WIYY: Difference between revisions
Neutralhomer (talk | contribs) unusual removal, reverting. |
Undid revision 545057278 by Neutralhomer (talk) to have two different sign-on dates inply that it is two different stations...WIYY as "98 Rock" is not a **new** station |
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| slogan = |
| slogan = |
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| frequency = 97.9 [[Megahertz|MHz]]<br>{{HD Radio}} |
| frequency = 97.9 [[Megahertz|MHz]]<br>{{HD Radio}} |
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| airdate = [[1948 in radio|1948]] |
| airdate = [[1948 in radio|1948]] |
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| format = [[Mainstream Rock]]<br>[[Classic rock]] (HD2)<br>Independent Rock (HD3)<br>[[WBAL (AM)|WBAL]] simulcast (HD4) |
| format = [[Mainstream Rock]]<br>[[Classic rock]] (HD2)<br>Independent Rock (HD3)<br>[[WBAL (AM)|WBAL]] simulcast (HD4) |
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| erp = 13,500 [[watt]]s |
| erp = 13,500 [[watt]]s |
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Revision as of 01:38, 18 March 2013
| File:WIYY.jpg File:Stationlogo wiyyhd2.png File:Stationlogo wiyyhd3.png | |
| Frequency | 97.9 MHz (HD Radio) |
|---|---|
| Branding | "98 Rock" "Classic 98 Rock" (HD2) "Indie 97.9" (HD3) "NewsRadio 1090 WBAL" (HD4) |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream Rock Classic rock (HD2) Independent Rock (HD3) WBAL simulcast (HD4) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Hearst Corporation |
| WBAL, WBAL-TV | |
| History | |
First air date | 1948 |
Former call signs | WMAR-FM (1948–1950) WFDS-FM (1958–1960) WBAL-FM (1960–1977)[1] |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 65693 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 13,500 watts |
| HAAT | 288 meters |
| Links | |
| Webcast | 98 Rock Webstream Classic 98 Rock Webstream (HD2) Indie 97.9 Webstream (HD3) WBAL AM Webstream (HD4) |
| Website | 98online.com classic98rock.com (HD2) indie979.com (HD3) wbal.com (HD4) |
WIYY (97.9 FM, "98 Rock") is a radio station in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, owned by the Hearst Corporation. It has been broadcasting a mainstream rock format since 1977.
WIYY shares a facility with sister stations WBAL (1090 AM) and WBAL-TV (channel 11) on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, near the transmission tower it shares with WBAL-TV. WIYY and WBAL are the only two radio stations owned by the Hearst Corporation.
History
The 97.9 frequency in Baltimore began in 1948 as WMAR-FM, owned by the A.S. Abell Company, publishers of the Baltimore Sun and founders of WMAR-TV, Baltimore's first television station. The first station to use those call letters (and not related to the second WMAR-FM at 106.5, now WWMX), WMAR-FM was a collaborative partner of Transit Rides Inc., developer of a music format designed for public transportation and owned by the Cincinnati-based Taft family.[2] After two years on the air, Abell shut down the radio station in June 1950 and turned in its license to the Federal Communications Commission.[3]
The station remained silent until 1958 when it was reborn as WFDS-FM,[4] a classical music outlet under the ownership of William S. Cook, a Baltimore native and professional engineer.[5] Cook created WFDS-FM as one of the first radio stations in the United States to experiment with stereo.[6] The Hearst Corporation purchased the station in April 1960 and retained classical music while renaming it WBAL-FM.[7][8]
In June 1975 WBAL-FM joined NBC Radio Network's ill-fated 24-hour national "News and Information Service" (NIS), and was the largest affiliate of NIS not to be an NBC Radio owned-and-operated station.[citation needed] After two years of all-news and low ratings, NBC closed down NIS in late May 1977. But WBAL-FM bailed on the service early, adopting its present elements—the call letters WIYY, rock music format and the "98 Rock" brand—on March 28, 1977.
