WPGC-FM
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Template:Radio station WPGC 95.5 is Washington, D.C.'s most popular of its urban format radio stations and is ranked as its #1 radio station according to the latest Arbitron ratings. It has a city of license of Morningside (its studios are coincidentally located also) at the 95.5 MHz frequency on the FM dial. Its tower operates at an effective radiated power of 50 kilowatts (kW) is located in Tenleytown, which is the highest point in the District. It also shares the WPGC calls with sister station "Heaven 1580", which plays Urban gospel music.
WPGC-FM also has been a debateable topic amongst radio experts about it format classification as an Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio station even though it really operates musically as an Urban. The evidence is even obvious with the vast majority of its listening audience is African American as well as nearly all of its on-air personalities. The station uses the reasoning of format classification because it doesn't air community affairs or gospel programming Sunday as most Urban-formatted radio stations does.
WPGC-FM is The station is home to several personalities including:
- Donnie Simpson — a DC morning show veteran with over 20 years of on-air experience. Simpson also hosted BET's Video Soul.
- Big Tigger — another BET personality who started as an intern for Albie Dee. He has since worked his way up to become DC's #1 night-time DJ.
History
95.5 FM signed on as WBUZ on January 18, 1948, and was owned by the Chesapeake Broadcasting Company. The callsign was a play on the word "bus," as WBUZ broadcast background music for a Prince George's County, Maryland based bus company. The calls were changed to WRNC on March 30, 1956.
WPGC-AM, Inc., purchased WRNC in 1956. The calls were changed to WPGC-FM in March 1958, and the station featured a top 40 playlist. WPGC maintained its top 40 format until 1984, when it flipped to easy listening/adult contemporary WCLY, "Classy 95." The format failed and the station reclaimed the WPGC callsign on May 30, 1987. The station flipped to a successful urban music format with the name "WPGC 95.5 Jams". Infinity Broadcasting acquired the station in 1994. Also in the early 2000's, WPGC reverted to simply "WPGC 95.5" dropping "Jams" from the product name although "Jams" still visibly remains on the station's logo.
External Links
- WPGC Homepage (http://www.wpgc955.com/)
- WPGC (Top 40 Format) Tribute Site (http://www.amandfmmorningside.com/)