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WMOD was just another in the long string of stations to fall by the wayside in the wake of powerhouse WPGC. During the Summer of 1977 it gasped its last dying breath and re-emerged as Country WMZQ. Though there were several suburban outlets doing Country around Washington, none had the big time presence that 98 'MZQ had.

For three years or so it ran away with the Country audience until Metroplex debuted KIX 106, coinciding with the Urban Cowboy craze of 1980. A fierce ratings battle ensued over the next few years, with KIX 106 positioning itself as a younger, hipper, more current based station as WMZQ evolved into an adult driven sound with a greater reliance on Gold titles.

In 1985 the format we know today as Classic Rock emerged. Washington was never considered to be a hard core Country market and KIX 106, tired of endless skirmishes with WMZQ dropped the format to become WCXR. As such, WMZQ had virtual format exclusivity for the first time in five years and predictably, shot straight to the top of the ratings heap. Though it made little difference in the ratings, Viacom which owned WMZQ-FM also acquired the old WEAM on 1390 and converted it to WMZQ-AM. Both stations were simulcast. I would sometimes put the studio monitor on the AM just to hear all that audio compression!

After the sale of 66 WNBC in New York had been announced and it became clear the entire staff other than Imus in the Morning would be let go, I returned to Washington in 1987. Program Director, Bob McNeill hired me as the utility fill in guy, a role in which I did every conceivable shift imaginable as the need arose. (Simultaneously, I also began doing air work in Baltimore at B104. It too was the #1 station in its market, allowing me to make the claim of working at the #1 stations in two top 15 markets at the simultaneously!). Many times I would get off the air at one station and an hour later be on the other station!

I continued this way for about a year or so until my search for a programming position in California came to fruition at Q94. Thus, WMZQ became the last station I ever worked at in the East in 1988.

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WEEL KIX-106 WPGC Q107 66 WNBC
B104 Q94 KWIZ KEZY KLAC
Unistar STAR 98.7 '70's KOLA

 


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