WTOP delivers the latest local news, traffic and weather information to the Washington, D.C., region across multiple platforms.
Washington’s Top News broadcasts on 103.5 FM in the D.C. metro area. It can also be heard on 107.7 FM in Virginia and on 103.9 FM in Frederick, Maryland. WTOP’s radio station can be heard west to Warrenton, Virginia, north to Baltimore, Maryland, east to the Chesapeake Bay and south to Fredericksburg, Virginia. WTOP’s live broadcast is also available on WTOP.com and Alexa, as well as HD Radio (103.5 HD-1). Click here for a full list of content and signals.
WTOP News is also distributed via our website, WTOP.com, our app, which can be downloaded on Apple and Android devices, and social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WTOP and its sister stations, Federal News Network and The Gamut, are owned and operated by Hubbard Broadcasting. The Minnesota-based, family-owned company purchased WTOP in April 2011.
WTOP is committed to reporting relevant news for our region through continuously evolving brands across a growing number of distribution platforms. WTOP provides news and information on-air and online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With some of the worst commutes in America, commuters in the D.C. region rely on WTOP’s traffic and weather reports “every 10 minutes on the 8’s, and when it breaks.”
History
The station first went on the air in September 1926 and switched to the call letters “WTOP” in 1943. Its new call letters were inherited from a police radio station in Tiffen, Ohio, thus TOP, Tiffen Ohio Police.
After going through a number of format changes in the 1960s, WTOP Radio went to an all-news format on March 9, 1969.
WTOP’s website, WTOP.com, launched in 1996.
Awards
WTOP has received a multitude of awards for its news coverage over the years, including the 2018 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence. WTOP was honored with the same distinction in 2017 as well as the National Murrow for Best Website. Overall, WTOP has received 22 National Murrow Awards for on-air and website combined in recent history.
In 2020, WTOP was honored with four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards by the Radio Television Digital News Association, including one for overall excellence. In the Digital category, WTOP.com nabbed a regional award for coverage of 2020 news events, such as the summer racial justice protests and the coronavirus pandemic. WTOP was also recognized for coverage of the June 1, 2020 clearing of protesters from Lafayette Square. J.J. Green and Chris Core — hosts of Colors: A dialogue on Race in America — won in the Podcast category.
In 2019, WTOP received six regional Edward R. Murrow Awards: Best Newscast, Overall Excellence, Feature Report, Hard News Report, Podcast and Excellence in Social Media.
In 2018, WTOP received the National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Radio Award for News/Talk Station of the Year. It marked the sixth Marconi for WTOP.
WTOP won three National Headliner Awards in 2018, adding to its list of 25 total for on-air and web products.
Year after year, WTOP has also been recognized with regional Murrow Awards, Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters Association Awards and Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Awards for excellence in broadcasting and website coverage of local news.
In 2018, the National Association of Broadcasters venerated WTOP with its esteemed Crystal Heritage Award — an honor that only six other radio stations have gotten in the history of the awards. To be recognized with the Heritage Award, radio stations must have won a total of five Crystal Radio Awards for year-round community service efforts.
In the community
WTOP has a history of serving its community, partnering with a variety of organizations including the Komen National Race for the Cure, March of Dimes, Make-a-Wish Foundation and dozens more.
Listeners can ask elected officials and community leaders questions directly on WTOP programs such as “Ask the Governor.”
Mission & Vision statements
WTOP’s Mission Statement:
Deliver high-quality, unbiased news that shapes our region and connects our community across all media platforms.
WTOP’s Vision Statement:
To be the No. 1 news choice for our Washington, DC region by offering continuously updated coverage of Top News – 24/7/365.
WTOP also has diversity mission and vision statements:
WTOP’s Diversity Vision Statement:
To be an industry leader and set the standard for equality and inclusivity for all races, genders, ages, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations and religions by creating and fostering principles that integrate our core values.
WTOP’s Diversity Mission Statement:
To be proactive in providing a welcoming, professional environment; free of harassment, discrimination and marginalization with on-going habits that incorporate our unique experiences into the overall success and continuous evolution of this organization.
You can read WTOP’s news philosophy here.
