WLXE facts for kids
| Broadcast area | Washington metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1600 kHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Chinese and Spanish music |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
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First air date
|
May 1947 |
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Former call signs
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Former frequencies
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1590 kHz (1947–1951) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 54506 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 1,000 watts (day) 500 watts (night) |
WLXE is a radio station that broadcasts on 1600 kHz. This is a specific spot on the medium wave AM radio dial. Its main offices and broadcasting equipment are in Rockville, Maryland. The station serves the entire Washington metropolitan area, which includes Washington, D.C., and its nearby cities.
WLXE plays music and other programs in the Spanish language. The station's tall antenna, which sends out its signal, is located near Hungerford Drive in Rockville. A company called Multicultural Broadcasting owns WLXE.
Contents
History of WLXE
Starting as WOOK in 1947
The radio station we know as WLXE first started in 1947. Back then, it was called WOOK and was located in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was the very first station owned by Richard Eaton's United Broadcasting company. WOOK was special because it played programs and music for African American listeners.
Becoming WINX and Moving to Rockville
Four years later, in 1951, Richard Eaton bought another radio station named WINX in Washington, D.C. To follow the rules about how many stations one company could own, Eaton made a change. He moved the Silver Spring station's license to Rockville, Maryland. At that time, Rockville was not considered part of the Washington D.C. area by the government.
To make things even more interesting, the two stations swapped their names! The station in Washington, D.C., became WOOK. The station in Rockville, at 1600 kHz, became WINX.
Music Formats Over the Years
For many years, until the late 1970s, WINX played a Top-40 music format. This meant it played the most popular songs of the day. It was usually the third most popular Top 40 station in the area.
In 1993, WINX changed its music style to "oldies," playing popular songs from earlier years. For a short time around 1998, it went back to playing Top 40 music.
Broadcasting Sports
During the 1990s, WINX was the official radio station for American University sports. This meant they broadcasted the university's games. A person named Chuck Timanus was the main announcer for these games. His son, Eddie Timanus, who later became famous on a game show and as a sportswriter, helped out by keeping track of game statistics.
New Owners and Spanish Programming
In the year 2000, the station was sold to a company called Mega. Later, it was sold again to Multicultural Broadcasting, its current owner. At that point, the station changed its programming to focus on the Spanish language, which it still does today.
