WETA (FM)

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WETA
City of license	WETA: Washington, D.C. WGMS: Hagerstown, Maryland
Broadcast area	Washington, D.C.
Branding	Classical WETA 90.9FM
First air date	1970
Frequency	WETA: 90.9 (MHz) WGMS: 89.1 (MHz)
Format	Classical/NPR News
ERP	WETA: 75,000 watts WGMS: 900 watts
Class	WETA: B WGMS: B1
Callsign meaning	WETA: Washington Educational Telecommunications Association
Owner	Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association
Website	www.weta.org/fm/

WETA is a noncommercial, public radio station in Arlington, VA whose signal (90.9 FM) covers the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The station operates 24-hours-per-day, 365-days-per-year with a mostly classical music format. The station, which has the highest effective radiated power of any FM station in the DC Metro area at 75,000 watts, also operates simulcasting stations WGMS-FM 89.1 in Hagerstown, Maryland and at W205BL-FM 88.9 in Frederick, Maryland.

WETA aired a predominantly news and talk format until January 22, 2007 when it switched to the current classical music format.

Previously, WETA had aired classical music during its programming schedule from 1970 until WETA decided to switch to news and information programming on February 28, 2005.

Contents 1 Current format 2 Former programming 3 Other services 4 Management 5 External links

[edit] Current format

WETA changed to a classical music format on January 22, 2007, at 8 p.m. EST, with classical music now offered for more of the broadcast day than ever before in the station’s history.

As of February 1, 2007, the FCC granted WETA permission to use the WGMS call letters for its Hagerstown, Maryland, repeater station, formerly known as WETH 89.1 FM, while the collective identity remains WETA.

WETA will now use the branding "Classical WETA," dropping all NPR programming except for NPR News at the top of each hour. The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (which originates from WETA-TV's studios) will continue to be heard on WETA-FM. NPR programming will continue to be heard on American University-owned WAMU also in Washington, DC.

[edit] Former programming

While WETA-FM was a news and information format, its principal programming sources were National Public Radio and the BBC. Additional programming from Public Radio International, American Public Media and independent producers were also featured.

In the spring and summer of 2006, WETA added two locally-produced programs to its lineup: “Out & About with 90.9” and “The Intersection.” The former program comprised features about the local community and the cultural icons who visit. The latter was a listener call-in program with studio guests and news/information features.

“Out & About with 90.9” aired twice weekly on Saturday and Sunday, but now the content from the program appears as short segments throughout the broadcast day. Extended versions of this material may still be heard via the program’s old Web site. “The Intersection” was discontinued on WETA following the format change.

[edit] Other services

For many years, WETA has provided a sub-carrier channel for The Metropolitan Washington Ear, Inc., which offers news for the blind and visually impaired. Listeners tune in to the service using special receivers provided free to qualifying individuals and can receive audio from more than 200 current publications, including newspapers, magazines, and bestselling books.

[edit] Management

• Daniel C. DeVany, Vice President and General Manager, Radio
• Jim Allison, Program Director, Radio
• Michael Byrnes, Chief Engineer, Radio

[edit] External links

• WETA-FM Website
• WETA-FM Live Stream
• The Segue from WGMS to WXGG
• The Segue from News/NPR to Classical WETA
• Coverage Map for WETA-FM
• Coverage Map for WETH-FM
• Coverage Map for W205BL-FM
• WETA FM Press Release describing January 22, 2007 format change to all classical
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WETA