WHFS Abruptly Changes Format

[mattclearing]

Hey all. This got booted from LBN, so I'm re-posting here for maximum exposure.

.......

Any fans of alt-rock in the DC area will be stunned to learn that 99.1 WHFS is a salsa station, as of about 12:05 yesterday.

While this station has fallen apart since Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting bought it a few years back, those who remember how it pioneered the alt-rock format long before anyone had heard of Kurt Cobain will likely mourn the loss.

They also were very supportive of local music.

It's a sad day for music in Washington.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4390-200...

WHFS Changes Its Tune to Spanish
Alternative Rock Pioneer Targets Latino Audience

By Teresa Wiltz and Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, January 13, 2005; Page A01

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.

In an instant, the station abandoned the likes of the White Stripes, Green Day and Jet for middle-of-the-road superstars such as Marc Anthony, Juan Luis Guerra and Victor Manuelle.

The switch reflects both changing demographics and a corporate war of attrition involving Washington's two major radio station owners, Infinity Broadcasting, which owns WHFS, and Clear Channel Communications, which owns WHFS's chief competitor, DC-101.

Despite its self-proclaimed "legendary" status, WHFS (at 99.1 on the dial) has long trailed DC-101 in the race to win the ears of rock listeners in the Washington-Baltimore area. At the same time, Spanish-language radio is the fastest-growing format in the country, while alternative rock radio is a withering niche.

...

[RPM]

1. Heard the clip on Stern this AM

pretty funny - unless you were a fan of HFS...

[mattclearing]

3. It was cool back in the day. Since CBS/Infinity bought it, it has sucked.

They started playing Limp Bizkit and Metallica.

This from a station whose self-styled format used to be built around playing the Pixies and the Violent Femmes on an hourly basis.

I won't miss what HFS turned into, but it sure was special back in the day.

[Allenberg]

2. AAAAAAAAAAAAAH NOOOOOOO

WHAT THE FUCK? I left in 2002, and now I'm going back in 4 months and my favorite radio station is cancelled?

GD MFING SHITTY CORPORATE PIECES OF SHIT.

Damn it, what about HFSitval?

This seriously blows huge fucking whale dong.

[mattclearing]

4. I'm sure HFStival is probably history too, but who knows?

Maybe someone with a mind to make a buck will put it together. Still, without a radio station to promote it, seems pretty bleak.

[Pirate Smile]

5. Well, doesn't AAR start in DC next week too? Lots of changes.

[mattclearing]

6. Hopefully it will flourish in HFS's wake.

HFS was the closest thing to mainstream liberal radio here for a looooong time. It can only help AAR.