WQSR
Encyclopedia
WQSR is a radio station broadcasting on 102.7 FM. The station is licensed to Baltimore and serves that market. Its transmitter is located in Pikesville, next to the Pikesville Reservoir. It is under ownership of Clear Channel Communications
. The station offers an adult rock hits format known as Jack FM
.
The 102.7 frequency in Baltimore signed on in mid-90s as WXYV. This was a Hip-Hop station branded as V103, a major rival to 92Q/WERQ. In 1997, the station became 102.7 XYV and then B102.7 in 1998. In 2001, the WQSR calls were moved over from 105.7 along with the oldies format. WXYV moved to 105.7. The music also changed a little, cutting back the pre-1964 songs and some 1980s music was introduced. By 2003, the station was playing strictly songs from 1964 to 1979 with a handful of pre '64 and post '79 titles.
In April 2005, the station adopted the Jack FM
/Variety Hits format abruptly dropping oldies, following a nationwide trend.
On December 15, 2008, CBS Radio announced that it would be swapping WQSR and four of its other medium-market radio stations to Clear Channel Communications
for two radio stations, KLOL and KHMX in Houston. Clear Channel took over 102.7 Jack FM at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009. After playing songs at CBS Radio's Baltimore studios such as End of the Road
by Boyz II Men
, R.E.M.
's It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
and Goodbye Stranger
by Supertramp
at roughly 11:57PM, the station went to dead air as Clear Channel
officially took control over the station. Shortly thereafter, the station returned to the air at the Clear Channel Baltimore studios.
WQSR in its current incarnation as Jack FM runs a strictly jockless Variety Hits format. Although there are no on-air personalities on the station, the station airs Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The 80s on Sunday nights from 8pm-Midnight.
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
. The station offers an adult rock hits format known as Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
.
History
- This article is about the current WQSR. For the station on 105.7 fm, see WJZ-FMWJZ-FMWJZ-FM is a radio station licensed to Catonsville, Maryland, and broadcasting from studios in suburban Towson, Maryland. The station is owned by CBS Radio.-History of the WJZ-FM callsign:...
The 102.7 frequency in Baltimore signed on in mid-90s as WXYV. This was a Hip-Hop station branded as V103, a major rival to 92Q/WERQ. In 1997, the station became 102.7 XYV and then B102.7 in 1998. In 2001, the WQSR calls were moved over from 105.7 along with the oldies format. WXYV moved to 105.7. The music also changed a little, cutting back the pre-1964 songs and some 1980s music was introduced. By 2003, the station was playing strictly songs from 1964 to 1979 with a handful of pre '64 and post '79 titles.
In April 2005, the station adopted the Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
/Variety Hits format abruptly dropping oldies, following a nationwide trend.
On December 15, 2008, CBS Radio announced that it would be swapping WQSR and four of its other medium-market radio stations to Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
for two radio stations, KLOL and KHMX in Houston. Clear Channel took over 102.7 Jack FM at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009. After playing songs at CBS Radio's Baltimore studios such as End of the Road
End of the Road
"End of the Road" is a 1992 Grammy Award-winning, number-one song recorded in May 1992 by Boyz II Men for the Motown label. Written and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Antonio "L.A." Reid and Daryl Simmons. It is Boyz II Men's most successful single and replaced Diana Ross and Lionel...
by Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
's It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
"It's the End of the World as We Know It " is a song by the rock band R.E.M., which appeared on their 1987 album Document, the 1988 compilation Eponymous, and the 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982–1987...
and Goodbye Stranger
Goodbye Stranger
"Goodbye Stranger" is a song by Supertramp, which first appeared on their 1979 album Breakfast in America.The main "body" of the song is backed by a simple Wurlitzer electric piano melody; the arrangement intensifies as the song progresses. This is eventually joined by intermittent electric guitar...
by Supertramp
Supertramp
Supertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
at roughly 11:57PM, the station went to dead air as Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
officially took control over the station. Shortly thereafter, the station returned to the air at the Clear Channel Baltimore studios.
WQSR in its current incarnation as Jack FM runs a strictly jockless Variety Hits format. Although there are no on-air personalities on the station, the station airs Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The 80s on Sunday nights from 8pm-Midnight.