WOL (AM)
Encyclopedia
WOL is an Urban Talk radio station in Washington, DC. Broadcasting on 1450 AM, this is the flagship radio station of Radio One.
The station was Washington's top rated rhythm and blues
music station through the 1960s and 1970s. Originally simulcast for extensive coverage on its FM sister station, they later changed the FM sister station WMOD
to an oldies
format.( WMOD-FM later became now Heritage Country station WMZQ). During the 1980s, as the station got new FM competition from WKYS
and later WPGC-FM
, the station slowly evolved into an African-American based talk
station.
For many years the pair was owned by Sonderling Broadcasting, who later sold its assets to Viacom Broadcasting. ( After Viacom took over, WMOD-FM became country station WMZQ-FM )
In the 1980s, Dewey Hughes
purchased the station as the flagship for his new company, Radio One Broadcasting.
During the 1960s and 1970s, WOL was home to Petey Greene
, a former convict turned popular talk show host, comedian, and activist, who began his professional broadcasting career at WOL. His story was portrayed in the 2007 film Talk To Me
.
The station was Washington's top rated rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
music station through the 1960s and 1970s. Originally simulcast for extensive coverage on its FM sister station, they later changed the FM sister station WMOD
WMOD
WMOD is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Bolivar, Tennessee, USA, the station is currently owned by WMOD, Inc. and features programing from Citadel Media....
to an oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
format.( WMOD-FM later became now Heritage Country station WMZQ). During the 1980s, as the station got new FM competition from WKYS
WKYS
WKYS, the "Station for Interactive Hip Hop and R&B", is an American radio station broadcasting an Urban Contemporary radio format, that serves the greater Washington metropolitan area. Its transmitter is located on the same tower as WRC-TV. The station broadcasts from a class B signal with an...
and later WPGC-FM
WPGC-FM
WPGC-FM is one of the most popular among Washington, D.C.'s urban format radio station's, and has been ranked as one of its top rated radio stations for over 20 years, according to the Arbitron ratings. It has a city of license of Morningside at the 95.5 MHz frequency on the FM dial...
, the station slowly evolved into an African-American based talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
station.
For many years the pair was owned by Sonderling Broadcasting, who later sold its assets to Viacom Broadcasting. ( After Viacom took over, WMOD-FM became country station WMZQ-FM )
In the 1980s, Dewey Hughes
Dewey Hughes
Dewey Hughes is an African American former radio personality and was Petey Greene's manager.Dewey Hughes was born in Washington, D.C.. Hughes was introduced to Petey Greene by his older brother Milo at Lorton Reformatory and hired Greene to work as a disc jockey at WOL...
purchased the station as the flagship for his new company, Radio One Broadcasting.
During the 1960s and 1970s, WOL was home to Petey Greene
Petey Greene
Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene Jr was an African American television and radio talk show host. A two-time Emmy Award-winner, Greene overcame drug addiction and a prison sentence for armed robbery to become one of the most prominent media personalities in Washington, DC...
, a former convict turned popular talk show host, comedian, and activist, who began his professional broadcasting career at WOL. His story was portrayed in the 2007 film Talk To Me
Talk to Me (2007 film)
Talk To Me is a 2007 biographical film about Washington, D.C. radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became a popular talk show host and community activist, and Dewey Hughes, his friend and manager...
.