Programming and personalities
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2012) |
As of 2012, the morning show on WIYY is "98Rock Morning Radio" with Mickey and Amelia and newsman Josh Spiegel. Until the 2005 death of newsman R. Edward Lopez, the show was known as KML. Presenters Kirk McEwen and Mark Ondayko then left the company, taking over for the Sports Junkies on WHFS 105.7 FM on February 1, 2007.
Sarah Fleischer follows from 10-3 daily; her shift includes the classic request Hair Ball hour. She is the only personality who has worked at the station since its debut as 98Rock in 1977, having played the first song under the station's new rock format, "Baba O'Riley" by the British rock group The Who.
"Stash" (Stephen G. Smith) was 98Rock's afternoon show DJ for 24 years, until he was removed in July 22, 2012 after a DUI following a three-car crash in Edgewood, MD.[9][10] On July 26, 2012, The Baltimore Sun announced [11] that Stash and 98 Rock had severed ties.
The station has had no regular night show, with the exception of 10 months, from September 2007 to July 2008, with "Irresponsible Radio with Theo and Joe" which featured morning show regular and local comedian Joe Robinson and former 93.5 'The Rock' Theo. On July 29, 2008 Theo told fans "The powers that be have decided that it's not economically feasible to keep us together. I would like to say on a personal note that working with Joe has been the real highlight of my radio career." "We felt we wanted to rock out at night and not talk as much," WIYY Program Director David Hill told dcrtv.com.[12]
Every Sunday from 9pm to midnight, the station broadcasts a show called "Noise In The Basement" hosted by Matt Davis, which bills itself as providing air-time to the best performers in the Baltimore area. Matt also has local artists come into studio to promote the "Noise In The Basement" live show every Monday night at a Baltimore concert venue called The Ottobar, (previously, the Baltimore Sound Stage, The Quarter At Burbon Street, and, before that, was formerly held at Fletchers Night Club). Matt Davis also hosts on XM Satellite Radio's Boneyard channel 41 during the weekends.
WIYY currently broadcasts the Baltimore Ravens games. Stash co-hosts the "Ravens' Last Call" Sunday post-game show with Mike Flynn. Joe Robinson was the co-host during the inaugural 2007-2008 season.
98Rock offers podcasts of portions of its talk shows on their website. They also offer three separate music streams on their respective websites: HD2 offers classic rock under the name "Classic 98Rock" and HD3 offers independent rock under the name "Indie 97.9". 98Rock has also added a simulcast of News/Talk 1090 WBAL on HD4.
Awards
In 2007, the station was nominated for the Radio & Records magazine Active Rock station of the year in a top 25 market award . Other nominees included WAAF in Boston, KBPI in Denver, WRIF in Detroit, WMMR in Philadelphia, and KISW in Seattle.[13] WIYY was a nominee for the 2012 "Major Market Radio Station of the Year" RadioContraband Rock Radio Award.
References
- ^ "For the Record." Broadcasting, April 4, 1977, pg. 92
- ^ "Bus rides to music: Multi-million FM advertising potential." Broadcasting, February 23, 1948, pg. 17. [1]
- ^ "WMAR-FM quits; WAAM (TV) also drops FM." Broadcasting, May 29, 1950, pg. 28. [2]
- ^ "Radio Stations." 1959 Broadcasting Yearbook, October 28, 1957, pg. B-164
- ^ "For the Record." Broadcasting, October 28, 1957, pg. 114]
- ^ [3]
- ^ "For the Record." Broadcasting, March 21, 1960, pg. 104
- ^ "Pleased beginning." Broadcasting, April 25, 1960, pg. 49
- ^ "98 Rock DJ Stash Arrested for DUI Following Three-Car Edgewood Crash Sunday Night"[4]
- ^ "98 Rock DJ Stash charged with DUI after three-car crash"
- ^ "Stash out at 98 Rock in wake of DUI charges"
- ^ http://www.dcrtv.com/
- ^ "2007 Industry Achievement Awards". Radio and Records. September 28, 2008.
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External links
- 98Rock Website
- Classic 98Rock Website (HD2)
- Indie 97.9 Website (HD3)
- Facility details for Facility ID WIYY ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
