Why All News WNEW Couldn't Beat WTOP With Chas Henry (Ep 22)

WGTS Hits #3 in DC Radio Ratings. Here’s How They Did It With Rob Conway (Ep 26)

WGTS is one of the most fascinating success stories in Washington radio. It’s a 23,000 watt non-commercial station, yet in the latest Nielsen ratings it pulled a 5.7 share, landing in the number three spot behind only WTOP and WAMU. So how does a Christian music station compete with some of the biggest brands in radio? On this episode, Rob Conway takes us behind the scenes at WGTS to break down the station’s secret sauce.   Rob explains what WGTS is doing differently than many other stations in the market, including investing heavily in audience research, keeping live and local DJs on the air from 5 a.m. until midnight, and building a strong connection with listeners both on-air and in the community. We also talk about the history of the station, including the transition from classical music to contemporary Christian music in 1997, and how that decision completely changed the trajectory of the station. We dive into how WGTS raises money without commercials, who they see as their real competition in the DC market, and why the station has been able to grow while so many other radio stations are struggling. More from DCRTV: DCRTV.com [https://www.dcrtv.com] Newsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletter [https://dcrtv.com/newsletter/] Follow DCRTV on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcrtv/] Support DCRTV on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/dcrtv/membership] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

Behind The Scenes Of HFS in the 90's With Bill Glasser & Wes Johnson (Ep 24)

On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, former HFS morning host Wes Johnson and Creative Director Bill Glasser take you inside what was really going on as the station evolved from its free-form roots into a modern rock powerhouse. They describe it as a civil war inside the building, with longtime free-form DJs clashing with a new wave of talent and a very different philosophy about what the station should be. They also talk about the risks they were willing to take. Even something like the HFStival, which now feels legendary, started as a massive gamble that could have easily backfired. Bill walks through how the idea came together and why it wasn’t some obvious win at the time. At the same time, they talk about the signal at 99.1… and why limitations that would become a bigger issue later didn’t seem to hold them back. A big part of the conversation centers on attitude. HFS wasn’t just playing different music, it was positioning itself against everything else on the dial. That anti-establishment mindset didn’t just define the station, it influenced the audience in a way that’s hard to replicate today. Bill also shares the story behind one of the most memorable radio campaigns ever, WTOP's “Your favorite radio station doesn’t play songs.” And then there’s what happened after. Wes talks about his role today as the PA announcer for the Washington Capitals, while Bill gets into a completely different chapter… including how he helped bring Howard Stern to Richmond and Norfolk, the behind-the-scenes dealmaking with Stern’s agent, and the controversy that followed, which ended with a grocery chain spending millions to keep Stern off the air. More from DCRTV: DCRTV.com [https://www.dcrtv.com] Newsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletter [https://dcrtv.com/newsletter/] Follow DCRTV on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcrtv/] Support DCRTV on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/dcrtv/membership] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

Dan Mason – Former CBS Radio CEO Tells The Inside Stories Of DC Radio (Ep 23)

Few people have had a bigger influence on Washington radio than Dan Mason. Mason arrived in DC in the late 1970’s to program WPGC, helping shape the station during one of the most competitive eras in the market. He would eventually rise to become CEO of CBS Radio, overseeing stations across the country, including several major signals in the Washington market. On this episode, Mason takes us behind the scenes of some of the biggest moments in DC radio history. He explains how WPGC found the money to hire Donnie Simpson away from WKYS, why Elliott and Woodside didn’t have contracts that could have prevented them from jumping to Q107, and how the decision was made to move WPGC toward a CHR Rhythmic direction. Mason also dives into the corporate side of the business, including the factors that led to the end of WHFS, the strategy behind launching the all-news format on 99.1, whether CBS Radio ever considered putting that format on 94.7 or 95.5, the challenges with the 99.1 signal, and the real reason the all-news experiment ultimately shut down. More from DCRTV: DCRTV.com [https://www.dcrtv.com] Newsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletter [https://dcrtv.com/newsletter/] Follow DCRTV on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcrtv/] Support DCRTV on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/dcrtv/membership] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

Why All News WNEW Couldn't Beat WTOP With Chas Henry (Ep 22)

In 2012, CBS Radio made a bold move in Washington: launch an all-news station at 99.1 FM (WNEW) to go head-to-head with market powerhouse WTOP. The station had veteran talent, strong management, the full backing of CBS, and a solid on-air product. On paper, it looked like a real fight. But the ratings never followed. On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, former midday anchor Chas Henry pulls back the curtain on what really happened. We dive into the limitations of the 99.1 signal, the ambitious signal improvement plan CBS Radio had in the works, and why that plan ultimately got scrapped. Chas shares behind the scenes stories of the technical hurdles the station faced, the promotional limitations put on them from corporate and the last ditch efforts to save the format. We also talk about the move to bring traffic icon Lisa Baden from WTOP to WNEW, the corporate promotional restrictions that may have held the station back. More from Chas: Book [https://chashenry.com/fujifire/] More from DCRTV: DCRTV.com [https://www.dcrtv.com] Newsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletter [https://dcrtv.com/newsletter/] Follow DCRTV on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcrtv/] Support DCRTV on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/dcrtv/membership] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

The Inside Story of WHFS’s Rise, Peak, and Collapse With Weasel (Ep 21)

Weasel spent 33 years behind the mic at the legendary WHFS, and in this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, he takes us inside one of the most influential radio stations in DC history. We talk about how Weasel got his start in radio and landed at HFS, then dig into the station’s two very different eras: the early freeform rock days and the later alternative rock years. Weasel explains what freeform really meant, including whether DJs truly had the freedom to play whatever they wanted. The conversation also covers the backstory of the station starting on 102.3, Jake Einstein eventually selling that frequency and moving the station to 99.1. We also dive into the origins of the HFStival, how it started as a small event, and how it eventually grew to a large event selling out RFK Stadium multiple years. Weasel explains that the HFStival became a huge money-maker for the radio station and unintentionally contributed to HFS’s eventual downfall. Finally, Weasel shares what it was like being moved from full-time to part-time at HFS and his transition to 94.7 WARW. More from DCRTV: DCRTV.com [https://www.dcrtv.com] Newsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletter [https://dcrtv.com/newsletter/] Follow DCRTV on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcrtv/] Support DCRTV on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/dcrtv/membership] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].