Radio Praise 104.1(WPRS)

WPRS-FM (104.1 FM, "Praise 104.1") is an Urban Gospel formatted radio station in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The station broadcasts from Waldorf, Maryland, at 104.1 MHz.Before becoming an urban contemporary gospel station, WPRS was known as WXGG (nicknamed George 104), an adult hits radio station. The station used "George FM" (as in George Washington) instead of the usual "Jack FM" for this format, because Jack FM is owned by Big Sticks Broadcasting and is licensed almost exclusively to CBS Radio. The station broadcasted from Braddock Heights, Maryland at 103.9 MHz FM, and from Waldorf, Maryland, at 104.1 MHz.George 104 began broadcasting on the afternoon of January 22, 2007, at 3 p.m. EST, after the announcement of the end of classical music station WGMS, which had aired on the two frequencies since early 2006 and maintained a classical music format in Washington for 60 years. At the time of the format change, Bonneville announced that it had reached a deal with public radio station WETA-FM to return the latter station to a classical format. WETA hired Jim Allison, the longtime program director of WGMS, and Bonneville donated its 15,000-disc WGMS music library to WETA. Bonneville also gave WETA the right to use the WGMS call sign.Bonneville said at the time of the format change that it planned to broadcast commercial-free on George 104 for 104 continuous days, in order to give the station time to establish itself.The format change took place after an abortive effort by Bonneville in late 2006 to sell the two frequencies to Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Snyder planned to buy WGMS to convert it to a sports radio format, adding its frequencies to the Triple X ESPN Radio network. Snyder withdrew from the preliminary purchase agreement, however, citing "a change in the radio climate" and hopes that "a better signal will soon become available in the market." News accounts suggested that a comment to The Washington Post from an unnamed Bonneville executive, who said Snyder had offered "50 percent more than WGMS was worth," had stalled the negotiations.The adult hits George format moved to the 103.5-2 subcarrier frequency of WTOP but was eventually discontinued altogether.Further information: WWZZ (Z104), an earlier station at this frequency.