WHFS-FM, the Washington area radio station that was a pioneering purveyor of alternative rock to generations of young music fans, did a programming U-turn yesterday by ditching the genre for a Spanish-language, pop-music format that transforms it into the largest Spanish-language station on the local dial.
Wow.
I don’t know what to say.
Just like that, my radio station of choice when I was younger goes off the air.
WHFS has had a long history and has changed from a free-form throw it against the wall and see if it sticks format to a much more corporate and competitive format. They got picked up by Infinity Broadcasting somewhere along the way. Even when they had to change to the Clear Channel format to stay competitive, music director Pat Ferrise who has always had an ear for hits has kept things as fresh as possible in the monotinous neometal everything-sounds-the-same world of modern rock.
I mean honestly, the only place I’ve ever heard anything from The Streets on mainstream radio in the US is when Pat played it during a segment on the latest HFS morning show. Speaking of the morning show, I used to listen to Aq and Kath and then later Lou Brutus. Every once in awhile on weekends I’d catch some random up and coming electronica on Trancemissions.
Ever since I could remember, HFS has been the underdog station. They were always a little smaller and a little less popular than DC101, the “big” rock station in town. I’ve still got the ticket stubs to HFSTivals of years past that I camped out for, back when it was the big show of the summer. I didn’t realize that their numbers were so bad that it required a complete 180 degree format switch.
It’s not that HFS didn’t suck. Of course they did. Radio in general in this city (and from what I can tell nationally) sucks. Stations must stick to an extremely tight playlist aimed specifically at their demographic, and under no circumstances shall they deviate at all. You can figure out the programming on any station in the DC area by listening to it for 20 minutes or so.
Then there’s the Clear Channel factor. They own the “big” rock station, DC101, which sucks too. Not that I don’t listen to Elliot from time to time. But their programming tends to suck just about as much as any major radio station in the area.
The sad thing is that this format change happened yesterday at noon and I only realized it because it was front page news on the Post. Why’s that? Because I tend not to listen to commercial radio much anymore. I’ve switched from well-tuned morning shows aimed directly at my demographic to listening to WAMU, my local NPR station and CDs while on my way to and from work. I tend to listen to Morning Edition on my commute in and The World or All Things Considered on my way home. I usually listen to CDs or listen to the radio in the mid-afternoon if I’m out and about. Of course that’s contingent on finding a song that doesn’t suck that I haven’t heard a million times.
I digress.
I guess that there are a couple of things to be learned from this format change:
- “Independent” (and by independent I mean non-Clear Channel) radio is dying.
- Spanish pop is The Next Big Thing. 99.1 El Zol is nudged between two big CC stations: 98.7 WMZQ and “Hot” 99.5. That’s prime time dial space in the DC area.
- Radio conglomerates like Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting will do anything it takes to make a buck and exploit untapped markets.
I’ll stop rambling now. Now I understand what my father must have felt like when Eddie Gallagher and WWDC/WGAY AM1260 was replaced by “business talk” and later “sports talk” 1260.
I’ll probably point my HFS button on my car stereo to WRNR, a low powered station with awesome eclectic programming run by some of the old old school WHFS staff. WHFS, may you rest in peace.
Comments
96 responses to “WHFS 99.1: May You Rest in Peace”
Yeah, the only reason I heard about it was DC101 said “Our largest competitor HFS has changed formats.” or something like that. I can’t remember who was the DJ at the time, but he was cool about it. Someone called in to say congratulations and the DJ said (paraphrase) This isn’t a time to celibrate. We may have been fierce competitors, but I am not one to dance on someones grave.
Good for DC101 to not be assholes like 98 Rock.
I’m stationed in Iraq, and I just heard from my wife that WHFS changed its format. Like the starter of the thread, I too switch between NPR (90.9 & 91.5) and HFS. While I enjoy the perspective of public radio, I’m going to miss the music and style of HFS. The other stations just don’t cut it. I agree and think that RNR might be a good alternative, but it doesn’t have a great range.
