89.7 WTMD-FM / Towson, MD / Adult Album Alternative Rock(AAA)
Towson University's WTMD is run like a commercial Adult Alternative station, similar to WRNR-103.1 - but without commercials. This is the place to hear a lot of folk-ish music, and what is regularly called "Progressive Rock".
The music isn't quite as 'rock' as WRNR, and they pretty much stay with the alterna-folk sound - but the playlist is
a nice change from everyday radio. They also play a lot of local bands from around the Baltimore area.
The air staff is mostly a paid professional staff and they do a great job of informing the listener about an
artist, without getting in the way of the music. WTMD has a decent signal on Kent Island, but it becomes a
hard catch in Annapolis, mainly due to the U.S. Naval Academy's 10 watt radio station that is also on 89.7.
They have one of the best college radio web sites around too.
91.1 WHFC-FM "The Crossroads" / Bel Air, MD / Various Music
WHFC is one of the Baltimore areas only true College Radio stations (Harford Community College) in my book.
They have Jazz, Alternative Rock, Blues, Folk, Hard Rock, Classical, and many other types of music here.
The signal isn't as strong as other area public radio stations, but it does cover Baltimore and its northern
burbs OK. They have a pretty good website too. They can be heard on Kent Island, but you'll have to adjust
your antenna a bit.
91.5 WBJC-FM / Baltimore / Classical
Baltimore's full-time non-commercial classical music station. They also have specialty programming such as an opera
show. WBJC has live (most of the time) DJs playing classical music programming, as well as some syndicated programs
featuring internationally renowned orchestras, opera companies and chamber ensembles. They also have locally produced
informational programs. WBJC comes in very well on Kent Island.
91.9 WGTS-FM / Takoma Park, MD / Religious
This is really a DC area station, but it has a very good signal in the Baltimore area too. There are a lot of
religious stations in Maryland, but at least this one isn't on a commercial frequency like the others.
92.3 WERQ-FM "92-Q" / Baltimore / Urban
Often Baltimore's most listened to station (always in the top 2). Owned by "Radio One", (one of the nation's largest
minority broadcasters) "92Q" targets the African-American community. They call themselves "The People's Station".
Very low quality imaging and liners at WERQ, and most of the airstaff sound a bit unprofessional, if not just plain
sloppy. This station seems to be trying to cater to both the younger Hip-Hop culture, and the older demo with the
more mellow sounds of R&B leaning music. Amazingly this odd combination of music really works in Baltimore because
92Q often is the number 1 station in town (in a race with country WPOC).
93.1 WPOC-FM / Baltimore / Country
Baltimore's only country station is still going strong (often the #1 station in Baltimore). WPOC pretty much sounds
like any other large market country station, which isn't a bad thing. WPOC, along with WQSR-102.7, is probably
the most polished sounding station in Baltimore. The longtime jocks at WPOC are very good, and knowledgable about
the music that they are playing. Laurie DeYoung, Michael J, Marty Bass, etc...the airstaff here are fixtures
in Baltimore. The production at WPOC sounds good too - very tight. And they still go by their call
letters! No "Froggy" or "Cat Country" cliche' here!
95.1 WRBS-FM / Baltimore / Religious
Another Maryland religious station. WRBS has a good signal and has the most listeners of all the other area (mostly AM)
religious stations.
95.9 WWIN-FM "Majic 95.9" / Glen Burnie, MD / Urban Contemporary
For a 3KW station, they have a really good signal in the Baltimore area. A toned down version of "92-Q"
(also owned by Radio One), WWIN goes for a more adult urban audience. The imaging and airstaff are far superior
to WERQ. This sounds like a big city station. Nice imaging and jocks that sound right with the format.
96.7 WCEI-FM / Easton, MD / Adult Contemporary
This is an Eastern Shore station (Easton is about 30 miles South/East of Kent Island), that puts out a good signal
across the Bay. They do a lot of live broadcasts from around the Eastern Shore, and primarily focus on Talbot County and Queen Anne's County.
Musically WCEI is standard adult contemporary (soft rock) except every December when the go non-stop Christmas music.
