WMZQ-FM
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- iHeartMedia, Inc.
- (iHM Licenses, LLC)
- WWDC-FM (1947–1950)
- WOL-FM (1950–1968)
- WMOD (1968–1977)
- 100.9 MHz (1947)
- 101.1 MHz (1947–1950)
- Public file
- LMS
ListenLive (HD2)
freedom1047.iheart.com (HD2)
WMZQ-FM (98.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Washington, D.C. owned by iHeartMedia, it has had a country music radio format since 1977. The station's studios and offices are on Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland,[5] and its transmitter is on Tower Street in Falls Church, Virginia.[6] WMZQ-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts, the maximum power for radio stations in the Washington area.
WMZQ-FM broadcasts in the HD Radio format.[7] Its HD2 digital subchannel airs a conservative talk format, known as "Freedom 104.7." It feeds FM translator W284CQ at 104.7 MHz.[8]
History
This station signed on the air on April 2, 1947 as 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 1000 Connecticut Avenue NW. The station originally simulcast its sister station, WWDC, then on AM 1450.
Meanwhile, WOL-FM signed on at 98.7 MHz in 1947, simulcasting its sister station, WOL 1260 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 the legal successor of the original WWDC-FM.
WOL-AM-FM aired a full service Rhythm and blues format, 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 an Oldies format, as WMOD, while the AM continued as an R&B station. WMOD played the rock-era hits of the 1950s and early 60s, including doo-wop music. By the mid-1970s, the format shifted to classic rock.
In 1977, Sonderling switched 98.7 to country music as 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 to WMAQ Chicago, 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 a Top 40 format was about to launch.[3][2]
The Washington market already had one FM station playing modern country, but it was based in Northern Virginia, 105.9 WXRA (today WMAL-FM) licensed to Woodbridge, 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 station WMZQ in Arlington, 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 became iHeartMedia, the current owner.
HD Radio and Translator
On July 10, 2023, WMZQ-HD2 dropped its simulcast with Black Information Network affiliate WUST (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 | 140 m (459 ft) | D | 38°53′30.0″N 77°07′54.0″W / 38.891667°N 77.131667°W / 38.891667; -77.131667 (W284CQ) | LMS |
References
- ^ a b "FCC History Cards for WMZQ-FM".
- ^ a b White, Thomas. "Washington, D.C. AM Station History". earlyradiohistory.us.
- ^ a b Rohter, Larry (June 29, 1977). "WMOD Changes Its Tune". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 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.com.
- ^ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=8 Archived October 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine HD Radio Guide for Washington D.C.
- ^ "W284CQ-FM 104.7 MHz - Washington, DC". radio-locator.com.
- ^ 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. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000 page B-84
- ^ Freedom Rings on 104.7 Washington DC Radioinsight - July 10, 2023
External links
- WMZQ Website
- Facility details for Facility ID 73305 (WMZQ-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WMZQ-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 31140 (W284CQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W284CQ at FCCdata.org
- v
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LPFM | |
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Translators |
frequency
by frequency & subchannel
- 88.5-1
- 88.5-2
- 89.3-1
- 90.9-1
- 90.9-2
- 93.9-1
- 93.9-3
- 94.7-1
- 94.7-2
- 95.5-1
- 95.5-2
- 96.3-1
- 96.3-2
- 96.3-3
- 96.3-4
- 97.1-1
- 97.1-2
- 98.7-1
- 98.7-2
- 99.5-1
- 99.5-2
- 100.3-1
- 100.3-2
- 101.1-1
- 101.1-2
- 102.3-1
- 102.3-2
- 102.3-3
- 103.5-1
- 103.5-2
- 103.5-3
- 104.1-1
- 104.1-3
- 105.1-1
- 105.1-2
- 105.1-3
- 106.7-1
- 106.7-2
- 106.7-3
- 107.3-1
- 107.3-2
- 107.3-3
- 107.7-1
- 107.7-2
- 107.7-3
- 107.7-4
- 107.7-5
- 107.9-1
- 107.9-2
- KHB36
- W225CN
- W228DI
- W240DJ
- W248BN
- W249DX
- W251CH
- W252DC
- W264DB
- W269DH
- W275BO
- W276DT
- W284CQ
- W288BS
- W292BC
- WACA
- WAMU
- WASH
- WAVA
- WAVA-FM
- HD2
- HD3
- WBIG-FM
- WBQH
- WCSP-FM
- WCTN
- WDCH-FM
- WDCJ
- WDCT
- WDCN-LD1
- WDON
- WERA-LP
- WETA
- HD2
- WFAX
- WFED
- WFRE
- WGTS
- WHUR-FM
- WIAD
- WIHT
- WJEV-LP
- WJFK
- WJFK-FM
- HD2
- HD3
- WKDV
- WKIK
- WKYS
- HD3
- WLVW
- WLXE
- WLZL
- WLZV
- WMAL-FM
- WMET
- WMMJ
- HD3
- WMUC-FM
- WMZQ-FM
- WNG736
- WOL
- WOWD-LP
- WPFW
- WPGC-FM
- WPIR
- WPRS-FM
- HD3
- WPWC
- WQER-LP
- WQOF
- WRCW
- WSBN
- WTEM
- WTNT
- WTOP-FM
- HD2
- HD3
- WTSD
- WURA
- WUST
- WWDC
- HD2
- WWGB
- WWRC
- WWWT-FM
- WYCB
- WZHF
- NAA
- NOF
- WCAP
- WDM
- WDW
- WGMS (103.5 FM, 104.1 FM)
- WGTB (90.1 FM)
- WHFS (102.3 FM, 99.1 FM, 105.7 FM)
- WJH
- WKIK (1560 AM)
- WOOK (1340 AM)
- WQAW
- WTWP
- WWZZ (104.1 FM)
- Radio stations in the Washington metropolitan area
- Washington, D.C.
- Frederick, Maryland
- Fredericksburg, Virginia
- Other nearby regions
- Baltimore
- Hagerstown
- Northern Neck
- Salisbury-Ocean City
- Winchester
- See also
- List of radio stations in Washington, D.C.
- List of radio stations in Virginia
- List of radio stations in Maryland
- Mass media in Washington, D.C.
- Radio stations
- TV stations
- Newspapers
- Notes
- 1. Audio from channel 6 TV station
38°53′13″N 77°12′04″W / 38.887°N 77.201°W / 38.887; -77.201