WTGB-FM

Infobox Radio station
name = WTGB-FM


city = Bethesda, Maryland
area = Washington, D.C.
branding = "Classic Rock 94.7 The Globe"
airdate = 1959
frequency = 94.7 MHz HD Radio
format = WTGB: Classic rock WTGB-HD2: Adult Album Alternative "The Jam"
power =
erp = 20,500 watts
haat = 235 meters
class = B
facility_id = 9619
callsign_meaning = Washington's The GloBe
former_callsigns = WJMD (1959-1982) WLTT (1982-1993) WARW (1993-2007)
owner = CBS Radio
licensee = CBS Radio East, Inc.
sister_stations = WJFK, WLZL, WPGC, WPGC-FM
webcast = [http://player.play.it/player/player.html?id=55&onestat=wtgb 94.7 The Globe Webstream]
website = [http://www.947theglobe.com/ www.947theglobe.com]
affiliations =

WTGB-FM is a commercial radio station in Bethesda, Maryland, broadcasting to the Washington, DC area on 94.7 FM.

On February 2, 2007, WTGB-FM began airing an adult album alternative music format branded as "94-7 The Globe". Prior to that, the station had a classic-rock format for at least 15 years. WTGB returned to a classic rock format on August 10, 2008.

History

WTGB-FM aired a beautiful music format with the call letters, WJMD. The WJMD call letters formed the initials of the previous owner, Joseph and M. Diener.

WJMD evolved into a soft adult contemporary music format with a change of call letters to WLTT. Under this format, the station was branded as "W-Lite".

WLTT dropped the soft adult contemporary music format in favor of a classic rock music format branded as "The Arrow". A change of call letters followed to WARW to complement the change in branding to "The Arrow". WARW was also billed on-air as "We Always Rock Washington."

On February 2, 2007, an adult album alternative (also known as "triple A") music format was adopted with the branding "The Globe". The new "Globe" format also featured "green" segments between songs or before and after commercials with environmental information. These segments are called "The Green Scene". The airstaff remained the same as WARW's, but some spots were flipped. Weasel moved from nights to mornings, displacing the Stevens & Medley morning team. Mark Stevens, who was part of Stevens & Medley, moved to nights and was eventually replaced by Albie Dee. On February 15, 2007, the station changed its call letters to WTGB-FM. The shift left rival WBIG-FM as the capital's only analog classic rock station. The Globe's HD-2 channel, "The Jam" began broadcasting a mixture of classic rock.

The call letters appear to echo those of the Georgetown University radio station, WGTB. Long time Washington radio listeners remember that station from the 1970s as a champion of the alternative rock of its time. Two of the DJs on WTGB, "Cerphe" and "Weasel", have, each, been involved with Washington radio for nearly 40 years. (See article on WHFS).

On August 10, 2008, WTGB dropped the triple A format and began returning to a classic rock format. Three weeks after the change, music director and midday personality Schelby Sweeney quit the station, and was replaced by Marci Wiser, formerly of sister station WXRK. [Radio and Records, August 29, 2008: "'Globe' Gets Wiser for MD/Middays: CBS Radio classic rock WTGB (the Globe 94.7)/Washington has recruited Marci Wiser as MD/middays. She is replacing Schelby Sweeney, who is leaving the station." [http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRWebSite/Search.aspx?search=WTGB] ] The "Globe" name (but not the "World Class Rock" slogan) stayed, and WTGB-HD2 flipped to a triple A format. The format change was likely because of low ratings; the station stayed in the bottom seven for its entire life as a triple A outlet. [ [http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=17924 Washington DC Radio ratings] ] [ [http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRRatings/DetailsPage.aspx?MID=272&RY=2008&RQ=3&MP=1&OTHER=2&MN=Washington&MS=DC&MR=9&12P=4210100&UP=8/20/2008%2012:00:00%20AM&SU=CM&BPER=26.7&HPER=11.3&OPER=&NSD=9/17/2008%2012:00:00%20AM&CE=0 Radio & Records: Washington DC Radio ratings] ] On September 1st, 2008, WTGB began using the branding 'Classic Rock 94.7 The Globe' on air. [cite news|url=http://www.dcist.com/archives/2007/02/05/947_changes_for.php|title=94.7 Changes Format; Fights Climate Change|date= February 5, 2007|publisher=The DCist|accessdate=2008-09-01]

References

External links

*FMQ|WTGB
*FML|WTGB
*FMARB|WTGB