MAN WHEN I WAS L LIVING IN MARYLAND AND GOING TO SCHOOL THE ONLY THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE UP AND COMMING HFSTABLE AND NOW EVEN BE OUT OF SCHOOL WE STILL TALKED ABOUT IT. NOW WHAT DO WE HAVE. THAT WAS LIKE THE BIGGEST EVENT NEXT TO THE SUPER BOWL. IT WAS WHEN THE BEST OF THE BEST GOT TOGETHER AND JUST ROCKED OUT. NOW WHAT DO WE GET TO WAIT FOR?
Loved the old Progressive format of HFS. Signed the petition in ’83 to “Keep Progressive Radio in Bethesda” and spent many late evening while in College listening to Mark after midnight…the only place to hear Brian Eno, Root Boy Slim or King Crimson.
My tastes changed a bit in the intervening years and the alternative rock on HFS was perfect. Returning to the DC area in the mid ’90s, I actually made reception of HFS a prereq to where we bought our house.
Introduction of the playlist really hurt, so I had made the swith to XM before they killed the station…but I’ll miss the connection to Progressive Rock on WHFS…
Just a small comment, but *some* of us have been listening to 103.1 for a LONG time, and got rid of WHFS back in the mid-90’s when they claimed to be “alternative” but played the same crap as DC 101 and 98 rock (with slight variety). Do any of you remember when 103.1 had LESS power than it does now, and was called the underground?? I can recall when they were getting a more powerful tower. How many can remember that??
Breck,
Yeah, RNR has rocked for a long time, but unfortunately it’s only recently that I’ve been able to pick up a signal predicatbly. Before then I was just too far away to listen most of the time.
–Matt
What no one is talking about is the major affect this change has on the staff there at the station. (Disclamer: I am not in radio today, I know NO ONE in D.C. Radio… but I was involved in radio years ago.)
When you have a format change, you lose certain station employees… a fair number of the on-air staff…. and perfaps a PM or GM. However, this change is a LANGUAGE change. All Staff that is not fluent is Spanish may be out on thier ear (or transfered to other stations e.g. The Sports Junkies). This would include those doing station traffic, promotions, sales, even the staff who answer the phone.
Talk about a reason to make sure you are multi-lingual when getting that broadcasting degree!
Breck and Matt – Thank god my wife got a job on the Eastern Shore. While that means a commute from hell to the district each day, it DOES mean WRNR is accessable durring a good bit of my commute.
-Patrick
I agree radio today sucks.
it’s the same old same old over and over till we start tuning for something new and unique.
Then along comes something like 104.3 colt.
It’s great and we all jump on.
They play a wide range of music hardley ever repeating anything … all those great oldies. 60’s 70’s 80’s.
Bottom line? VARIETY. Give us something new and take us to new places. Places we’ve never been before.
Then the corporates get involved. Just like at Disney, they say “This is a great thing”. “Lets see if we can keep it going”.
Hmm … our Nielson ratings were much better this afternoon when we played these songs. Lets bump these up in selection priority.
And these top 10 seem to get us the best ratings so lets play these more and more … one round in the morning and one round in the afternoon.
Then before we know it another CRAP RADIO STATION homogenized by the F’ing corporates just like Disney, Movies, Music and anything else these bastereds get their hands on.
WHFS 99.1 had a pretty good run but they got to it in the end. It really dies along time ago and we never knew it at the time.
We only lament now because we remember how it used to be.
HFS is BACK!~!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 only nights and weekends now on 105.7 so it’s okay! no Fear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Dave Grohl called up tonight at like 7:45 pm on January 21st Friday. I am so happy. i was so disappointed to hear that spanish music on my favorite radio station when i was growing, it was heart breaking. BUT now it’s back. WE DEMANDED IT BACK!!!!!!!!! 🙂 thas right bee-otch!!
I think it’s very sad that a very popular radio station was just taken off the air without warning to be replaced with, of all things, Spanish radio! I for one am sick and tired of everything turning to Spanish…..last time I checked we spoke English here! Now everywhere you look is Spanish. Spanish cable channels, spanish radio now, and all automated telephone services…..”if you want English press 1″. Very sad…..
