MEDIA WORLD RADIO STATION REVIEWS
Vintage Audio Board


Radio Station Reviews


Here are some opinions on Radio Stations from areas that I spend a good deal of time at. Feel free to contribute your own opinions on stations in your area.

CLICK ON THE to listen live.



Station listings


WIYY-97.9 "98ROCK", Baltimore, MD//.Listen to 98 ROCK live
A solid "Active" Rock station. The jocks talk about sports a bit much, but if your into hard rock, this station is pretty good. I wish that the on air staff had more of a personality, like WYSP or WXRK, but they're not bad. This station sets Baltimore apart from DC in a big way. Baltimore is a more 'blue collar' city, and WIYY plays straight forward hard rock that reflects that audience. No artsy alterna-pop on here like the nearby Washington DC stations play. WIYY-98 ROCK has a fantastic signal that covers from well into Virginia to the NJ/Delaware border, just not too good on the way to Ocean City due to a class A on the same frequency on the Eastern Shore.
98ROCK FCC COVERAGE MAP


WXRK-92.3 "K-ROCK", New York City//
A mix of Alternative and hard rock that just works. Stern in the morning and a variety of loud, rude and damn entertaining jocks the rest of the time. What every rock station should aspire to be like! WXRK has a Great signal that covers NYC, LI, NJ, and CT well, the only problem area is the North Shore of Long Island due to 92.5 in CT. K-Rock used to be more of an alternative station, but has shifted to a broader rock station, playing a bit of everything but focusing on the heavier artists. From AC/DC to The Strokes, only the old Q-104.3 when it was "Pure Rock" came close. With Howard Stern leaving to go to Sirius, K-Rock will have a big challenge to retain listeners on the music alone. A cool web page with a Stern page and chat room too.
WXRK FCC COVERAGE MAP


WWDC-101.1 "DC101", Washington DC// Listen to DC101 Live
DC101 has gone through many changes since its inception. They were sold to media giant Chancellor Broadcasting, then a number of key personnel were let go. After rebuilding the airstaff, DC101 adjusted the format to cover everything from Jimi Hendrix to Coldplay. When WHFS flipped formats last year DC101 became the DC area's only rock station (not including the classic rock station or the out of market signals that cover parts of the market). Now DC101 is without any serious competition and is able to widen the playlist a bit. The jocks seem to have a bit more freedom to have a personality than in the past, which is a good thing. "Elliott in the morning" was added in mid-1999, and has finally given DC101 a good morning show. The morning show staff has good chemistry, and makes DC101 a more hip sounding station again. DC101 F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WNAV-1430AM, Annapolis, MD// Listen to WNAV in Annapolis - Live
I'm not a big fan of AM radio really. Most AM's just simulcast conservative talk shows, or run endless news, and the sound quality is lacking. WNAV is an exception. They are hyper-local, like WLNG in NY, but not cheesey. They air local sports (Navy), Redskins games, and some other sports, but most importantly, they have genuine local news. Traffic for the Annapolis area, and a full news staff. I'm not crazy about the music that WNAV plays, mostly A.C., but it is better than most A.C.'s due to a huge variety of artists. The on air staff is very good too. They have a home town feel - while remaining professional. It's hard to believe that WNAV is a small time (5kw days / 1kw nights) station when you hear them....it's just too bad that they are on AM instead of FM.


WRCN-103.9, Long Island, NY// Listen to Classic Hits 103.9 WRCN - Live
WRCN was a cool little east end station that played a lot of new rock that nobody else touched back in the 80's and 90's. They briefly went full-on alternative for a year in '89, but then shifted to Active Rock in '90 - a format that they stayed with for a decade. They were the first station to play Nirvana in the area, and the first to take advantage of the Seattle 'grunge' scene. Once that music scene faded, 'RCN kept with the new hard rock and "nu-metal'. WRCN was sold to Bonneville, a big radio owner, and were expanded signal-wise by simulcasting on WMJC-94.3 in western Suffolk and Nassau County. Instead of sticking with the fairly successful format that they were doing out east, the suits decided that a shift to basic rock was needed to compete with the highly successful Long Island rocker WBAB. They duplicated most of WBAB's playlist (tons of Billy Joel and Boston), and it didn't work. They lost most of the East End listeners, and didn't gain too many west end people to even make a dent in 'BAB's ratings. After a while it became obvious that the simulcast wasn't working, so Bonneville split the two stations and eventually turned WRCN into a dull Classic Hits station on the 103.9 frequency, and WMJC into a country station, and later to a 'Modern Adult Contemporary' station. WRCN has shifted to a straight forward classic rock station and is pretty much a forgotten station. They have direct competition from WBAB's 95.3 East End simulcaster, as well as 98.5 "The Bone" - another classic rock station. It's too bad because WRCN used to be "Where Long Island Rocks"...
WRCN FCC COVERAGE MAP


