THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 5, 1995 TAG: 9506020193
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CRAIG SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 363 lines
WHEN EVERYTHING is said and played, it's all about getting noticed.
A few weeks back, WTAR, not only the granddaddy of Hampton Roads radio, but the senior station in Virginia, ran a big, bold ad touting its new hired gun.
``The wicked tongue of Don Imus licks the airwaves.''
Before signing on in March, WJCD researched this market, the country's 33rd-largest, to tailor an undetermined format to a specific audience.
``Smooth Jazz CD-105.3'' is betting on David Sanborn and Pat Metheny.
Jack Ankerson, program director at WTAR, chuckled about the initial reaction to Imus, the New York shock-jock whose morning show is syndicated nationally.
``It's almost like a double-take: `What station is he on?' '' Ankerson said. ``Listeners have been very supportive about what we've done, bringing in a guy like that into this market. He's not Howard Stern, but he's not your Sunday-school teacher, either.''
While WTAR's news-talk format is a staple on the AM band, WJCD is taking a different approach as it navigates the personality-driven FM waters. ``We're treating the music as the star it is,'' said program director Maxine Todd.
Apparently, it's working. At Birdland Records, Tapes and Compact Discs in Virginia Beach, the staff gets steady requests for artists featured on WJCD.
``We could tell a week after they went on the air,'' said co-owner Barry Friedman. ``Our jazz sales tripled, and we were selling artists that didn't normally sell in this volume - and some that didn't sell period.''
Getting noticed.
In Hampton Roads, that's not so easy - for the three dozen stations selling ready-to-wear formats and the nearly 1 million listeners who decide which ones are suited to them.
The following station guide? Think of it as a public service. FM stations
WAFX/Classic Hits 106.9
Tune to: 106.9
To hear: Rock `n' roll from the '60s to the '80s, but mostly the '70s, meaning The Beatles and Rolling Stones, Elton John and Billy Joel
Who's who: Wisenheimer Jeff Allen and Gigi Young mornings; ex-country jock Jay Francis afternoons
Sound check: WAFX's philosophy is familiarity breeds content. You liked these artists growing up, you'll like them now.
WCMS/Young Country
Tune to: 100.5
To hear: Contemporary country (Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Mary Chapin Carpenter), seasoned with the occasional classic (George Jones, Patsy Cline)
Who's who: Joe Hoppel has done it mornings since the Grand Ole Opry was new.
Sound check: Signing on in 1954, WCMS is one of the longest-running, fulltime, country-music stations in the country.
WESR/103 The Shore
Tune to: 103.3
To hear: Adult contemporary and light rock (Madonna, Gloria Estefan), news with Paul Harvey plus goings-on in and around Onancock
Who's who: Morning man Bill Massey has 25 years in the biz, six at The Shore.
Sound check: When Sinatra was adult contemporary, WESR played Sinatra. But the meal ticket is local information and lots of it.
WFOG/Today's FOG
Tune to: 92.9
To hear: Soft adult contemporary (Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Whitney Houston)
Sound check: FOG calls itself an ``at-work station.'' For years, its playlist consisted mostly of instrumentals; vocalists have been featured since 1991.
WFOS
Tune to: 88.7
To hear: Classical, big band, swing, blues and country; pop music from the '50s and '60s; vintage radio (Jack Benny, ``Gunsmoke''); high school sports; local and national news
Sound check: Operated by Chesapeake Public Schools and staffed mostly by student volunteers, WFOS signed on May 2, 1955.
WGH/Eagle 97
Tune to: 97.3
To hear: New country music by the likes of Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire and Clint Black
Who's who: Randy Brooks holds down
the afternoon slot.
Sound check: Eagle 97 hit the ground running five years ago, going toe-to-toe with country kingpin WCMS.
WHOV/The Voice of Hampton University
Tune to: 88.1
To hear: Contemporary (Anita Baker), smooth (Najee) and classic (Miles Davis) jazz; hip-hop and gospel; reggae and blues; Quiet Storm and Hispanic
Sound check: On the air since 1940, WHOV prides itself on its extensive jazz library and a diverse format suited to all tastes.
WHRO
Tune to: 90.3
To hear: Classical music; not only Bach, Haydn and Mozart, but every composer from Adolphe Adam to Jan Zelenka
Who's who: 20-year veteran Dwight Davis (mornings), Taylor Green (evenings)
Sound check: WHRO, one of Hampton Roads' three NPR affiliates, went to an all-classical format with the arrival of sister station WHRV in 1990.
WHRV
Tune to: 89.5
To hear: News and talk during the day; the eclectic ``Art and Rollie Show'' and jazz in the evenings
Who's who: Art Williamson and Rollie Bristol, Jae Sinnett
Sound check: With NPR's ``Morning Edition'' and ``All Things Considered,'' plus rebroadcasts of public TV's Charlie Rose show, HRV's stock in trade is in-depth, comprehensive newscasts.
