WERQ-FM
Encyclopedia
WERQ-FM is a commercial radio station located in Baltimore, Maryland. It features an Urban
music format and is known by its listeners as, 92Q. It is operated by Radio One of Lanham, Maryland
, which operates 53 radio stations in 16 metropolitan areas in the United States and is the largest broadcasting company serving African American
audiences in the United States. 92Q is one of the few Radio One Urban
music stations which uses the on-the-air slogan "The People's Station". It also uses the slogan, "92Q Jams the Most Hip-Hop and R&B". The WERQ transmitter is located in the Park Heights section of Baltimore.
-AM). During its first few years, WSID-FM duplicated ("simulcasted") much of WSID's daytime-only Urban Contemporary
programing in mono
, and signed-off at midnight.
By September, 1968, WSID-FM would break-away from the AM programs for several hours each day for a separate Underground Rock
format, which was gradually expanded to full-time by the end of the year.
and Album Rock musical selections.
By 1972, the station had made a transition to a full-time Top 40 format and began broadcasting in stereo
. WLPL was a very popular Top 40 station in the Baltimore radio listening market while under the management of its founder, United Broadcasting Company (UBC) of Bethesda, Maryland
. In 1977, WLPL-FM Program Director, Bill Parris, was named, "Major Market Top 40 Program Director of The Year", by the Billboard
magazine, largely due to his work at WLPL.
Notable personalities during this period were: Kris Earl Phillips, The "Smoker", Casey Jones, Hal Martin & Michael St. John (John Moen).
However, audience ratings deteriorated when WBSB-FM signed-on in 1980 as, "B104", with a similar Top 40 format. WLPL was forced to operate under reduced transmitter power during this period, due to a fire in the station's broadcast tower equipment.
-based Adult Contemporary format under the name, "92 Star". Initially, ratings were very favorable for WYST, but began slipping shortly thereafter. In February, 1991, WYST shifted its format to a Hot Adult Contemporary approach. The strategy failed, primary because Baltimore already had a popular station in the "Hot AC" format, WWMX-FM. WYST's audience ratings, which had been struggling for several years, declined precipitously. By mid-1991, WYST was among Baltimore's lowest-rated radio stations.
Steve Kingston (Program Director of the leading Top 40 station in the United States, WHTZ-FM
, "Z-100", New York) and David Tate
(of Rantel Research, Inc., of Laurel, Maryland) were the principal subject-matter consultants on this risky new venture. Ironically, both Kingston and Tate were former employees of United Broadcasting during the 1970s and later, they were both competitors against United Broadcasting's WYST, while serving together at WBSB-FM, during the 1980s.
After the introduction of 92Q, WERQ's audience ratings increased rapidly, at the expense of WBSB's Top 40 format (WBSB changed to a Hot AC format, as WVRY, in 1992) and longtime "Urban" station, "V103" WXYV
(which abandoned the format for Top 40 in 1997). Initially, 92Q was more Dance music-oriented, with a handful of Pop records in its musical mixture, but the format would gradually shift toward "Churban" (a hybrid of Top 40 and Urban music) by the end of 1991. The programming strategists at United Broadcasting were systematically evolving 92Q to a pure "Urban" sound.
In the Fall of 1993, United Broadcasting Company began divesting its holdings in radio stations, after the death of its founder, Richard Eaton, and sold WERQ-FM to Radio One. By 1995, WERQ would be classified as a full-fledged Mainstream Urban
station, by the Radio & Records industry newspaper.
. Mayo was also a primary architect of a smiliar station to 92Q, WRKS-FM
, New York, in 1981.
Since 1996, under the management of the Radio One company, WERQ has consistently been one of the highest-rated stations in the radio listening audience of the Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan area, according to the Arbitron
ratings company.
Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
music format and is known by its listeners as, 92Q. It is operated by Radio One of Lanham, Maryland
Lanham, Maryland
Lanham is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County in the State of Maryland in the United States of America. Because it is not formally incorporated, it has no official boundaries, but the United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place consisting of Lanham and the...
, which operates 53 radio stations in 16 metropolitan areas in the United States and is the largest broadcasting company serving African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
audiences in the United States. 92Q is one of the few Radio One Urban
Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
music stations which uses the on-the-air slogan "The People's Station". It also uses the slogan, "92Q Jams the Most Hip-Hop and R&B". The WERQ transmitter is located in the Park Heights section of Baltimore.
History: As WSID-FM
WERQ signed-on in the 1960s as WSID-FM, on the FCC-allocated frequency of 92.3 MHz (the FM counterpart of WSIDWOLB
WOLB is an Urban Talk radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. Broadcasting on 1010 AM, it is owned by Radio One.-External links:*...
-AM). During its first few years, WSID-FM duplicated ("simulcasted") much of WSID's daytime-only Urban Contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
programing in mono
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
, and signed-off at midnight.
By September, 1968, WSID-FM would break-away from the AM programs for several hours each day for a separate Underground Rock
Progressive rock (radio format)
Progressive rock is a radio station programming format that prospered in the late 1960s and 1970s, in which the disc jockeys are given wide latitude in what they may play, similar to the freeform format but with the proviso that some kind of rock music is almost always what is played...
format, which was gradually expanded to full-time by the end of the year.