WBAB-102.3, Long Island, NY// Listen to 102.3 and 95.3 WBAB - Live
WBAB-102.3 has been a rock institution on Long Island for as long as I can remember. They increased their coverage in the mid 90's by adding WHFM-95.3 in Southampton as a simulcaster. Both signals are pretty weak (only 6KW each), but between the two they cover most of Long Island well other than some areas on the North Shore (Wading River to Mt. Sinai for example). Musically, WBAB is more of a classic rock station than a current rocker. The current stuff that they do play is mostly more on the side of pop-rock than anything else. It's a winning format because it is safe enough to play at work, and still kind of cool. The airstaff at WBAB are institutions on Long Island as well. They make a great connection to the community and keep the station uniquely Long Island.
WBAB 102.3 FCC COVERAGE MAP


WPLR-99.1, New Haven, CT// Listen to 99 ROCK WPLR - Live
"99 Rock" WPLR. They have a great signal that covers both CT. and Lond Island well, although they completely ignore LI, which I will never understand. They play primarily older rock, but a great mix, not like WBAB. Always a chance of hearing a song that you havent heard in a real long time. They play a good mix of todays rock, more current than WBAB, but not as current as a full fledged AOR. Good specials and Psycadellic 60's is a great Sunday special. Jocks can be a bit boring, but knowledgable big time.
WPLR F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WRNR-103.1, Annapolis-Baltimore, MD// Listen to Progressive 103.1 WRNR Live
One of the last Progressive rockers that I know of besides KHUM-FM in California. 'RNR fills an odd niche. Since most of the college stations in the Washington / Baltimore area are now NPR affiliates, playing little to no music anymore, there is a need for a true alternative to both the cookie cutter formats and the NPR's. WRNR is that little station. They play a lot of older Folk-type rock that is in no way "progressive", but they also play a lot of music that you can't hear anywhere else, definately making them an alternative. They play some great blues and once in a while, and they play a good deal of non pop-ish alternative rock. The things that I don't like about the station is the fact that they play a bit too much folk rock, and they play new songs mainly by old artists like Don Henly, which just sounds forced and inappropriate with the other music. All in all, WRNR is a neat little station that fills a big void in an area underserved by left of the dial stations. WRNR has an odd signal, they are only 6kw but they broadcast across the bay from Annapolis, so their signal covers Baltimore and anything along the 70 or so miles of the bay north of Annapolis, and a good part of the Eastern Shore. I wish that WRNR was more current and cutting edge, they can get real bland - but sometimes they really shine!
WRNR F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


XTRA-91.1 (91X), San Diego, CA// Listen to San Diego's 91X - Live
.....This was even better when I lived in 'Diego, but still a great Modern Rocker. Jocks are great, quick witted usually. Signal is 50k directional from Tijuana so they cover SD county and beyond. Since CBS got their hands on 91X, they toned the once mighty Alternative Rocker down to a less happening "Modern Rocker", the same thing that happened to WHFS in D.C. 91X has fantastic jocks, and a real original sound to the station. They kind of are San Diego.