WJCD/Smooth Jazz CD-105.3
Tune to: 105.3
To hear: Album tracks by a wide range of contemporary jazz artists, among them Kenny G, David Sanborn, Pat Metheny, Al Jarreau and Anita Baker
Sound check: WJCD operates on the old WMXN frequency. Before signing on March 17, the station did extensive research to find out which niche needed filling.
WJQI/Q 94.9
Tune to: 94.9
To hear: The staples of mainstream adult contemporary; i.e., Michael Bolton, Whitney Houston, Jon Secada, Rod Stewart
Sound check: It's pretty much the same at-work focus as FOG, with a playlist that's a little more up-tempo.
WKOC/The Coast
Tune to: 93.7
To hear: Alternative rock for adults - U2, Peter Gabriel and R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Del Amitri
Who's who: Eric Worden and well-traveled Jimmy Ray Dunn do the morning thing.
Sound check: The Coast signed on in 1991, ushering in a new, soft alternative format to the industry. Last fall, the station toughened up its sound.
WLEE/Big Lee
Tune to: 96.5
To hear: Who made the '70s the '70s - Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, the Eagles, Chicago
Who's who: Shane (mornings) and Mike Rivers (evenings) have Hampton Roads connections.
Sound check: WLEE is a Richmond station picked up in Hampton, on the Eastern Shore and, on clear days, in Virginia Beach.
WLQM
Tune to: 101.7
To hear: Modern country (Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn), local news, high school sports and racing at Southampton Speedway and on the NASCAR circuit
Sound check: WLQM has been in the Clark family of Franklin for three generations now.
WLTY/Oldies 95.7
Tune to: 95.7
To hear: Hits of the '50s (Elvis, Chuck Berry) and '60s (Motown, The Beatles) with a taste of the '70s (Elton John)
Who's who: Morning guy Bo Woods recently arrived from Dallas.
Sound check: The honchos ask: Why listen to remakes when WLTY is playing the originals?
WMYK/Kiss FM 92.1
Tune to: 92.1
To hear: A little Barry White, a little reggae; a little Luther Vandross, a little jazz; a little Anita Baker, a little hip-hop
Who's who: Morris ``The Hawk'' Baxter once manned the mikes at WOWI and Z104.
Sound check: Kiss started out in 1992 with an all hip-hop format; 18 months ago, the station went for adult listeners.
WNOR/FM99 WNOR
Tune to: 98.7
To hear: A mix of classic (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin) and new (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots) rock
Who's who: What would mornings be without genteel, erudite Henry Del Toro? Mike Arlo just marked 20 years as host of the ``Electric Lunch.''
Sound check: While other stations have countered with other formats, WNOR shows no signs of giving up the catbird seat.
WNSB/The Beat
Tune to: 91.1
To hear: Jazz from Pat Metheny to Duke Ellington; Chicago, Delta and country blues; traditional and dancehall reggae, plus programming from NPR
Who's who: Dale Murray, a former hand at Z104 and 103 JAMZ; Roz Santiago
Sound check: Operated by Norfolk State University, WNSB recently upgraded from 1,000 to 17,000 watts, making it the state's most powerful college station.
WNVZ/Today's Best Music Z104
Tune to: 104.5
To hear: What's hot on the Top 40, starting with A for Ace of Base
Who's who: Paul McCoy, Sean Sellers
Sound check: In keeping with its goal to stay on top of the latest trends, Z104 has been spinning Top 40 for 15 years.
WODC/The Lighthouse
Tune to: 88.5
To hear: Contemporary and inspirational Christian music; local religious programming and syndicated programs such as Dr. James Dobson's ``Focus on the Family''
Sound check: The Lighthouse, on the air six years now, is a 24-hour station staffed solely by volunteers.
WOWI/103 JAMZ
Tune to: 102.9
To hear: R&B and dance (Toni Braxton, Babyface, Dr. Dre, Janet Jackson)
Who's who: The morning team of Stan Verrett, Cheryl Wilkerson and Herman Hurston is sparring with WNOR for No. 1.
Sound check: WOWI, as it has for 20 years, focuses on what's happening now, playing today's music before MTV gets wind of it.
WROX/96X
Tune to: 96.1
To hear: Modern rock (please, not alternative) from Green Day, Bush, Live, Sponge, the Cranberries
Who's who: Grating Perry Stone, bad boys Chris Blade and L.A. Lloyd
Sound check: 96X has the attitude, but since signing on in 1993, it also has walked the walk, forcing more than a few rivals to rethink their formats.
WSVY/The Soul of the City
Tune to: 107.7
To hear: R&B and blues, some jazz and gospel - Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Earth Wind and Fire
Who's who: Bobby J.'s oldies-but- goodies show has been No. 1 at night for more than 20 years.
Sound check: Way back when, the call letters were WRAP. In 30-plus years in the market, the station has amassed an impressive library of soul classics.