F%^* WHFS, F%^* Infinity, F%^* the HFSTival… =(
Ok.. well I was a great Fun on Hfestival…. And it sucks that its now off the air… But i have to say I LOVE SALSA, MERENGUE ETC… and yes i am Hispanic. So eve though is sad to hear hfs is gone…. IT SUCKS to hear people like Chrissy Saying they are sick and tired of of my culture… As far as i am concern this country does not belong to all english speaking americans… and i happen to enjoy the american culture as much as i enjoy my own. Sorry for creating you sicken tiredness chrissy but i’m happy to let you know Spanish and Spanish culture will probably increase enough for ou to want to learn it. …. For HFS I hope we can hear more of The original HFS in ANOTHER DIAL SOON! … AND TO EL ZOL MY BEST WISHES
Ok.. well I was a great Fan on Hfestival…. And it sucks that its now off the air… But i have to say I LOVE SALSA, MERENGUE ETC… and yes i am Hispanic. So even though is sad to hear hfs is gone…. IT SUCKS to hear people like Chrissy Saying they are sick and tired of of my culture… As far as i am concern this country does not belong to all english speaking americans… and i happen to enjoy the american culture as much as i enjoy my own. Sorry for creating your sicken tiredness chrissy but i’m happy to let you know Spanish and Spanish culture will probably increase enough for you to want to learn it. …. For HFS I hope we can hear more of The original HFS in ANOTHER DIAL SOON! … AND TO EL ZOL MY BEST WISHES
Comment by Ingrid — 1/26/2005 @ 4:56 pm
Man whats this country coming too? chainging 99.1 to spandish
pop, (what a joke) When are the whites in this country going to grow a back bone and thank back whats are!
man i think hfs is back on 105.7 but i still want the old 99.1 hfs wit love line and junkies how they changed hfs is wrong and no offense to ur hispanics but really if u need your music so much go back to your country im sure they have spanish pop stations over in central america.
I agree with chrissy it is sad how america culture is so affected by all these other cultures i mean we dont have an official language but seriously we should set and official langauge AND I WANT MY 99.1WHFS FULLTIME NOT ON NIGHTS AND FUCKING WEEKENDS ONLY I WANT THE OLD SCHEDULE DIDNT THE GOD DAMN PPL AT INFINITY GET IT WEN WE ALL SIGNED PETITIONS AND PROTESTED DIDNT THE UNDERSTAND WE DIDNT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT EL ZOL.
I love WHFS , been to all the concet, even the one they had at the Ravens stadium, love the rock , love everything they did, but the owner of the radio know where the money is and I support him for the change, I will allways love the radio wheter they paly , spanish, rock or any other kind of music, sure he will have the same kind of respect as he got it from the rock fanatics….
Good locu to WHSF
Well I see so many comment about white and only white, let’s not forget that white were not the origins of this country so let’s cut the bullshit and start to think that latinos we are going to take over you and you can’t do anything…!!!Oh I forgto , so many white love latino females whay can you say anything about it and when you doing a latino woman, think about HFestival!!!!!
Brown Power
Well up to this date I thought the listners from WHFS was cool, now that i see a lot of racial slurs! I feel disgusted about the junkings in the morning. Im spanish born and raise in the District of Columbia and looks like Elliot in the morning is what should have been listing to…….Thank god for the spanish radio station….
I’m stunned at the change! It’s a sad day. I felt for a long time that HFS had been hijacked by corporate radio but I used to still listen once in a while. My radio is now usually tunned into Morning Edition, All things Considered, or I have a Disney CD on for my kids, so it has taken a while to notice the change. I live on Kent Island and can’t get RNR and I thought some local eastern shore hispanic station was overpowering 99.1, so I just kept flipping between NPR stations. What do I have left to tune into to somewhat feel like I’m still in my 20’s and cool again and not just “Mom?” Very sad.
im spanish and i think that hfs should still be here but you all shouldnt be so racial about this
I miss HFS. I think the was Infinity went about it is horrible. I wish us, the listeners had had some choice about it. And the people that worked there should have had warning also. That is crap. I want the HFStival back. I have read comments about how HFS used to be better in the 80’s and early 90’s. Thats all well and good, but I was born in 1987. I do not remember HFS until the mid-ninety’s and therefore, HFS as it was, was the best station around. I enjoyed the blend of rock, alternative, punk and other genres. I was overjoyed when I heard it was on 105.7. But once I listened to it, I was saddened. There is more older stuff that I don’t know the words to. Plus the Junkies were not included in the switch. I cannot listen to it on my way to or from work because it is talk radio. I don’t want to listen to talk radio, thats what the am stations are for!!!! I want queens of the stoneage, rise against, a perfect circle, green day and the like. This is crap!
