WMZQ-FM
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Washington metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 98.7MHz(HD Radio) |
| Branding | 98.7 WMZQ |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Country |
| Subchannels | HD2: Freedom 104.7 (Conservative talk) |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WASH,WBIG,WIHT,WUST,WWDC | |
| History | |
First air date | April 2, 1947 |
Former call signs |
|
Former frequencies |
|
Call signmeaning | tribute toWMAQ,[2]abbreviation of "music"[3] |
| Technical information[4] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 73305 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 149 meters (489 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live ListenLive (HD2) |
| Website | wmzq.iheart freedom1047.iheart(HD2) |
WMZQ-FM(98.7MHz) is acommercialradio stationinWashington, D.C.owned byiHeartMedia,it has had acountry musicradio formatsince 1977. The station's studios and offices are onRockville PikeinRockville, Maryland,[5]and itstransmitteris on Tower Street inFalls Church, Virginia.[6]WMZQ-FM has aneffective radiated power(ERP) of 50,000 watts, the maximum power for radio stations in the Washington area.
WMZQ-FM broadcasts in theHD Radioformat.[7]Its HD2digital subchannelairs aconservative talkformat, known as "Freedom 104.7." It feedsFM translatorW284CQ at 104.7 MHz.[8]
History
[edit]This station signed on the air on April 2,1947as WWDC-FM, originally on 100.9 MHz, moving to 101.1 MHz a few months later.[9]It was owned by the Capital Broadcasting Company with its studios at 1000Connecticut AvenueNW. The station originallysimulcastitssister station,WWDC, then on AM 1450.
Meanwhile, WOL-FM signed on at 98.7 MHz in 1947, simulcasting its sister station,WOL1260 kHz. In 1950, WWDC and WOL came under common ownership; that February 20, WWDC moved to the far higher-powered 1260 kHz allocation, and WOL was shifted to 1450 kHz to be resold. WWDC-FM also swapped callsigns and facilities with WOL-FM on the same day, and each simply modified their licenses to continue operating on their same frequencies.[10][11]As the actual licenses were not exchanged, WMZQ-FM is thelegal successorof the original WWDC-FM.
WOL-AM-FM aired a full serviceRhythm and bluesformat, featuring personalities, news and talk for the African-American community. It was owned by the Peoples Broadcasting Company, relocated to the 1000 Connecticut Avenue NW studios and offices.
In 1965, WOL-AM-FM were acquired by the Sonderling Broadcasting Company.[12]In 1968, Sonderling switched the FM station to anOldiesformat, as WMOD, while the AM continued as an R&B station. WMOD played the rock-era hits of the 1950s and early 60s, includingdoo-wopmusic. By the mid-1970s, the format shifted toclassic rock.
In 1977, Sonderling switched 98.7 tocountry musicas WMZQ-FM.[13]Although press reports at the time attributed the call sign as a simple abbreviation of "music", then-program director Bill Figenshu claims to have chosen it in homage toWMAQChicago, which was at the time a successful large-market country station. A since-repealed FCC rule also required stations to notify their competitors of a call sign change, and Figenshu suspected the "Q" – then as now, a common branding for contemporary music stations – might fool them into thinking aTop 40format was about to launch.[3][2]
The Washington market already had one FM station playing modern country, but it was based inNorthern Virginia,105.9 WXRA (todayWMAL-FM) licensed toWoodbridge, Virginia.Its signal had a hard time reaching the D.C. suburbs north of Washington, while WMZQ-FM covered the entire D.C.radio market.The change proved a success for WMZQ-FM and the station at 105.9 eventually switched to classic rock.
Viacom acquired WMZQ-FM a few years after the switch to the country format. In 1987, Viacom began simulcasting WMZQ-FM on AM stationWMZQinArlington,Virginia.[14][15]
In 1997, WMZQ-FM switched hands again, this time acquired by Chancellor Media.[16]In 2000, Chancellor was acquired by Clear Channel Communications, which a few years later becameiHeartMedia,the current owner.
HD Radio and Translator
[edit]On July 10, 2023, WMZQ-HD2 dropped its simulcast withBlack Information NetworkaffiliateWUST(1120 AM), and launched a conservative talk format on its HD2 subchannel, branded as "Freedom 104.7".[17]
WMZQ rebroadcasts its HD2 format on the following translator:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP(W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W284CQ | 104.7 FM | Washington, D.C. | 31140 | 99 | 140m(459ft) | D | 38°53′30.0″N77°07′54.0″W/ 38.891667°N 77.131667°W | LMS |
References
[edit]- ^ab"FCC History Cards for WMZQ-FM".
- ^abWhite, Thomas."Washington, D.C. AM Station History".earlyradiohistory.us.
- ^abRohter, Larry (June 29, 1977)."WMOD Changes Its Tune".The Washington Post.RetrievedJune 11,2022.
- ^"Facility Technical Data for WMZQ-FM".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"98.7 WMZQ Contact Info: Number, Address, Advertising & More".98.7 WMZQ.
- ^"WMZQ-FM 98.7 MHz - Washington, DC".radio-locator.
- ^http://hdradio /station_guides/widget.php?id=8ArchivedOctober 2, 2015, at theWayback MachineHD Radio Guide for Washington D.C.
- ^"W284CQ-FM 104.7 MHz - Washington, DC".radio-locator.
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1950 page 108
- ^"WNEW, WWDC Sales Given Approval By FCC"(PDF).Broadcasting.January 30, 1950. p. 26.
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1952 page 105
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1969 page B-33
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1979 page C-40
- ^Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1994 page B-383
- ^Yorke, Jeffrey (July 21, 1987)."WKYS, singing a no. 1 tune".The Washington Post.RetrievedJuly 7,2019.
- ^Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000 page B-84
- ^Freedom Rings on 104.7 Washington DCRadioinsight - July 10, 2023
External links
[edit]- WMZQ Website
- Facility details for Facility ID 73305 (WMZQ-FM)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- WMZQ-FMinNielsen Audio's FM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 31140 (W284CQ)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- W284CQat FCCdata.org