WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving its metropolitan area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The studios are located in the McLean Gardens neighborhood on D.C.'s northwest side, and the transmitter is located at nearby American University.
WTOP is one of three all-news stations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the second being sister station AM 1500 WFED, which is aimed at federal government employees; the third being 99.1 WNEW-FM, owned by CBS.
WTOP's primary signal is at 103.5, with simulcasts on WTLP 103.9 FM from Braddock Heights, Maryland and WWWT 107.7 FM from Manassas, Virginia. All stations in the WTOP "network" broadcast in monaural to increase their coverage areas.
WTOP broadcasts in HD.
History
1920s: Born in Brooklyn
WTOP's origins trace back to Brooklyn, New York, as station WTRC (operated by the Twentieth [District] Republican Club), going to air September 25, 1926, on 1250 kilocycles with a power of 50 watts. The Twentieth Republican Club, on August 2, 1927, WTRC migrated to Mount Vernon Hills, Virginia
On January 10, 1929, the call sign was changed to WJSV, reflecting the initials of James S. Vance, who was publisher of "The Fellowship Forum" and a KKK Grand Wizard in Virginia. Realizing the expense of running a 10,000-watt radio station, Vance quickly worked out a deal with the nascent Columbia Broadcasting System to become the new network's primary station in Washington, D.C. CBS took over all of WJSV's programming and engineering costs, with an option to renew or purchase the station after five years.
