Free Republic

Washington radio station WGMS dropped the music of Mozart and Tchaikovsky yesterday after nearly six decades and replaced its classical format with tunes by Cheap Trick, Elton John and the Bee Gees in a two-part shake-up. Last night, WETA dropped its news and talk programming and became a classical station again in a coordinated move with Bonneville International Corp., which owns WGMS (103.9 and 104.1 FM). WETA (90.9 FM) was a classical station for 35 years until dropping the format in February 2005. snip But Bonneville is entering a highly competitive segment of the radio market. Its new station replacing...

1/22 - At 3 PM Monday, Bonneville flipped classical WGMS (104.1 and 103.9) to a "whatever we want" to play "Jack-like" 1970s and 1980s eclectic pop and rock oldies format as "George 104" with a website at george104.com. With "104 straight days" of no ads. With the WXGG calls. Bonneville has been negotiating to sell WGMS to Redskins owner Dan Snyder for his Triple X ESPN Sports talker. Apparently, that deal has been "sidelined." Also, we're hearing that NPR news talker WETA-FM, 90.9, will pick up WGMS's classical format at 8 PM Monday. Bonneville has donated its 15,000-disc library of...

Bach might be back on Washington's airwaves, even if the region's only classical music station, WGMS, drops the format. Public broadcaster WETA (90.9 FM) is considering dumping its news-and-talk programming and returning to being a classical broadcaster if the music dies on WGMS, WETA's management said yesterday. In a special meeting Thursday, WETA's board voted to give station executives the green light to consider switching back to classical if WGMS drops the format. Dan DeVany, WETA's vice president and general manager, said the station "could move very quickly" back to classical if circumstances warrant.