woodbridge, VA / NAC - Jazz
This "True Oldies" station used to be the place to hear "Kenny G." and other Pop-Jazz. Baltimore's WHFS-105.7 knocks them
off the dial in Maryland.
106.7 WJFK-FM / Manassas, VA / Talk
The home of "Don & Mike", and "The Junkies In The Morning" (Both are on Baltimore's WHFS-105.7 as well).
The weekday lineup on 'JFK is pretty good, but the weekends are horrible!
Much of the weekend is made up of radio infomercials that are just dreadful to listen to.
WJFK gets wiped off the dial in Maryland due to Baltimore's WWMX-106.5, but they do simulcast on 1300AM in
Baltimore which covers Kent Island.
107.3 WRQX-FM "Mix 107.3" / Washington / Hot Adult Contemporary
"Mix 107.3" plays a lot of the hit oriented Modern Rock along with the standards of the Hot AC format. "Mix 107.3" also plays a lot of 80's retro music,
including "The 80's at 8" every weeknight, and the syndicated "Back Trax" Saturdays at Midnight
(also heard on WCEI-96.7 earlier at 8pm). Saturday nights at 8pm is "Retro Saturday Night", which is 70's and early
80's disco era music. "Mix 107.3" is mainly a music intensive format, so not a lot of chatter from the airstaff.
Home to the popular "Jack Diamond Morning Show". The kind of station that you can put on at work, and hear a
decent tune in every set. Very similar to Baltimore's WWMX-106.5, also a "Mix" station.
107.9 WFSI-FM / Annapolis-Crofton, MD / Religious
Like WHFS, WFSI has good coverage of the two markets here. They have some trouble making it into Northern Virginia due to
signal "bleed" from WTOP-107.7 in Warrenton. A standard religious right wing news/talk outlet owned by "Family Radio",
one of the largest religious broadcasters in the country. They don't get any ratings to speak of even with this huge signal.