As WLPL-FM
The call letters for the station under the new format became WLPL in the process. The WLPL call-sign was an acronym, meaning, "L"and of "P"leasant "L"istening. In 1969, WLPL expanded its operating hours to full-time, while shifting toward a mixture of Top-40Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
and Album Rock musical selections.
By 1972, the station had made a transition to a full-time Top 40 format and began broadcasting in stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
. WLPL was a very popular Top 40 station in the Baltimore radio listening market while under the management of its founder, United Broadcasting Company (UBC) of Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
. In 1977, WLPL-FM Program Director, Bill Parris, was named, "Major Market Top 40 Program Director of The Year", by the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine, largely due to his work at WLPL.
Notable personalities during this period were: Kris Earl Phillips, The "Smoker", Casey Jones, Hal Martin & Michael St. John (John Moen).
However, audience ratings deteriorated when WBSB-FM signed-on in 1980 as, "B104", with a similar Top 40 format. WLPL was forced to operate under reduced transmitter power during this period, due to a fire in the station's broadcast tower equipment.
As WYST-FM
WLPL terminated its Top 40 format in the Summer of 1981, becoming WYST-FM, with an OldiesOldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
-based Adult Contemporary format under the name, "92 Star". Initially, ratings were very favorable for WYST, but began slipping shortly thereafter. In February, 1991, WYST shifted its format to a Hot Adult Contemporary approach. The strategy failed, primary because Baltimore already had a popular station in the "Hot AC" format, WWMX-FM. WYST's audience ratings, which had been struggling for several years, declined precipitously. By mid-1991, WYST was among Baltimore's lowest-rated radio stations.
As WERQ-FM
The history of 92Q began in August, 1991. WYST's parent company, UBC, retired the "Hot AC" format for a Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio approach, under the nickname, "92Q" and the WERQ call-letters gained FCC approval one month later. The original concept for 92Q was formulated by UBC Vice-President of Programming, William Parris, who had an extensive background in the Top 40 radio format. The startup Program Director of 92Q was Jeff Ballentine.Steve Kingston (Program Director of the leading Top 40 station in the United States, WHTZ-FM
WHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
, "Z-100", New York) and David Tate
David Tate (radio broadcaster)
David Helene Tate served as President/CEO of Rantel Research, Inc. of Laurel, MD, a broadcast radio audience marketing company, from 1979-1997. Rantel's area of professional specialization was mostly in radio formats targeted at young-adult audiences as measured by Arbitron of Columbia, MD...
(of Rantel Research, Inc., of Laurel, Maryland) were the principal subject-matter consultants on this risky new venture. Ironically, both Kingston and Tate were former employees of United Broadcasting during the 1970s and later, they were both competitors against United Broadcasting's WYST, while serving together at WBSB-FM, during the 1980s.
After the introduction of 92Q, WERQ's audience ratings increased rapidly, at the expense of WBSB's Top 40 format (WBSB changed to a Hot AC format, as WVRY, in 1992) and longtime "Urban" station, "V103" WXYV
WQSR
WQSR is a radio station broadcasting on 102.7 FM. The station is licensed to Baltimore and serves that market. Its transmitter is located in Pikesville, next to the Pikesville Reservoir. It is under ownership of Clear Channel Communications. The station offers an adult rock hits format known as...
(which abandoned the format for Top 40 in 1997). Initially, 92Q was more Dance music-oriented, with a handful of Pop records in its musical mixture, but the format would gradually shift toward "Churban" (a hybrid of Top 40 and Urban music) by the end of 1991. The programming strategists at United Broadcasting were systematically evolving 92Q to a pure "Urban" sound.
In the Fall of 1993, United Broadcasting Company began divesting its holdings in radio stations, after the death of its founder, Richard Eaton, and sold WERQ-FM to Radio One. By 1995, WERQ would be classified as a full-fledged Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
station, by the Radio & Records industry newspaper.
Current WERQ Management
WERQ is currently under the corporate leadership of Radio One President, Barry MayoBarry Mayo
Barry Mayo is a United States radio executive. In 1981 he helped launch WRKS-FM in New York as the first station to play rap music on a regular basis. The station's success led him to be promoted as the first black general manager of RKO General....
. Mayo was also a primary architect of a smiliar station to 92Q, WRKS-FM
WRKS-FM
WRKS , known by its on-air branding 98.7 Kiss FM, is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio station in New York City, owned by Emmis Communications...
, New York, in 1981.
Since 1996, under the management of the Radio One company, WERQ has consistently been one of the highest-rated stations in the radio listening audience of the Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan area, according to the Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings company.
Sources
- http://books.google.com/books?id=oiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT23&lpg=PT23&dq=%22Program+Director+of+The+Year%22+Billboard+%22Bill+Parris%22&source=bl&ots=gMkjftT7m0&sig=Prw17anfd6TIsdcR3nS01swL1Hs&hl=en&ei=VLoITa_tAYOKlwfZ_ZXGAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Program%20Director%20of%20The%20Year%22%20Billboard%20%22Bill%20Parris%22&f=falseGoogle Books Result: Billboard Magazine, Sep 5, 1981. Bill Parris named Vice-President of Operations at United Broadcasting Company]