WBLI-106.1, Long Island, NY// Listen to Long Island's 106.1 WBLI - Live
WBLI kind of flip flops between being a CHR and an A.C. every few years. Their jocks always kind of all sounded alike and they have always been pretty repetitive (but not as bad as cross town rival WALK-97.5). WBLI currently sounds better then they ever have, more like Z100 than WALK. The music mix is fresh and not as repetitive as it used to be. Even the jocks sound decent, a bit more diversified. In the past, all of the 'BLI jocks sounded exactly the same. Now at least they have a personality! WBLI is Long Island's strongest station at 47KW.
WBLI F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


KXTE-107.5 "X-Treme Radio", Las Vegas//.
Stern all morning, 100kw-goes for ever-signal and a format and style very similar to NY's 92.3 K-ROCK. A good Active Rocker / alternative station. Great mix of Alterna-Hard Rock, great loud jocks too. The overall attitude and wit in the station liners and promos is hilarious. This is where the whole Extreme Radio format started, which is what most Active Rockers try to sound like.

KXTE FCC COVERAGE MAP


WRAT-95.9 "The Rat", New Jersey// Listen to 'Jersey's RAT - Live
I sometimes listen to this station from Long Beach, Long Island. Great hard rock mix, but when I go to Jersey - I can't pick up The Rat! Jocks are sharp and likeably rude. The Rat is kind of a local version of K-Rock, not bad. A better discription might be WIYY "98 ROCK" in Baltimore, with an attitude! I would have rated higher, but such a bad signal! "Jerseys Rat Rocks!", when you can get them.
WRAT F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


KIOZ-105.3 "Rock 105.3", San Diego Listen to archived stuff from ROCK 105.3//
This used to be "Rock 102.1" with no signal when I lived there. The 105.3 signal is a huge improvement, and Stern in the morning is too. A standard Active Rock station, with some cool older rock mixed in. KIOZ broadcasts in real audio too. Man, I miss San Diego!
KIOZ F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WYSP-94.1 - Philadelphia, PA//
Stern all morning and other great jocks like "Cousin Ed" (formerly of WDRE) plus a great mix of Alterna-Hard Rock and a powerful signal that covers NJ, PA, Delaware and a good part of Maryland. Very similar to NY's "K-Rock". Far more current than WMMR, and heavier than Y-100, WYSP is probably one of the best rock stations in the country, let alone the Philadelphia area.


WRKI-95.1 "I-95" - Danbury, CT//
A standard AOR (ROCK) station with a pretty good signal. I sometimes listen to I-95 when I am on Long Island. This station used to be owned by Gary Starr / WRCN and they were much better then! They have mellowed a bit, but at least they still are a real rock station...not like what WRCN has become. WRKI has repeaters around Connecticut to relay the signal throughout Fairfield County.
WRKI F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WEFX-95.9 - Stamford, CT//
WEFX started out as a Classic Rock station using the miniker "The Fox". They then started to add some new music, and eventually became a mainstream rock station very similar to Long Island's WBAB, in that it still played a lot of older "classic" rock mixed with newer stuff. In February 2000, they dropped the moniker, and went back to straight forward Classic Rock. Now WEFX is one of those "9 songs in a row supersets" type stations, similar to Wshington DC's 94.7 WARW, a station with little personality - a sort of juke box with commercials. The move was probably done for two reasons: They couldn't compete with the powerful WRKI "I-95", a 50,000 watt AOR in Danbury, and the speculations that New York City's WAXQ might be dropping Classic Rock for a form of Adult based Rock in the near future.
WEFX F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WEHM-92.9 - Long Island, NY
WEHM is an "Adult Album Alternative" station, meaning that it's alternative rock for adults. The format is similar to Baltimore's WRNR-103.1, but is a little more narrow. WEHM doesn't stray from the safe music like 'RNR does, but that's a different market. WEHM started out on 96.7 in East Hampton. 96.7 has probably the worst signal on Long Island due to 96.7 in Stamford CT wiping it out west of Riverhead. Even with a terrible signal and with a mostly automated ("voice tracked") station, it still was a popular listen. WEHM was moved to 92.9 when that frequence signed on a few years ago and they have increased their coverage into central Suffolk County on the South Shore, and to about Miller Place on the North Shore. WEHM may still not have a great signal, but it is one of vthose cool little stations that is worth listening to.


