[IRCA] FW: Musical chairs in Washington (WGMS/WTOP)

This was posted to the Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio list, since it concerns a classical-music station in D.C. (WGMS)… but note the change to WTOP-1500.

Randy Stewart

Springfield MO

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/04/AR2006010400849.html

and from InsideRadio:

Bonneville drops a D.C. bombshell that affects five frequencies.
Here's today's headline out of Washington - Bonneville transplants dominant all-newser WTOP to a big FM. WTOP will occupy the full-market Class B signal that's the longtime home of classical WGMS. Bonneville SVP Joel Oxley says that offers information-hungry listeners better reception in cars and offices. WTOP's currently heard on the highly directional 1500 Khz frequency and the west-suburban WTOP-FM licensed to Warrenton, VA at 107.7. What happens to highly-rated classical WGMS? It lives on. Bonneville's installing it on the current "Z104" simulcast of WWZZ/WWVZ. That spells goodbye to the modern AC format for Bonneville in D.C....that's not all >

"Washington Post Radio" debuts on 1500 and 107.7 in late March.
Bonneville will cooperate with the Capitol's dominant local daily paper (though Bonneville retains full ownership of the stations). The Post will contribute "in-depth" local, national and international news and commentary - hopefully complementing WTOP's all-news format. One other format note - Bonneville pays even more attention to classical fans with two different formats on HD - one a "deep-cuts"-like classical station and the other an opera and choral-based "Viva La Voce." >>> Read Bonneville's FAQ sheet at http://ftp.media.radcity.net/ZMST/Todays/BonnevilleFactSheet1406.pdf