WVES/Hot Country 99.3
Tune to: 99.3
To hear: Contemporary country courtesy of Clay Walker, Neil McCoy and Clint Black
Who's who: Capt. Charlie and Doc Holloway mix it up in the mornings.
Sound check: The Accomack station fiddled with an easy-listening format before hitching up to the country bandwagon.
WWDE/2WD
Tune to: 101.3
To hear: Rod Stewart, Steve Winwood, Gloria Estefan and all the top guns of adult contemporary pop.
Who's who: Dick Lamb hosts ``The Breakfast Bunch''; Jeff Morreau is the afternoon guy.
Sound check: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. In 17 years on the air, 2WD has stayed with its AC format.
WXEZ/Easy 94
Tune to: 94.1
To hear: Easy listening: 75 percent instrumental, 25 percent Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Perry Como, Andy Williams and Peabo Bryson
Who's who: Bill Bills, who used to be the morning man at WFOG.
Sound check: From Thanksgiving to Christmas Day, the Yorktown station plays nothing but Christmas music.
WYFI
Tune to: 99.7
To hear: News, children's programming and music (Delores Forehand, Delores Taylor, Rudy Atwood, George Beverly Shea) from a Christian perspective.
Sound check: Listener-supported WYFI signed on in 1971 and initiated the Bible Broadcasting Network. Today, the BBN has 55 outlets extending from Bermuda to Salt Lake City. AM stations
WCMS
Tune to: 1050 (simulcast; see WCMS-FM)
WESR
Tune to: 1330 (simulcast, plus Rush Limbaugh; see WESR-FM)
WGH/The Score
Tune to: 1310
To hear: Sports talk plus local, college (ODU, U.Va., Virginia Tech, UNC) and big-league (Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Braves, Charlotte Hornets) action
Who's who: John Castleberry, Jim Ducibella and Scott Jackson and Tony Mercurio make up a strong block of local programming.
Sound check: WGH has worn many hats. During Desert Storm, it went to CNN. Once, it was a travel station; another time, country music was the mainstay.
WJQI
Tune to: 1600 (simulcast; see WJQI-FM)
WKGM/The Ministry Station
Tune to: 940
To hear: Local and syndicated religious talk programming, including Rev. Joe Warren of Faith Acts Church in Chesapeake and ``Voice of Power'' with R.W. Schambach
Sound check: Think of WKGM as 24-hour Bible study. The station has spread the word since 1980.
WLQM
Tune to: 1250 (simulcast; see WLQM-FM)
WNIS/The Big One
Tune to: 850
To hear: News-talk and nothing but
Who's who: Tony Macrini runs the area's only local morning-drive talk show. Rush Limbaugh is on from noon to 3 p.m.
Sound check: One exec put it succinctly: ``We broadcast the news and spend the day talking about it with listeners in Hampton Roads.''
WNOR
Tune to: 1230 (simulcast; see WNOR-FM)
WOJY/Today's Country and Southern Gospel
Tune to: 1490
To hear: Paul Overstreet, Barbara Fairchild, The Greens, The Freemans, Jeff and Sheri Easter, plus news, sports and personal commentary
Sound check: WOJY is a hybrid - a Christian station that broadcasts 24-hour music. It's a format that's worked since 1989.
WPCE
Tune to: 1400
To hear: Inspirational gospel (James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, The Mighty Clouds of Joy) and area church programs
Who's who: Joe Flores (mornings), Terry Love (afternoons)
Sound check: Gospel music has been WPCE's bread and butter for 20 years.
WPMH/Christian Talk Radio
Tune to: 1010
To hear: Nationally syndicated ministerial (James Dobson, Charles Stanley) and call-in programs; Oliver North
Sound check: WPMH has been around 25 years.
WSVY
Tune to: 1350 (simulcast; see WSVY-FM)
WTAR/NewsTalk 790
Tune to: 790
To hear: Pointed, syndicated chitchat with Don Imus, G. Gordon Liddy and David Brenner; news; traffic and lots of sports
Who's who: Mat Tiahrt is the morning anchor; Suzanne Snowden does it afternoons.
Sound check: As Virginia's oldest radio station, WTAR has seen some changes since 1923, but there's been one thread: Snow? It's the first source for school closings.
WTJZ/Excellence in Gospel
Tune to: 1270
To hear: The full range of gospel music (James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, The Wynans); local and syndicated (Clay Evans, Fred Price) ministry programs.
Sound check: WTJZ switched from a jazz format in 1986.
WVAB/The Information Station
Tune to: 1550
To hear: All news all the time, including CNN headline and Bloomberg financial news, and news and weather through WTKR-TV, Channel 3
Sound check: WVAB has been around since 1954. In the last four years, the Virginia Beach station has put in digital equipment and built a new tower.
MEMO: ``Hey, I listen to the radio. How can I add my two-cents' worth?''
Thought you'd never ask. Just call Infoline at 640-5555, category 3425
(DIAL).
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC
JOHN CORBITT/Staff
by CNB