WXGI
Encyclopedia
WXGI is a Sports Radio
formatted broadcast
radio station
licensed to Richmond, Virginia
, serving the Richmond
/Petersburg
area. WXGI is owned and operated by Red Zebra Broadcasting
.
servicemen, which resulted in the call letters WXGI, as the station was founded by "ex-GIs" .
The station also carried live NASCAR races. At least once in the 1960s, the race ran late past sunset, the time daytime stations like WXGI were required to sign off. To remain loyal to its local race fans it stayed on the air past sunset forgoing local ads, its call letters or frequency so as to not be identified. It signed off as the checkered flag dropped.
, outside of a nightclub in which his band was playing when he caught them attempting to break into his car. His body was later found washed up on the shore of the James River. The brothers were later executed for this and other murders.
and WKHK
. At first they tried going head to head with the FMs as "I-95". In the mid eighties they adopted an adult contemporary format as "Bright 95" but due to an outcry by longtime country music fans returned to the country format by 1989, this time featuring more classic country that the FMs stations had abandoned and calling themselves "The Legend". Some of the DJ who were on WXGI during this period were "Big" John Trimble, David Holt, Gretchen Hart, Bill James, Gary Micheals, and Eric Slater.
morning host "Big" Al Coleman. Finally in 2004, the station abandoned music altogether for an all sports format, adding programming from ESPN Radio
.
In 2006, the station was purchased by Red Zebra Broadcasting
, which is owned by Washington Redskins
owner Daniel Snyder
. Former CEO of Red Zebra, Bennett Zier, stated at the time, “I am excited about our continued growth and our new ability to serve loyal Redskins fans in and around Richmond. WXGI is the perfect addition to our new group of radio stations.”
ESPN 950 is part of the Redskins Radio Network, which carries all Redskins games throughout the season. The station also broadcasts local sports talk every weekday, including SportsPhone with Big Al and Hardly Workin' with Greg Burton. In addition, they carry the Robert Wuhl
Show, Richmond Spiders
sports, Washington Nationals
baseball, and the various properties syndicated by ESPN Radio, including Monday Night Football
, MLB, NBA, and the Bowl Championship Series
.
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
formatted broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, serving the Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
/Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
area. WXGI is owned and operated by Red Zebra Broadcasting
Red Zebra Broadcasting
Red Zebra Broadcasting is a media company based in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The primary investors in Red Zebra are Daniel Snyder, better known as the owner of the Washington Redskins football franchise, and Dwight Schar, a minority owner of the team. Both are members of the...
.
History
This station was signed on in the late 1940s by former World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
servicemen, which resulted in the call letters WXGI, as the station was founded by "ex-GIs" .
The Country Years
Throughout the 1950s, '60s, '70s and early '80s, the station was a popular country music station. George "Pops" Popkins and Johnny Gee were some of the better known D.J.s on WXGI.The station also carried live NASCAR races. At least once in the 1960s, the race ran late past sunset, the time daytime stations like WXGI were required to sign off. To remain loyal to its local race fans it stayed on the air past sunset forgoing local ads, its call letters or frequency so as to not be identified. It signed off as the checkered flag dropped.
The death of Johnny Gee
In 1979 the station was dealt a blow when one of its most popular DJs, Johnny Gee (real name John Gallaher) , was kidnapped and murdered by the infamous Briley BrothersBriley Brothers
The Briley Brothers were responsible for a series of killings in Richmond, Virginia in 1979 that lasted seven months before their arrest.-Early lives:...
, outside of a nightclub in which his band was playing when he caught them attempting to break into his car. His body was later found washed up on the shore of the James River. The brothers were later executed for this and other murders.
Changes in the 80s
The station went through hard times in the eighties due to increased FM competition from two powerful FM country stations, WTVR-FMWTVR-FM
WTVR-FM is a Adult Contemporary formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia, serving Central Virginia. WTVR-FM is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
and WKHK
WKHK
WKHK is a Country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Colonial Heights, Virginia, serving the Richmond/Petersburg area. WKHK is owned and operated by Cox Radio, Inc.-Power Increase:...
. At first they tried going head to head with the FMs as "I-95". In the mid eighties they adopted an adult contemporary format as "Bright 95" but due to an outcry by longtime country music fans returned to the country format by 1989, this time featuring more classic country that the FMs stations had abandoned and calling themselves "The Legend". Some of the DJ who were on WXGI during this period were "Big" John Trimble, David Holt, Gretchen Hart, Bill James, Gary Micheals, and Eric Slater.
The Transition to Sports
The station continued with the classic country format through the nineties and into the early 2000s, but then added a sports talk morning show with former WRNLWRNL
WRNL is a Sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia, serving Metro Richmond. WRNL is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications.-External links:*...
morning host "Big" Al Coleman. Finally in 2004, the station abandoned music altogether for an all sports format, adding programming from ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
.
In 2006, the station was purchased by Red Zebra Broadcasting
Red Zebra Broadcasting
Red Zebra Broadcasting is a media company based in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The primary investors in Red Zebra are Daniel Snyder, better known as the owner of the Washington Redskins football franchise, and Dwight Schar, a minority owner of the team. Both are members of the...
, which is owned by Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
. Former CEO of Red Zebra, Bennett Zier, stated at the time, “I am excited about our continued growth and our new ability to serve loyal Redskins fans in and around Richmond. WXGI is the perfect addition to our new group of radio stations.”
ESPN 950 is part of the Redskins Radio Network, which carries all Redskins games throughout the season. The station also broadcasts local sports talk every weekday, including SportsPhone with Big Al and Hardly Workin' with Greg Burton. In addition, they carry the Robert Wuhl
Robert Wuhl
-Early life:Wuhl was born in Union, New Jersey to a Jewish family, including a father who worked as a produce distributor. After attending Union High School, Wuhl headed to the University of Houston, where he was active in the drama department and the Epsilon-Omicron Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon...
Show, Richmond Spiders
Richmond Spiders
The Richmond Spiders represent the University of Richmond, a member of the NCAA's Division I and a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football and women's golf, which participate as members of the Colonial Athletic Association....
sports, Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
baseball, and the various properties syndicated by ESPN Radio, including Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, MLB, NBA, and the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
.