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Washington, DC
103.5-2 WTOP (HD side-channel) - George Radio
(Station changed formats on June 1, 2007)
Bonneville's Classical music simulcast 104.1 WGMS and 103.9 WGYS changed formats to Variety Hits at 8 PM EST on Monday, January 22, 2007, becoming George 104. The Classical format moved down the dial to non-commercial 90.9 WETA (which was Classical for many years before going full-time with NPR in January 2006) and simulcast WETH (89.1 FM, licensed to Hagerstown, MD.)
George 104's first song played was "A Change Would Do You Good" by Sheryl Crow.
104.1 FM switched call letters from WGMS to WXGG on February 1, 2007, but George 104 only used its WXGG and WGYS call letters in FCC-mandated legal identification at the top of the hour.
Unfortunately for the format, George FM would prove to be short-lived in the U.S. capital.
At noon EDT on April 6, 2007, Radio One began an LMA with Bonneville for use of the 104.1 WXGG frequency, which it then took silent. Radio One entered into an agreement to purchase WXGG from Bonneville.
The other half of the George 104 simulcast, 103.9 WGYS, began simulcasting the News/Talk format broadcast of co-owned 103.5 WTOP.
This change did not mean the immediate end of the format in DC, as Bonneville began airing Variety Hits as "George Radio" on an HD sub-channel of 103.5, also known as 103.5-2 (yes, it's confusing if you're new to the HD Radio concept.) As part of a promotion to help spread word about the change, GeorgeRadio.com claimed that Bonneville gave away 103 HD radios.
On June 1, 2007, Bonneville dropped George Radio on the 103.5-2 HD Channel in favor of indie music outlet iChannel.
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