# Wednesday, January 12, 2005

WHFS is now El Zol 99.1?

It's true:

Washington's largest alternative rock station, WHFS 99.1, was replaced by an all-Spanish music format. WHFS, an indie favorite in the D.C.-metro area since it's inception in the 1960s, saw many changes over its lifespan. Originally a home for music that couldn't find a home elsewhere, it became an Infinity station in 1996

[ washingtonpost.com - Live Online ]

Of course Infinity made it suck even more than it had already started to. I blame Seattle and “Grunge” for killing WHFS. Viva El Zol! (www.whfs.com).

More props to el Dari.

Update:

Of Infinity's five stations in the market, WHFS was its weakest ratings performer. In the Summer 2004 survey, the station had a 1.6 overall share and a 3.3 among its 18-34 target. Infinity's own Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio WPGC-FM is the top-rated station and the 18-34 leader.

[ Media Week ]

music
#    Comments [12] |
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 5:19:55 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Holy shit ... no more HFS-tival either.

Why in the world would they replace a station that has such a large following, instead of putting El Zol somewhere else on the dial?
Joe Grossberg
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 6:36:19 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Looks like Infinity is hoping to get more into spanish broadcasting, and DC is under represented in that market. Throw in that HFS was Inifity's worst performing station of the 5 they own in the DC area, and I think you see why.

[url]http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000751621[/url]
Kearns
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 7:32:03 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I hadn't checked your site before I posted on [url=http://geekprime.com/kooshmoose/archive/2005/01/12/1203.aspx]my blog[/url] about the WHFS deportation. Most of my comments about it are related to my experiences in listening to WHFS as I was in high school and college.

And Joe's right. The HFStival has been one of the biggest concert events for years. I seriously doubt that Mark Anthony will get a comparable turnout...even if he brings his wife along.
Nate
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 7:44:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Based on the [url=http://www.hfstival.com/]HFStival[/url] website, my guess is that it will live on with a new name, as it appears to be only sponsored by HFS and not actually run by HFS.
Kearns
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 9:40:42 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
HFS used to be the best radio station in the DC area - but that's when I was in high school. Sometime when I was in college HFS began WHORING itself. It effectively killed exciting music on the local radio. How could they possibly replace the Cure with the same junk that's getting spewed out of every other station on earth?

While I'm sad to see that HFS is gone - I must admit that the station had it coming. So I say "Viva" to our new friends over at El Zol. Play whatever you want, but it would be nice if you'd throw in some Smiths every now and then - just for old time's sake. ( Even if it has to be in Spanish )
Dari
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 11:27:18 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Goodbye HFS, I hardly knew ye.

I guess I will just be able to think back on WHSF when I listen to my bootleg studio recordings of DMB and other "alt pop" stars of my college years, as the weird announcer dropping of a demonic "uhhhh only on WHFS" is imposed over the typical lyrics every minute. Sure I only moved here 4 years ago, but during those 4 years I downloaded many MP3s from these sessions. Oh well, in Cleveland radio stations (even the best ones) come and go every 3-5 years, so suck it up and move on. Maybe now we will get some decent mariachi here in DC, AAAAAAAAAAAAREBA!!!!
Alex
Thursday, January 13, 2005 10:39:22 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Consarn it, this was the only DC radio station I listened to other than NPR!!! They should have replaced 106.7 and gotten those J-holes Don & Mike off the airwaves -- I don't think I've ever heard a worse radio show. And heck, Stern will be off that channel in a year anyway, why not quit while you're ahead?
JER
Thursday, January 13, 2005 10:43:50 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Stern is on there now?

Oooops, that was a reference to when he was fired back in the 80's.

Perhaps I should have said the Greaseman...
Kearns
Thursday, January 13, 2005 10:48:03 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Stern is on 106.7 and other than the hit/miss Ron & Fez, he's about all that station has going for it. I like O'Reilly, but his radio show is tedious to listen to while the Don & Mike show is banal.

The Express today said that DC 101 is the closest thing we have now that HFS is gone.
JER
Thursday, January 13, 2005 10:56:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
That alone is reason why HFS was gone sooooo long ago. My mind is set firmly in the mid to late 80's/early 90's.

DC101 is "Hard Rock" and HFS is "College Rock".

Perhaps it's time to start listening to Q107...
Kearns
Saturday, July 16, 2005 10:27:31 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
I was once a fan of WHFS myself but I whole-heartedly welcome El Zol because frankly, there is another alternative station on air, but there is no other station for la musica latina on FM. As more and more latinos are coming to the US and to the DC area in particular, they deserve to have their music played on a radio station. After all, DC 101 is still on the air. In addition, I would like to add that the past HFStival sucked. It was a major dissapointment. The artist selection was weak, the performances even weaker and many artists didn't even go on because of a lame 30 minute storm. I'm sure that any festival El Zol puts on will be much more excited and frankly, entertaining.

Cheers,
P
Paula
Wednesday, November 23, 2005 3:51:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
What a buch of sore loosers
Mr Lopez
Comments are closed.