New York To Get New CHR

In a creative way to add a new commercial FM signal in the market, Mega Media Group will launch Rhythmic CHR “Pulse 87.7” in Early January on WNYZ-LP, which just happens to be a Television station. The audio portion of TV Channel 6 happens to fall right on the edge of the FM dial. The station has been programmed lately with a Russian language music format broadcasting illegally at 87.88.

Additionally, Star & Buc Wild, former morning hosts at Hot 97 and Power 105.1 will join the station in mornings. Star was fired by Clear Channel on May 10, 2006, after making on-air threats against WQHTs D.J. Envy’s family. At the time the program was being syndicated to Hartford, Philadelphia, and Augusta, GA.

Alex Shvarts, CEO of Mega Media, told Crain’s New York Business that the station will be heavily dayparted. Afternoons will be targetted towards teenagers, while late-nights will lean towards clubbers with a heavy dance music lean.

WRLX West Palm Beach To Flip To Spanish

It’s not often that a market leading station changes format, but that will be the case in West Palm Beach next week when “Classy 92.1” WRLX drops Soft AC for Spanish Hot AC as “Mia 92.1″ (My 92.1 when translated to English). As recently as this past Spring, WRLX was first in the market and in the most recent trend was .2 out of the top spot.

The current format will continue online and on 92.1 HD2.

Frequency Swap in Albuquerque?

Update 11/28: Clear Channel has begun promoting the switch on-air as KTEG is hyping that the switch will happen if the station gets One Million hits to its website on Thursday, November 29.

Is Clear Channel planning a frequency swap in Albuquerque between Smooth Jazz 104.1 KABQ and Modern Rock 104.7 KTEG? Domains have been registered concurrently for 1041theedge.com and smoothjazz1047.com and the former already redirects to KTEG’s website.

The 104.1 frequency rimshots Albuquerque from Santa Fe leaving leaving the signal weak in the southern part of the market. 104.7 is licensed to Bosque Farms, south of the city, leaving the signal weaker in the northern areas.

Country Twist in Omaha

We haven’t seen any of the “trades” pick up on this one, but on Monday, Clear Channel Classic Country KHUS “US 93.3″ flipped to a current based Country as “Twister 93.3“.

Will San Francisco Get Fresh?

Entercom seems to think so. The owners of AC 96.5 KOIT, the #1 FM in the market have registered a number of domains connected to CBS owned frequencies in the market.

Fresh1053.com and Fresh1053fm.com connect to Modern Rocker KITS “Live 105“, the most successful of the four CBS FM’s in the market in 19th place at 1.7. Fresh997fm.com points to Rhythmic AC KMVQ “Movin 99.7” at 22nd with a 1.4 in the summer book. Fresh1069fm.com relates to Classic Hits KFRC, which relaunched the heritage brand in May, but has been DOA with a 1.2 share, showing slight growth from the former Free-FM Talk format.

With the recent changes in New York and Chicago, San Francisco is now CBS’ most struggling cluster. The topography makes some FM’s inaudible in areas, which doesn’t help. Of the three stations mentioned, 99.7 would make the most sense as KFRC is too new and KITS is one the few male targeted stations in the region. KMVQ has only been in the format for a little over a year, but is stuck between two Rhythmic CHR’s, a Hot AC, mainstream AC, Modern AC, two Urban AC’s, and a Dance station. Additionally, there would be some overlap with “Fresh” were a sister station be the one to flip.

CBS also owns Modern AC KLLC “Alice 97.3 along with All-News 740 KCBS and Hot Talk 1550 KYCY in the Bay Area.

Even More Indianapolis Talk Changes

The chain reaction triggered by 1070 WIBC’s impending move to 93.1 FM continues to shake up the Indianapolis market. In late October, Cumulus’ FM Talker 93.9 WWFT announced plans to drop its format in favor of Christmas music. That move occurred today. However, WWFT’s programming will continue on in the Indianapolis market as Pilgrim Communication’s southern rimshot “Gold 95.9″ WIAU Franklin will drop its Oldies format on Monday to become WFDM “Freedom 95.9“. WFDM will feature all of the syndicated hosts that had been heard on WWFT: Mancow, Laura Ingraham, Dave Ramsey, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, and Mark Levin.

No word on what will appear on 93.9 after the holidays, however much speculation exists towards the return of Contemporary Christian “The Song”, which currently airs on 93.9’s HD2.

There’s still a bunch of changes coming in Indianapolis as 93.1 becomes WIBC on December 26. On January 8, 1070 will become “The Fan” taking the ESPN Radio programming from 950 WXLW, which in turn will relaunch as “XL 950″.

WNKT Columbia To Become “The Game”

We’ve been following the multi-faceted South Carolina frequency/programming shifts rather closely. Last month Citadel blew up AC WSUY Charleston in favor of Country “96.9 The Wolf” in preparation of sister WNKT’s “Cat Country 107.5″ move into the Columbia market. That will occur on Monday, November 12 as the station will go Sports as “107.5 The Game”.

The State reports that Bob Shields, the sports director at WLTX-TV will host mornings, Jay Phillips and former Philadelphia Eagle Duce Staley from 1 to 4pm, Brian Custar and University of South Carolina basketball and baseball play-by-play host Mike Morgan from 4-7pm. Citadel has the broadcast rights to USC sports, which should give the station a solid foundation to build upon.

WCPT Chicago To Move

Chicago’s Liberal Talker WCPT will move its programming on November 26 from the Northwest suburban 850 signal to the closer to the market 820. While both frequencies are daytime only, 820 (currently WAIT) has a 5kw signal centrally located in the market. The move is a chain reaction brought upon by Relevant Radio’s purchase of 950 WNTD and the pending move of its Catholic programming from 820 to 950. 850 will take the WAIT calls and brokered programming.

Major Clear Channel Layoffs

You may have noticed that we’ve fine-tuned our headlines towards major programming changes, but nothing affects programming more than the staffs operating the stations. As it attempts to cut costs under private ownership and the 2008 Fiscal Year about to begin many Clear Channel markets are being forced to trim employment.

We’ve so far heard of reports of cuts in Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Richmond, Fort Myers, Youngstown, and as many as 20 people in Detroit alone. We send along our best wishes to all those staffers who have lost their jobs in these markets and any others that may follow.

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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