WBIG-FM
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- WBIG was also an AM station in Greensboro, NC that served the Piedmont Triad from 1926 to 1986. The WBIG calls on the AM dial are currently being used by an AM station in Aurora, Illinois.
| WBIG | |
| City of license | Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Washington, D.C. |
| Branding | Big 100.3 |
| Frequency | 100.3 MHz (Also on HD Radio) 100.3-HD2 for 50s-60s Oldies |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 175 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 54459 |
| Callsign meaning | W BIG Oldies |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| Sister stations | WASH, WIHT, WMZQ, WTEM, WTNT, WWDC, WWRC |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | idigbig.com |
WBIG, or "Big 100.3," is a classic hits radio station for the Washington, D.C., United States area. It formerly went by the slogan "Big 100", and before that, "Oldies 100." It is owned by Clear Channel Communications. It plays music from the late 60s, 70s and early 80s.
WBIG was "evolved" from an oldies format to classic rock hits ('70s and early '80s) on April 3, 2006. The changeover was not announced, and the new format followed Jack FM's lead by removing a good chunk of DJ's and radio personalities such as Goldy, who is now the Morning Host at Oldies 106.9 WFVL in Fayetteville, NC., Kathy Whiteside who does mid-days at Lite FM in Baltimore, Johnny Dark who works at WorldSpace in Silver Spring, Md., Ira Melman at WTOP in DC, and Scooter Magruder.
Current lineup: Mornings (5a - 10a): Jon Ballard, Middays (10a - 3p): Lisa Berigan, Afternoons (3p - 7p): Scott Struber Evenings (7p-midnight): Josh Cunningham
WBIG features special programs on the weekend. They include: The Deep End, Acoustic Storm and Beatle Brunch.
WBIG was the first station in the U.S. to work directly with a Beatle. Ringo Starr hosted and voiced the commercials for the "BIG Ringo Starr Art Show" in March of 2007. It was the first time that artwork from all four Beatles appeared in the same exhibition. Proceeds from the sales of art benefitted Ringo's charity The Lotus Foundations. The station converted their website from idigbig.com to idigringo.com and changed the graphics to reflect Ringo's participation, including home videos provided by Ringo.
Prior to becoming WBIG, it was Washington's first FM urban contemporary station as WOOK-FM "OK100", then as WDJY "DJ100". For several years in the early 1990s it featured an eclectic smooth jazz format as WJZE "Jazzy 100". The station was acquired by Chancellor Media in the mid 1990's. During the 1990's, the station played mostly oldies from 1964 to 1969 with several pre 1964 oldies per hour along with a couple songs from the very early 1970's.
More 1970's music was added in 2000 and some of the 1950's oldies were eliminated. By 2002, the station focused on the 1965 to 1974 era playing virtually half 1960's and half 1970's with maybe one 1980's and one pre 1964 song per hour. In 2004, the station began to play moderate amounts of 1980's music as well and began to lean toward the hits of the 1970's. From the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2006, the station gradually began moving toward their rock leaning Classic Hits format. The former oldies format playing the hits of 1955 to 1973 was added to their HD 2 channel using some old jingles. The HD 2 channel is currently commercial free and automated.
WBIG airs Washington Redskins football games as an affiliate station.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- WBIG-HD2 "Big Oldies"
- Washington Post article examining the format change
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WBIG
- Radio Locator information on WBIG
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WBIG
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