WWDE-FM

Infobox Radio Station


name = WWDE-FM
airdate =
frequency = 101.3 (MHz)HD Radio
city = Hampton, Virginia
area = Norfolk/Virginia Beach
format = Soft Rock
owner = Entercom Communications
erp = 50,000 watts
branding = "101.3 2WD"
slogan = "Continuous Soft Rock"
class = B
former_callsigns = WVHR, WVEC
sister_stations =WPTE, WVKL, WNVZ
webcast = [http://webclust1.liquidcompass.cc/entercom/video_gateway.php?id=WWDE Listen Live]
website = [http://www.2wd.com/ www.2wd.com]
callsign_meaning = 2(W W) D Entercom

WWDE-FM, also known as 101.3 2WD, is a Soft Rock radio station serving the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Portsmouth-Hampton-Newport News radio market. It is owned by Entercom Communications and its city of license is Hampton, Virginia, and studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

History

This radio combo were originally sister stations to WVEC-TV as WVEC AM & FM. The 101.3 frequency has a long history. In the 1960's and early 70's, the 101.3 MHz frequency was the FM side of WVEC. There was WVEC-AM 1490, and WVEC-FM 101.3. In the mid 1970's, the FM became WVHR, for the Voice of Hampton Roads. Both radio stations were sold in 1978.

2WD was founded in 1978 by Dick Lamb and business partners Larry Saunders and Gene Loving as an Adult Contemporary station with new calls WWDE AM & FM.At first they ran separate Adult Contemporary formats as 2WD AM & 2WD FM The station was always successful with Lamb, from owning it, to being behind the "mike" in the mornings. The AM station was later sold and became WLRT.( On August 1 2007, WLRT was sold again to sports broadcasters Red Zebra Communications and began a simulcast of their FM sports station , WXTG-FM )

On January 28, 2005, Dick Lamb stepped aside from his self-titled morning show "Dick Lamb in the Breakfast Bunch". About a month afterward, Paul Richardson, another "Breakfast Buncher" also left the station. Now both can be heard on Max Media's WVBW 92.9 the Wave's "Dick Lamb and the Morning Wave". They were replaced on 2WD with Jennifer Pulley and Ted Alexander. In September of 2006 The station became an affiliate of Whoopi Goldberg's nationally syndicated "Wake Up With Whoopi" morning show but dropped the Whoppi show on Dec. 3rd 2007. Shortly after Lamb's departure, long time afternoon host Jeff Moreau resigned from the station.

While 2WD's music format has changed slightly, the station's positioning statments have evolved over the years. In the 90's the station slogan was "Best Variety of the 70's, 80's, and 90's." Later, in the 2000's, it became "Best Variety of the 80's, 90's, and Today." Since late 2006 the station has positioned itself with "Continuous Soft Rock 101.3 2WD". The station is also the market affiliate for the highly successful nationally syndicated "Delilah After Dark" from 7 pm to midnight.

After Lamb's morning show moved to WVBW, 2WD experienced a brief decline in listenership. However, rumours that had circulated within Norfolk media circles that current owner Entercom considered flipping the station to Country turned out to be unfounded. 2WD in fact managed to not only rebound from a slight ratings dip, but overtake Lamb's WVBW within many key demographics. In December 2007 the addition of a second Country music station by Sinclair Telecable threatened to further decrease Max Media's already steadily declining market share by dismantling their long standing Country format monopoly.

External links

* [http://www.2wd.com/ 101.3 2WD WWDE official website]
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References

* [http://hamptonroads.vartv.com Hampton Roads Media Information]
* [http://www.hamptonroads.com/fun/en0228tv.html Article about Dick Lamb in the Virginian Pilot]