I don’t blame the spanish-speaker’s either. Its the head money-makers that are at fault. In fact, some of my family has been in America for thousands of years (Native Americans, Indians) and they sure as hell did not speak english. And then when my father’s family came from Ireland, they spoke gaelic and were the dregs of society. Now we have St. Patrick’s day, Thanksgiving and Cinco de Mayo. Get over it people. I’m sorry if you don’t speak spanish or they don’t speak english. They are not to blame for the loss of HFS.
I miss 99.1 WHFS.
el zol is way better radio station than whfs was sorry losers! haha latinos are here to stay and rule .. biches ~
HFS….We will miss you…Thanks for the memories…those festivals fuckin rocked.
injury-of-the-food-pipe
WHFS 99.1: May You Res…
It is truly a shame that there are so many of you racist, uncultured, ignorant idiots here. I’m sure if you followed your family tree closely you would find that you are not 100% and you fail to remember that “whites” did not discover America.
How can we progress if people like you continue to have backward thinking, uneducated ideas and opinions and refuse to accept those who may be different than you and to learn NEW things.
Who cares about the radio station at this point. Many of you are lost and you need to find it in your sad hearts to be a bit more compassionate and have a bit of humanity when referring to and dealing with other cultures.
From a Venezuelan, Portuguese, Chinese, West Indian, Welsh/British AMERICAN!
Growing up, HFS was like a best friend, always there for you. From the ages of 8 to 21 I would always hit up HFS first before switching to other stations during commercials. When I was old enough to go to the HFStival (fall 99) I began to go every year no matter what. No station anywhere plays songs that they would. The new 105.7 HFS FreeFM thing isn’t working. It sucks, the website sucks, promos suck, all the talk radio shows on it suck. What are you to do when your best friend dies? Adam Carolla said it best, “god bless that HFS!”
Good job.
I remember the day 991 died, it could be considered the same as the old song american pie my parents listened to, it was the last great station in DC. I guess all i can say is i miss it, how bout u
I just miss the dude one the radio saying “99 point 1” something something something “H” something something “F” something something “S” something something . . does anyone know what im saying? I grew up with this station . . =(
bora bora island…
Hi. Very nice blog. I\’ve been reading your other entries all day long..lol….
Samantha…
…
local radio station…
nice comments http://stream-blog.com/…
how to speak spanish cd…
What is the sales hook with this course?…
6aaed13bc563…
6aaed13bc5636180b283…
This site appears to recieve a large ammount of visitors. How do you advertise it? It offers a nice unique twist on things. I guess having something useful or substantial to say is the most important thing.
I realized that I’m not accustomed to talking to common people who shared an interest as long as let me help you fine-tune.
Hey man, was just looking through the net looking for some information and came across your post. I am impressed by the knowlege that you have on this blogsite. It shows how well you understand this subject. Bookmarked this page, will come back for more.
bookmarks and rediscovered, a long time were a few. Well another article that will work out just fine. I need something like this to complete my assignment in college, and it is on a similar theme as yours. Thanks, have a good one.
I really enjoy reading through on this web site , it contains good posts .
Ambition and fleas both jump high. – German Proverb
The man who lives only by hope will die with despair. – Italian Proverb
This is such a great source that you will be delivering and you provide it away for totally free. I appreciate seeing web sites that recognize the value of giving a superior resource for absolutely free.
I am continually searching online for posts that can help me. Thx!
Interesting read,thanks for posting it friend.
great thanks \o/
Q: What is a four-letter word that ends in ‘k’ and means the same as intercourse? A: Talk
Utile article peut I à traduire Tchèque pour notre blogs visionneuses ? Si ainsi de quelle sorte reconnaissance vous exigez ?
very good \o/