Previous Format: Classic Rock “105.9 The Edge”
New Format: News/Talk (Simulcasting 630 WMAL)
Date & Time Of Change: September 19, 2011 at 12:00pm
More Info: RadioInsight, Wikipedia

Previous Format: Classic Rock “94.7 The Globe” WTGB
New Format: AC “94.7 Fresh-FM” WIAD
Date & Time Of Change: April 6, 2009 at 12:00pm
More Info: RadioInsight, Wikipedia

Previous Format: NPR News/Talk
New Format: Classical
Date & Time Of Change: January 22, 2007 at 8:00pm
More Info: Wikipedia

Related Changes: Classical WGMS Becomes Variety Hits “George 104″

Previous Format: Classical
New Format: Variety Hits
Date & Time Of Change: January 22, 2007 at 3:00pm
More Info: Wikipedia

Previous Format: Oldies
New Format: Classic Hits
Date & Time Of Change: April 3, 2006 at 5:00pm
More Info: Wikipedia, Washington Post

Previous Format: News
New Format: News/Talk
Date & Time Of Change: March 30, 2006 at 5:30am
More Info: Wikipedia

On 12:00pm on January 4, 2006 Bonneville Radio announced a shuffling of its Washington, D.C stations. News WTOP moved from its 1500/104.3/107.7 simulcast to 103.5. Classical WGMS moved from 103.5 to the 104.1/103.9 simulcast that had been the home of Adult CHR Z104. This was to pave way for the March debut of Washington Post Radio on the 1500/104.3/107.7 simulcast that had been home to WTOP.

Z104 had been through a number of iterations in its 9+ year history. First was the pure CHR format in the mid to late 90′s. It’s evolution to a more adult sound lead to the station dropping the Z from its name for a few years in favor of “More Music 104″ before returning to the Z104 name.

Listen here as Z104 plays its final song, gives its last ID, and GM Joel Oxley announces what the future holds for the 104.1/103.9 signals.

At noon on January 12, 2005, 99.1 WHFS was switched to a Tropical Latin music format. Its call letters were soon changed to WZLL for a few days, and then again to WLZL, and the station was rebranded as “El Zol 99.1 FM”. Although a format change had been rumored to some extent for years–due to slipping ratings (22nd) in its primary market of Washington (although its ratings in Baltimore remained high)–the switch was not publicized beforehand and took many long-time fans, and even most of the station’s staff, by surprise. Most of the station’s staff were not told of the change until less than an hour before it happened, and new management presided in the air studio as the former format was playing its last few songs.

Aircheck Courtesy of HFStival.com.
Summary from Wikipedia.

After the merger of AMFM Inc. and Clear Channel Communications, the Jammin Oldies format, which AMFM had been debuting in many markets began to falter. With little corporate support and a high burnout factor in the music, it was not surprising that the format didn’t last longterm. In the meantime, Clear Channel began debuting its “brand” of CHR’s in many markets. Washington, already home to Bonneville’s weaker powererd Z104, was next in line. With the “Kiss” name unavailable, Hot 99.5 was to be born. Getting there was where things got interesting.

Bucking the trends, WJMO management gave the station a farewell weekend for the staff and listeners to say goodbye. On April 2, 2001 at 7:00am, Survivor Radio was born. Just like the TV show, 5 people were “chosen” to play their MP3 libraries, with one voted off the station each day. The surviving person’s music library would be the new format of the station. Of course, the format was already chosen and all of the contestants had libraries of different variations on CHR, but don’t tell the common listener that. Finally at 5:03pm on Friday, April 6, 2001, Hot 99.5 was born as “Washington’s Real Hit Music Station.”

After the merger of AMFM Inc. and Clear Channel Communications, the Jammin Oldies format, which AMFM had been debuting in many markets began to falter. With little corporate support and a high burnout factor in the music, it was not surprising that the format didn’t last longterm. In the meantime, Clear Channel began debuting its “brand” of CHR’s in many markets. Washington, already home to Bonneville’s weaker powererd Z104, was next in line. With the “Kiss” name unavailable, Hot 99.5 was to be born. Getting there was where things got interesting.

Bucking the trends, WJMO management gave the station a farewell weekend for the staff and listeners to say goodbye. On April 2, 2001 at 7:00am, Survivor Radio was born. Just like the TV show, 5 people were “chosen” to play their MP3 libraries, with one voted off the station each day. The surviving person’s music library would be the new format of the station. Of course, the format was already chosen and all of the contestants had libraries of different variations on CHR, but don’t tell the common listener that. Finally at 5:03pm on Friday, April 6, 2001, Hot 99.5 was born as “Washington’s Real Hit Music Station.”