WARW-94.7 - Washington, DC//
"Classic Rock-94.7" is a boring classic rocker with a bad signal. Why is it that out of 35 or so years of great rock to choose from, classic rockers like WARW, WAXQ, WOCT, WEFX, WRCN, and KGB play the same played out "Free Bird"s and "Do you feel like we do's" instead of digging up other songs and wowing listeners. I would also like to hear some more "modern" classic rock, like The Clash, The Jam, The Fixx, etc. With more of a mix, classic rock could be really good. Another CBS Tragedy. A bottom dweller in the ratings just like sister station WHFS-99.1. At least "The Greaseman" doesn't work there anymore.
WARW F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WTPA-93.5 - Harrisburg, PA//
WTPA-FM used to be a great AOR. They played a wide variety of rock. WTPA was like other AOR's ten years ago, committed to rock music...but not any one type or "lean". After many years of being a great AOR, WTPA was sold in 1999 and quickly turned into a Classic Rock station. Unfortunately, they are now a carbon copy of most other Classic Rockers...boring and predictable. At least stations like WOCT in Baltimore (see below) plays a wide variety of Classic Rock, but not here at WTPA...it's safe Classics only. Gimmie three steps towards the door and you won't have me listening anymore! What is it with stations flipping from Rock to Classic Rock? The Harrisburg area already has a Classic Rock outlet anyway.


WHTZ-100.3 - New York, NY//
"Z-100", an institution in the NY/NJ area. No one does CHR (Hit Radio) as good as Z-100. The jocks have always been great, from the "Kid Kelly" days to the present "Elvis Duran" day. A standard mix, but a longer list than others. Far more current than cross town rival WKTU-103.5 and the ratings show that among the younger set. Z100 doesn't have any "lean", meaning that they are a true hits station catering to the masses. Many CHR's these days lean towards either an "Urban sound, or a Rock sound, but not Z100 - they play it straight down the middle. Signal has some problems in N.J. due to Philladelphia's 100.3.
WHTZ F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WWZZ-104.1/103.9 - Washington, D.C.// Go into the Broadcast.com site here, and choose your speed.
D.C.'s "Z-104" was the areas only only Top-40 (CHR) station for a long time. In 2001, Clear Channel flipped 99.5 to a CHR format and basically put Z104 out of business. Z104 changed to a Modern Rock-ish pop format on October 1, 2001 targeting a more adult audience than the previous incarnation. That lasted for a little over a year, then Z104 moved in the direction of a "Mix" station - the "Hot A.C." format. Z104 also airs Washington Nationals baseball games, which is a bit of a trainwreck being that it's mixed in with a format that targets women. The overall sound quality of Z104 is a bit over processed, making the station seem a bit over modulated (distorted a bit). This is often done to compensate for a less than steller signal. The signal on 104.1 is clear in Southern Marylans and Northern Virginia (as well as in the Frederick area on 103.9), but as you go north Baltimore's WOCT-104.3 breaks in. WWVZ-103.9 is a low power simulcaster west of D.C.
WWZZ-104.1 F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WQSR-102.7 "Jack" - Baltimore, M.D.//
WQSR was a "Goot Time Oldies" station that was very popular with the over 50 demographic in Baltimore up until 2005. Even though the oldies format was popular, owner Infinity Broadcasting pulled the plug on the station and installed a format that it calls "Jack". Advertisers were shying away from WQSR because the over 50 age group isn't what they want to target, so "Jack" was hatched. "Jack" is a format that plays pop hits from the 60's through the 90's, with some currents as well. It focuses on the music and not on anything else. No DJs, no news, no anything. While the format has a lot more songs in rotation that other formats, it is a trainwreck. You can hear Abba into Twisted Sister into Prince on this station. The format and name was started in Canada and has spread across this country quickly. Fad formats often are popular in the beginning, but it's my guess that people will want to hear some personalities and a local connection over a jukebox. We'll see.
WQSR F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WCSP-90.1 - Washington, D.C.//
A really bad station that simulcasts "C-SPAN" on radio. Good coverage of a bad idea. D.C. is so lacking in public music stations. This used to be a good jazz station before it was sold to ho-hum C-SPAN. At least its local to this area, which is one better than NPR.
WCSP F.C.C COVERAGE MAP