97.5 HFS / Baltimore, MD / Alternative Rock
WHFS ("HFS") bounced around frequencies after CBS flipped 99.1 to a new format, this time settling on a 250 watt "translator" on 97.5. CBS got around the FCC regulation
stating thatoriginal programmingcan not originate on a translator by relaying Mix 106.5's "HD2" signal, their HD Radio sub-channel, which is "HFS". They bought this
little repeater station from Hope Baptist Church and were allowed to raisethe power from just a few watts, to 250 watts. Hardly a powerhouse, but they were able to put the
transmitter up nearly 1000 feet on a tower in Baltimore, which actually gives this dinky station about the same coverage as a "Class A" radio station like WRNR, for example.
Musically, it's standard Alt-Rock with a few former HFS DJ's like Neci and Spam behind the mic. The actual call letters "WHFS" are actually on a CBS owned station
in Tampa, so they say "HFS at 97-5" because the real legal call letters of 97.5 are W248AO-FM, which can be heard at the top of every hour. The signal is decent
around the Centreville / Chestertown / Kent Island area, but tapers off quickly as you go west of 301.
97.9 WIYY "98 ROCK" / Baltimore / Active Rock
Baltimore's only basic Rock / Hard Rock station, "98 Rock" plays a lot of new hard rock, 80's metal (check out "The Electric Lunch"),
and 70's arena rock. Also home for the Baltimore Ravens.
A great signal in and around Baltimore and a nice web page too. This is the only rocker in the Baltimore / DC area that
doesn't concentrate on Modern / Alternative Rock. 98 Rock always had a very popular morning show, going back to "Kirk, Mark, & Lopez", to "Mickey & Amelia". Currently
they have a weak morningshow that has really hurt their ratings, causing them to get beat by Classic Rock WZBA consistantly over the last year.
99.1 WNEW-FM / Bowie, MD / News
After over three decades as the Washington and Baltimore Alternative Rock station, the suits at CBS / Infiniti flipped
WHFS to Spanish WZLL "El Zol 99.1". They then bought 107.9 from a religious group and moved the low rated Spanish station there. In a move to compete with the very successful news station
in Washington (WTOP), CBS' next move was to bring an all-news format to 99.1 starting in January 2012.
100.7 WZBA-FM "The Bay" / Baltimore / Classic Rock
After flopping as an alternative rock station a few years ago, 100.7 (WGRX) fipped formats to country. Taking on country giant WPOC wasn't an easy task.
On December 1, 1999 WGRX became WZBA "The Bay" - "Rock without the hard edge". In 2003 WZBA ditched the 'rounded'
rock for Classic Rock when then classic rock 104.3 changed formats. WZBA plays the standard
classic rockers like Steve Miller, Boston, Led Zeppelin, The Cars, Yes, etc. WZBA has really grown from a rim-shot
classic rock station, to THE classic rock station for the area. The station is very local and has live DJs, something that many
do not have anymore. You can also see them around the Baltimore area at live events and shows very often. WZBA
broadcasts inland of Baltimore with a directional large signal. The 100.7 transmitter was moved closer to Baltimore City in
2001, and now puts out a good signal across to Kent Island and Annapolis.
101.9 WLIF-FM "Lite 102" / Baltimore / Adult Contemporary
Baltimore's "Lite 102" is your standard doctor office radio station. It's also the station that goes 'all holiday music for over
a month after Thanksgiving each year. Background listening soft rock that is popular only during business hours.
A good clean signal, easily listenable in the Washington DC area, and since there is no lite music station there
anymore, this station now has listeners there. Very professional DJ's and polished production.
102.7 WQSR-FM "JACK" / Baltimore / Mixed Bag
"Jack" is a localized version of a national format and brand that CBS rolled out in 2006. This format is basically
a mix between an oldies, classic rock, and an adult contemporary station that goes by a first name.
"Jack" has two mantras - "We play anything" and "Playing what we want". It's a large selection of popular music and is
something that many radio programmers never thought would work. "Jack" doesn't have and on-air personalities, just
recorded bits that segue from song to song. This is radios answer to the Ipod in a way. An unexpected mix of music with
little interruption. The only problem is that there isn't any music information either. If you don't know a song that is
playing, you won't find out the title of the song or who performed it because it's not going to be announced.
