Within a year of its on air debut, WPGC, Inc (Maxwell Evans Richmond, President & sole owner) purchased WPGC-AM from Harry Hayman for $10,000 on November 10th, 1954.

The Federal Communications Commission granted a construction permit for a new FM station to the Chesapeake Broadcasting Company, Inc. in late 1947 to build and operate a station on 96.7 megacycles at Bradbury Heights, Maryland, "just over the District of Columbia line".

WBUZ-FM's transmitter and 255 foot tower were located at Bradbury Heights while studios & offices were installed in the WM&A building at 4421 Southern Ave. in SE, DC.

On March 30th, 1956, WBUZ-FM changed its call letters to WRNC-FM. Late in the year, WRNC-FM was purchased from the Chesapeake Broadcasting Company by WPGC, Inc. $5.00 was paid for the station license and $10,000 for its equipment and tower. FCC approval took place on November 20th, 1956. The purchase was made to add nightime programming to WPGC-AM's daytime only operation.

At the time, WPGC-AM owner Maxwell Evans Richmond became President of WRNC-FM and named Gene Winters, General Manager of WPGC-AM as GM of WRNC-FM. WRNC began duplicating WPGC-AM's daytime programming immediately.

WRNC-FM changed call letters to WPGC-FM in mid-March 1958.

WPGC, Inc. President, Maxwell Evans Richmond died in 1971.

The estate of station owner, Max Richmond received FCC approval on August 7th, 1974 to sell the stations for $5.8 million to First Media Corporation (Richard E. Marriott, Chairman & 44% owner).  The transaction was finalized on October 17, 1974.

 

 

Pat McCoy writes:

Max Richmond was an even more difficult man to work for than Bob Howard. Max would come down from Boston and harass everyone, Bob the most, of course. He had an office hidden away in the back of a bunch of file cabinets and partitions. He loved to pick up his phone and listen to everyone's phone calls, sometimes butting in, but most often just listening. I never heard him make a positive comment to anyone.

 

 

BD Howard writes:

I remember Max Richmond and many of the employees of the day. All were quite cordial to the VP/GM's (Bob Howard's) young kid, although some were friendlier than others. I remember that Richmond never married, but that he had two girlfriends (hideous old broads IMHO). Apparently, neither one knew about the other so, as a kid, I was coached whenever I was to encounter one - this one's name and that I was NOT to mention the other one!

 

 

Miscellaneous Audio

2/29/04	Ed Walker on: Max Richmond - 1:00
2/29/04	Ed Walker on: Max critiquing him while on the air - :59
2/29/04	Ed Walker on: WMEX & Howard Levy - :52

 

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