WHFS-105.7 "WHFS Live on 105.7" - Baltimore, MD.// Click on LISTEN LIVE.
WHFS is a mess. WHFS used to be on 99.1 which covered both the Washington DC and Baltimore markets, but was killed when owner Infinity decided to flip 99.1 to a Spanish / Tropical format. WHFS was brought back as a part-time station on Infinity owned Baltimore talk station 105.7 after 7PM weeknights and on weekends when not airing University of Maryland sports. That's not much time, and it's not during ratings blocks that matter. The rest of the day is talk (Stern, Don & Mike, etc). Back when it was on 99.1 WHFS made the mistake of abandoning it's aging listeners and trying to gain the teenage to 25 crowd by dropping a lot of the alternative rock standards and adding hip-hop flavoured stuff and hard rock / metal. The ratings in Baltimore remained good, but they had lost most of the DC audience. Rather than adjusting the format, it lingered on for years until the plug was pulled. Now on a signal that only covers the Baltimore market (105.9 wipes it out in and around DC and 105.7 in York PA wipes it out west of Baltimore), and with limited hours, WHFS has reverted back to playing what it was known for - alternative rock. The format sounds great - but unfortunately it's only part-time.


The old WLIR The New WLIR WLIR-107.1 (former 92.7 & 98.5) - Long Island, NY.//
WLIR was of great importance to the New York / Long Island area in the late 70's and early 80's. They were the station that brought the late 70's punk and "new wave" scene to life. Bands like The Ramones, The Talking Heads, Blondie, The Clash... and later PIL, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, and The Cure all had a home here. WLIR always had a lousy signal - but it was lousy for a large area. It covered Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx, Fairfield CT.....but not great. It's core solid coverage was Eastern Queens / Nassau County (LI) and western Suffolk County (LI). WLIR lost it's license in the early-mid 80's due to illegally transmitting closer to 92.8 (to avoid interference from 92.5 in CT) - and getting caught. The new owners (Jarad / Morey) changed the call letters to WDRE, short for "Dare"...as in "Dare to be different", and kept most of the jocks and format as-is. WDRE never really found the audience that WLIR had though. Music was changing, and the stronger stations in NYC were beginning to play a lot of the same music. This is when the suits at Jarad decided to go "underground". 92.7 began simulcasting on stations in Philadelphia, Albany, Cape Cod, and on 98.5 in The Hamptons as "The Underground Network", hoping to cash in on the new "grunge" movement in alternative rock. It didn't work. Slowly, each station dropped the simulcast and it was just down to 92.7 and the 98.5 frequency on the east-end of Long Island. Jarad bought the classic "WLIR" calls and soon brought them back to 92.7, calling the station(s) "The Island". The format was watered down to basically nothing more than a modern adult-contemporary station....and still no one listened. WLIR eventually dropped "The Island" and simply went by the WLIR calls, playing a mix of alternative rock, retro modern rock, and electronica / dance.
WLIR dropped it's simulcast on 98.5 in 2003, then started simulcasting on 107.1, which made little sense as they both cover the same area. Then in ealy 2004 it was announced that the 92.7 frequency was sold to Spanish broadcaster 'Univision' for 60 million dollars. WLIR ceased to exist in January, 2004.... becoming "Latino Mix 105.9 & 92.7". It was the end of an era. Even though it had been many years since WLIR was significant, it was still a big loss to the alternative music scene in New York, and really in this country. Jarad moved the WLIR call letters to their 107.1 frequency and are now calling that "The World Famous WLIR". WLIR-107.1 plays a wide spectrum of alternative rock, sounding better than they had been in many years. Some of the old 92.7 WLIR DJs made the move to 107.1, while others defected and went to either WBAB, or WMJC-94.3 - a modern-ish A.C. covering most of WLIR's old coverage area (minus NYC) that ironically has been calling themselves "The Island". The new WLIR-107.1 has a very limited coverage area of only the eastern half (Riverhaed-Hamptons book) of Long Island.
WLIR on 92.7 F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WNEW-FM - New York, NY//
The station that flip flops rock formats almost every year. They were an Album Rocker for decades, than they tried alternative (with 60 year old jocks!) than back to AOR, then Classic Rock. After losing the classic rock war with "Q104", WNEW flipped back to mainstream rock. The problem at WNEW was that since the station had changed the type of music that it was playing so many times, it lost its identity. Now the folks over at CBS decided to flip WNEW's format yet again...only this time the station has abandoned rock music for talk. The new "FM Talk 102.7" debuted in mid September 1999 - and it didn't exactly take anyone by surprise. Speculations that WNEW would go talk have been floating around for many months. The afternoon team of "Opie and Anthony" only added to that speculation, being that they barely played any music at all! Then the station added the syndicated "lovelines" show, again no music. "FM Talk 102.7" or, "Talk you can't ignore" is aimed at young males. Opie & Anthony were fired after a stunt done on their show called "Sex for Sam", involving a couple having sex in a famous church for prizes, infuriated the nation. Since they were the anchors of the new Talk format - WNEW again flipped formats due to pathetic ratings. Next up - "Blink 102.7". This was a complete departure for WNEW because this format was aimed at women. It featured hot adult contemporary music, radio jargin for lite top-40, and entertainment reports. If you blinked, you missed this format because it was changed again after a year to "Mix 102.7", a soft-rock type station. How to kill a station in ten years - this is a perfect example of corperate radio not letting a herritage station build. As I type this, WNEW still has horrible ratings in NYC. Out of market stations that barely make it into NYC like WBLI on Long Island are higher rated than WNEW. What's next on the format wheel?
WNEW F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


