WIYY

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**WIYY**

Broadcast area	Baltimore, MD
Branding	"98 Rock"
First air date	1977
Frequency	97.9 (MHz)
Format	Active Rock
ERP	50,000 watts
Owner	Hearst Corporation
Website	www.98online.com

WIYY 97.9 FM is a Baltimore, Maryland U.S.A. area commercial Album Oriented Rock/Active rock radio station that mixes music that is popular in the Modern Rock, Heavy Metal and Classic Rock genres. Known by the brand moniker "98 Rock", WIYY has been broadcasting its popular rock music format since 1977.

1 History
2 Personalities
3 Local music
4 Podcasting
5 External links

[edit] History

First known as WFDS and then WBAL-FM, the station started out with a classical format. It changed to the WIYY in the mid-70s when NBC started the ill-fated 24 hour national radio "News and Information Network". After about a year of all-news and no ratings, WIYY became "98 Rock". 98 Rock celebrated its 25th year of its rock format in mid-2002. The station, along with its AM sister station WBAL-AM, is owned by The Hearst Corporation, a privately held company. Its other sister station, WBAL-TV, is owned by the public company Hearst-Argyle. Hearst-Argyle manages the two radio stations corporately. WIYY-FM and WBAL-AM are the only two radio stations owned by The Hearst Corporation.

[edit] Personalities

As of October 30, 2006, mornings feature Mickey and Amelia with newsman Josh Spiegel. Longtime Baltimore morning radio personalities Kirk McEwen and Mark Ondayko left the company after advertising that they would be competing in a Maryland Championship Wrestling event but were warned not to do so by management. They will be starting on WHFS 105.7 FM on February 1, 2007, taking over for the Sports Junkies.

Former Newsman R. Edward Lopez died of lung cancer on 22 May 2005 at the age of 52. Lopez held the national record for longest tenure for a news man at a rock station. Jon Lieberman had been filling in for him during his illness. KML, as the morning team was known, has released a number of parody CDs. They are known for their interest in and knowledge of the local area. They briefly called it the "98 Rock Morning Show" presently out of respect for Lopez. On August 22, 2005, the 98 Rock Morning Show became "98 Rock Morning Radio" and was joined by Spiegel, a former news commentator for Big O and Dukes and a 20-year radio veteran.

Sarah Fleischer follows from 10-3 daily; her shift includes the classic request Hair Ball hour. She is also the only personality who has worked at the station from its debut as 98 Rock in 1977.

"Stash" (Steve Ash/Smith) is currently the afternoonshow DJ, though he has worked just about every shift in his long tenure at 98 Rock. He detests motorcyle sidecars and is knowledgeable about the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Nights feature the brand-new Don and Justin Show.

The station is more adult-oriented as opposed to the more youthful alternative rock radio stations, found on stations like WHFS.

WIYY currently broadcasts the Baltimore Ravens games.

[edit] Local music

98 Rock supports local musical acts. Every Sunday from 11pm to midnight, the station broadcasts a show called "Noise In The Basement" which bills itself as providing air-time to the best performers in the Baltimore area. Noise in the Basement is hosted by Matt Davis.

Additionally, DJs will often invite local artists (and comedians) into the studio to chat about their music, upcoming shows or just to talk about whatever they want to (politics, religion, food, etc). Kelly Bell of the Baltimore-based Kelly Bell Band is a frequent guest on the KML/98 Rock Morning Show and the afternoon-drive "Mickey and Amelia" show. Local artist Mary Prankster has also been a featured guest.