KXRV Becomes “MyCountry 105.7″

As we hinted at on October 14, Clear Channel AAA KXRV “River 105.7″ has indeed become “My Country 105.7” at midnight Mountain Time segueing from David Bowie’s “Changes” into Sara Evans’ “Born to Fly”. We should note that Clear Channel already has Hot AC KJMY in the market using the “My 99.5” branding. Will be interesting to see if the stations are promoted as a combo.

Phoenix: KNRJ Stunting

Phoenix area rimshot 92.7/101.1 KNRJ is promoting a major programming announcement at 10:00am Mountain Time on Thursday 11/1. The station is looping the same three songs: Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio”, Front 242 “Headhunter (Version 3.0)”, and Ministry “Everyday is Halloween”.

Update 11/1: The station used the one day stunt to relaunch with a new lineup and some musical tweaks.

Citadel Makes Imus Announcment

The signing that everyone in the radio industry has known is coming is official. Don Imus will debut on Citadel’s WABC New York on December 3rd.

“We are ecstatic to bring Don Imus back to morning radio,” said 77 WABC President and General Manager Steve Borneman. “Don’s unique brand of humor, knowledge of the issues and ability to attract big-name guests is unparalleled. He is rested, fired up and ready to do great radio.”

More from the New York Daily News, New York Post, and Radio-Online.

WCKG Update

Now that we know that Steve Dahl will debut on 104.3 WJMK this coming Monday morning, what will happen on WCKG? The image above was uploaded today to WCKG’s webserver, however we’re not 100% willing to bet on All-Christmas debuting. Fresh1059.com is now pointing to the Intertech Media servers that hosts all of CBS Radio’s sites.

Thanks to ChicagolandRadioAndMedia.com for the tip.

WGTZ Dayton To Flip Friday

Update 11/2 2:00pm: As expected, WGTZ flipped to Variety Hits as “Fly 92.9″ at noon today launching with Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle” and Sugar Ray’s “Fly”.

Main Line Broadcasting, which recently acquired its Dayton cluster from Radio-One has announced that CHR “Z93” 92.9 WGTZ will change formats Friday 11/2 at Noon. The station, known for its legendary “WGTZ Eaton Dayton Alive” top of the hour ID.

Morning team Mallory and Campy, along with APD/MD/Middayer Frey have exited the station, while PD Scott Sharp takes on those duties at sister Urban WDHT “Hot 102.9” replacing Reggie Beas.

WGTZ is currently one of two Mainstream CHR’s in Dayton along with Clear Channel’s WDKF “Channel 94-5” . In the recent Summer book both stations were tied for 11th in the market at a 3.0.

More info at the Dayton Business Journal.

Big Country in Northern Colorado

The growing areas north of Denver has a new country station as Clear Channel Variety Hits KQMY “My 97.9″ flipped to “Big Country 97.9” on Friday. The station which targets the Fort Collins, CO and Cheyenne, WY areas will also carry Denver Broncos football from sister KOA Denver.

New Generation in Charlottesville

Monticello Media continues the revamp of its recently acquired Charlottesville, VA cluster. Oldies 102.3 WSUH and its 94.1 translator have dropped its “Superhits” moniker for “Generations“.

From the Press Release:

Generations is a fresh look at “era based” programming incorporating the best music of the 70’s along with “evergreen” songs from the 60’s and compatible songs from the 80’s. The new generations 102.3 & 94.1 can be heard on 102.3 FM and 94.1 FM.

“Once again we didn’t allow ourselves to be confined by the rigid standard industry formats. We didn’t ask area listeners what existing radio formats they wanted, we asked them what music they wanted to hear and what music they wanted to hear together. Our focus continues to be on what the audience wants to hear, not what fits neatly into a pre-defined, pre-determined, pre-packaged industry defined format,” said Monticello Media Vice President/General Manager Dennis Mockler.

generations 102.3 & 94.1 listeners will hear the Eagles, Marvin Gaye, Elton John, Doobie Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Journey, Beatles, Chicago and the Rolling Stones along with some Carole King, 10cc, Raspberries, Spinners, and Moody Blues.

“Although there have been, and probably still are, radio programmers saying you can’t play all those artists together, we disagree. We’d rather follow the direction of our listeners than people who have been doing the same things over and over for years,” said Operations Manager and Program Director Vinnie Kice. “Plus, we were playing these artists together when our listeners first heard them and when many of us began our radio careers. They sounded great then and they still sound great today!”

Monticello Media recently acquired the cluster from Clear Channel and flipped sister Hot AC WCJZ to Variety Hits WWTJ “Tom @ 107.5” a couple weeks ago.

WCKG Becomes Fresh 105.9

WCKG has made its shift to AC as “Fresh 105.9” launching at 5:00pm Central time with U2’s “Beautiful Day” followed by Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You”. The station had spent the whole day simulcasting its CBS sister stations. Imaging and Presentation are identical to “Fresh 102.7” WWFS New York.

Mike Peterson, PD of sister Country WUSN will program Fresh as well while Dave Robbins becomes VP/GM.

Listen to the Format Change at the Format Change Archive.

WXYT Detroit Becomes 97.1 The Ticket

It was just on October 1, that CBS began simulcasting Sports 1270 WXYT Detroit’s programming to what was then 97.1 WKRK-FM. The stations were then rebranded as “Detroit’s Sports Powerhouse”. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to listeners of a station that has rebranded from “Team 1270″ to “1270 Sports” to “1270 XYT” that the station has yet a new moniker: “97.1 The Ticket“, just as our Net-Gnomes reported back on October 22.

WROO Jacksonville Goes Christmas

It’s not major news this time of the year when a station goes all-Christmas. There are always exceptions to the rule and in this case with “Rooster Country 93.3″ WROO in Jacksonville, FL dropping its Country format for “Continuous Christmas Classics”.

WROO has become the #3 Country station in Jacksonville behind perennial powerhouse and Clear Channel sister 99.1 WQIK and Renda’s 99.9 WGNE. We’d expect a new format to ring in 2008 on 93.3.

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