KGB-101.5 - San Diego, CA// Listen to San Diego's Classic Rock, 101.5 KGB-FM
The station that has the coolest billboards around town. They tell you what song is actually playing real time on KGB. Otherwise, an Ok Classic Rocker. Like other Classic Rockers, the mix is too predictable and short. The jocks are knowledgeable and blend well with the format. The 50kw signal blankets the area, into the 'burbs of L.A. KGB's glory days were as an AOR in the 70's and 80's, they are knowhere near that now.
KGB F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WZBH-93.5 "The Beach" - Georgetown, DE//
"The Beach" is a cool Active Rock station with a half-decent signal, definately one of the best signals on the Delmarva penninsula. Supposedly they are upping their power soon, which is good because they are faint over by Kent Island, which has a growing population. They play a standard mix of hard rock and classic rock, with upbeat young jocks. The place to hear Dee Snyder's "House Of Hair", "Mandatory Metallica", and other hard rock favorites. They cover the beach resort areas, and do a lot of beach promotions around Rehoboth and Ocean City. The ads are mostly bar and club ads, just like most small markey rock stations. WZBH is one of the last rock stations that still has a local feel to them, one of my favorites in the mid-atlantic area.
WZBH F.C.C. COVERAGE MAP


WXXP-105.3 "Party 105" - Long Island, NY// Join the Party - Live
"Party 105" lives up to its name. This Dance station is a rarety in the land of dull radio...and hey- they are owned by the fine folks that bring you WLIR, another unique station. "Party 105" has excellent production and presentation. The station is tight, the jocks are great....but the signal is terrible. They are only 6KW from way out in Calverton, about 65 miles from NYC. To make things worse, 105.1 in NYC does damage to WXXP as you travel into the populated areas of LI. That is probably why they get no ratings. The music that WXXP plays is straight forward club dance music, and some rap-esque leaning dance music. Easily the most professional sounding local station on Long Island's east end. Tune in if you can, and have a party! The G-2 feed online sounds pretty good too!



WWWV-97.5 "3WV" - Charlottsville, VA// Listen to 3-W-V Live - Click the LISTEN icon on their site.
"3WV" is a standard AOR, which these days isn't so standard anymore! They play rock music straight down the line, classic rock, new rock, hard rock....it's all there. The airstaff is surprisingly good, being that this is a small market station. 3WV reminds me of how rock stations used to be. Good airstaff with a balsy delivery, and a solid good mix of rock. 3WV has a pretty powerful signal that covers a huge area of Virginia (although spotty due to the mounains). They cover from just outside of Fredericksburg to well south of Richmond on a good day. It's nice to hear a rock station that has no "lean" towards any one type of music...it's all here!



Obviously the F.C.C. coverage maps do not reflect where a station really comes in. The FCC does not take into consideration the contour of the land, or bodies of water. This explains why CT stations cover more of Long Island, or why WRNR covers Baltimore quite well. They do give an idea of where a station comes in very strong though.



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