WXGI

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WXGI
City of license	Richmond, Virginia
Broadcast area	Richmond
Branding	ESPN Radio 950
Slogan	"Richmond's Home of the Redskins"
Frequency	950 kHz
Format	Sports Talk
Power	3900 Watts
Class	D
Transmitter Coordinates	37°30′52″N 77°30′28″W / 37.51444, -77.50778
Affiliations	ESPN Radio, Washington Redskins
Owner	Red Zebra Broadcasting
Website	http://www.espn950am.com/

WXGI (950 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports talk format. Licensed to Richmond, Virginia, USA, it serves the Richmond area. The station is currently owned by Red Zebra Broadcasting as an ESPN Radio affiliate. Along with ESPN content, it broadcasts Washington Redskins and Washington Nationals games, as well as University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University sports.

[edit] History

This station was signed on in the late 1940s by some ex World War II serviceman, which resulted in the call letters WXGI, as the station was founded by "ex-GIs" .

[edit] The country years

Throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and early eighties the station was a popular country music station. George "Pops" Popkins and Johnny Gee were some of the better known DJs on WXGI.

[edit] The death of Johnny Gee

In 1979 the station was dealt a blow when one of its most popular DJs, Johnny Gee, was kidnapped and murdered by the infamous Briley Brothers outside of a nightclub his band was playing at when he caught them attempting to break in his car. His body was later found washed up on the shore of the James River. The brothers were later executed for that and other murders in the early eighties.

[edit] Changes in the 80s

The station went through hard times in the eighties due to increased FM competition from two powerful FM country stations, WTVR-FM and WKHK. At first they tried going head to head with the FMs as "I-95". In the mid eighties they adopted an adult contemporary format as "Bright 95" but due to an outcry by longtime country music fans returned to the country format by 1989, this time featuring more classic country that the FMs stations had abandoned and calling themselves "The Legend". Some of the DJ who were on WXGI during this period were "Big" John Trimble, David Holt, Gretchen Hart, Bill James, Gary Micheals, and Eric Slater.

[edit] The transition to sports

The station continued with the classic country format through the nineties and into the early 2000s, but then added a sports talk morning show with former WRNL-AM Morning host "Big" Al Coleman. Finally in 2004, the station abandoned music altogether for an all sports format adding programming from ESPN Radio.

In 2006, the station was purchased by Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is owned by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder.

[edit] ESPN Radio 950 Schedule

[edit] Monday-Friday

All times Eastern Time

[edit] External links

• Official Website
• Query the FCC's AM station database for WXGI
• Radio Locator Information on WXGI

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