102.7 is one of the best signals in Baltimore and can also be easilly picked up in the York and Washington DC markets.
103.1 WRNR-FM / Annapolis, MD / Progressive Adult Rock
WRNR "Radio Annapolis" is an adult oriented alternative rock station that broadcasts 6KW from Grasonville - about 6 miles
east of Kent Island. Their studios are in Annapolis. WRNR-FM started off as a freeform progressive rock station,
owned by radio pioneer (and former WHFS owner) Jake Einstein. The original air staff talked up everything
from politics, to pop-culture...and spun their own hand-picked music - just like the original WHFS. Einstein sold the
station to "Empire Broadcasting" who kept the same music format, but cut down on the chatter and focused more on the music.
WRNR has a very large music library and plays a wide variety of music that goes from popular alternative acts, to unknown indy artists.
One of the more unique radio stations in our area.
104.3 WZFT-FM / Baltimore / CHR Top 40 "Z104.3"
This frequency has has dozens of formats over the years. Before it flipped to Top-40 Pop Hits as "Z104.3",
it was home to the short-lived "Channel 104.3" which was a clone on DC101 playing alternative rock hits. Before that it was
WSMJ "Smooth Jazz 104.3" for a few years. Before that it was Classic Rock WOCT "The Colt", Top-40 Hits
"B104", a 70's station, and countless others. Due to the rating success of "Mix 106.5" in the new "PPM" ratings, Clear Channel
decided to flip 104.3 to a clone of that. Signal-wise there can be some interference from "Praise 104.1" out of Waldorf, but usually it comes in clear. WCHH is
owned by
Clear Channel Communications, who also owns DC101.
105.7 WJZ-FM / Catonsville, MD / Hot Talk
Baltimore's "Good Times Oldies" WQSR was located on 105.7 until September 2001. They moved to 102.7 because the 102.7
frequency has a better signal in most of the Baltimore area. WXYV was moved to 105.7 and became a "hip-hop" station
called "X105.7", taking on Radio One's popular "Q92.3". After being handidly bested by Q92.3, 105.7 was flipped to
talk radio featuring Howard Stern and Don & Mike. WHFS used to be located on 99.1 and was an alternative rock station
covering both DC and Baltimore. When 99.1 flipped to Spanish WLZL "El Zol", CBS (owners of WHFS and WXYV) combined the
alt-rock format with the hot talk format on 105.7 for Baltimore. 105.7 WXYV then changed it's call letters to WHFS. When Howard
Stern left to go to Satellite Radio, all of the CBS stations that aired Stern started calling themselves "Free-FM" in a
move to compete with satellite pay-radio. In 2007, WHFS dropped the "Free-FM" moniker and also dropped what WHFS was known
for, the alternative rock. WHFS became "Baltimore's FM Talk" and added the former 98 Rock morning show "KMS", as well as
Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Ravens, and Maryland Terps sports coverage. The sports coverage proved to be the most popular, so in 2008
the station changed it's call letters to WJZ-FM and went full-time sports as "The Fan". 105.7 has an odd signal that covers the entire
Baltimore market, but none of DC due to DC's 105.9. It also has some problems from 105.7 in the York PA area in the
North-West direction.
106.5 WWMX-FM "Mix 106-5" / Baltimore, MD / Hot A.C.
Baltimore's "Mix" station has a larger playlist than most other stations with this format.
Lots of retro music "mixed" with today's current music. The target audience is women over 30 years old.
Home of the popular "Jojo and Kenny" in the morning and "The Cyber Cafe" mid-days. They play a wide variety of music -
living up to the "mix" name a good deal more than other stations using this moniker. They have a good clean signal
except by D.C., where 106.7 WJFK causes interference.
107.9 WLZL-FM / Annapolis, MD / Spanish
For many years this was a religious station that no one listened to. Now it is a Spanish station that no one listens too.
This was owned by "Family Stations", a national religious radio company, and is now a CBS station. CBS moved "El Zol" from 99.1 to
the 107.9 frequency in December 2011. Very strong signal on Kent Island.
