Indianapolis Warming
December 30, 2007
Cumulus has registered warm939.com, 939warm.com, and many derivatives. Both are currently redirecting to the website of sister WJXY-FM “93.9 The Team” in Myrtle Beach, SC . We find it highly unlikely that Cumulus would use a Domain Protection Service to register a dozen domains for a station in Myrtle Beach when they have a high-profile stunt going on in Indianapolis. Cumulus runs fellow “Warm” AC’s in Cincinnati and York, PA. Those stations, along with WWFT were acquired from Susquehanna Radio.
Holiday Format Change Rundown
December 28, 2007
12/27 3:00pm - NRG’s “101.9 Lite-FM” KLTQ Lincoln/Omaha dropped AC for Variety Hits as “The Big O 101.9“.
12/26 - Albany, NY’s 98.3 WTRY has shifted from Oldies to what is best classified as Adult Hits or Gold AC as “My Music 98.3″.
12/26 6:00am - As we broke last week, Sacramento AC 92.5 KGBY relaunched as Hot AC “My 92.5“.
12/26 12:00am - The reshaping of Citadel’s New Orleans cluster continued as Country 106.7 KKND relaunched as “106.7 The Wolf”. In the past two weeks, 106.1 WMTI flipped from Standards to Oldies and 92.3 WDVW from Rhythmic AC to Hot AC “Mix 92.3″.
12/26 12:00am - Emmis’ Indianapolis shift is underway as WIBC made its move from 1070 to 93.1 at midnight. Concurrently, 1070 became WFNI, which is stunting until January 7 with replays of classic Indianapolis-area sporting events.
12/26 12:00am - Across town in Indianapolis, Cumulus has dropped the Christmas music stunt on 93.9 WWFT. The station has now shifted to a loop of an instrumental song with sound effects and a sweeper announcing the new format’s debut on January 2 at 9:39am.
12/26 12:00am - As we reported two weeks ago, South Atlanta rimshot 96.7 WLTM has dropped AC for Classic Country as “96.7 The Legend“.
12/25 6:00pm - As expected, Jacksonville’s 93.3 WROO has assumed the programming of Urban 92.7 WJBT. Both stations are currently simulcasting.
12/25 12:00am - 96.7 WBZT-FM Mauldin/Greenville, SC drops Active Rock “Real Rock 96.7 The Buzzard” for Contemporary Christian “Shine 96.7“.
12/21 12:00pm - 104.5 WJJK Indianapolis dropped the “Jack” moniker in favor of “Classic Hits 104.5 WJJK”.
12/21 - New Orleans Rhythmic AC WDVW “Diva 92.3″ flipped to Adult CHR “Mix 92.3″ at noon.
12/19 - 99.1 WNNH Henniker and 104.9 WLKZ Wolfesboro, NH drop Oldies for Classic Hits as “Frank-FM 99 & 104.9“.
12/19 - Citadel reacquires 101.7 WMGL Ravenel, SC out of trust and completes its move to 107.3 as part of the multi-tiered Charleston frequency shuffle. The station is now branding as “Magic @ 107.3“.
Pending Format Changes
12/30 - 740 WQTM Orlando to drop Sports for Regional Mexican “La Preciosa”
1/7 - 1310 WADB Asbury Park, NJ to flip from “ESPN Deportes” to Fox Sports Radio.
January TBA - Nassau Broadcasting to flip multiple New England stations to simulcast of Entercom Sports WEEI Boston. Among the stations confirmed to be flipping are Portland market 104.7 WHXQ Kennebunkport, 106.7 WHXR North Windham (both currently Active Rock as “The Bone“), 1470 WLAM Lewiston, ME, Cape Cod’s Active Rock “Pixy 103” 102.9 WPXC , and New Hampshire Classic Rockers “101.5 & 102.3 The Hawk” WWHQ Merideth and WWHK Concord.
Next CBS Change: Orlando?
December 25, 2007
Update 12/25: Here’s a domain we missed. Sunny1059.com was registered by Intertech Media (the company that runs CBS Radio’s sites) the same day as the first batch of domains were registered. Paired with the odd cloudy1059.com registration made by CBS, we’re thinking this is the likely winner of the new format debate. In order to protect sister Hot AC WOMX, we would expect a gold leaning AC or Classic Hits.
Update 12/18: The Orlando Sentinel has picked up our report and gets a noncommittal response of speculation from local CBS executive Earnest James. The NetGnomes sometimes know more than management does.
Original Post 12/13: As Dan Mason continues his restructuring of CBS Radio, it looks as though the next change may be coming in Orlando. Modern Rocker WOCL “O-Rock 105.9” is currently the lowest rated FM in the market well behind sister Hot AC WOMX and Rhythmic CHR WJHM.
CBS has just registered a number of domains that could be put to use here.
1059lanueva.com
1059therocket.com
1059thezone.com
cloudy1059.com
freshradio1059.com
us1059.com
These domains, along with a couple of the domains remaining from the WCKG change: 1059theblaze.com and elzol1059.com, could indicate a future direction for the station. Classic Hits, Country, and a Spanish format seem to be most obvious format holes in the market right now.
My 92.5 Update: Not Dallas But Sacramento
December 19, 2007
Our NetGnome speculation yesterday over the potential destination of the recently registered my925radio.com and myfm925.com was a little too far south and east.
It’s not KZPS Dallas that’ll become “My 92.5″, but KGBY Sacramento, which will jettison its AC format for what looks to be Adult Hits much similar to what Clear Channel launched earlier this year on KBIG Los Angeles. The logo, which wasn’t created by us in Windows Paint, currently appears on the domains listed above with the following statement: “My925 is Sacramento’s newest radio station, playing YOUR music for YOUR life!”, while the Top 20 On-Demand listing includes many of the top current Hot AC hits.
KGBY finished 16th in the Summer Book, well behind crosstown CBS AC KYMX “Mix 96“, which was 3rd. The new format will seemingly put the station in competition with CBS Hot AC KZZO “100.5 The Zone“.
WNRJ Norfolk/Virginia Beach Becomes “US 106″ WUSH
December 18, 2007
Update 12/18: At 5:00pm, 106.1 officially launched as “America’s Country - US 106″. Listen to the launch here courtesy of VARTV.
Original Post 12/14: VARTV.com reports 106.1 WNRJ Poquoson, VA dropped its “Energy” moniker just before 2pm today as it segued from N’Sync “Bye Bye Bye” in to Garth Brooks “The Thunder Rolls” as it began stunting as “Garth 106″.
The 106.1 frequency has been a rotating wheel of formats since signing on in March 2004. Since adopting the “Energy” moniker in September 2006 it has had runs as Rhythmic AC, Rhythmic CHR, and Hot AC.
KEGL Dallas Returns To Rock; KZPS To Flip?
December 18, 2007
Active Rock returned to Dallas/Fort Worth this morning as 97.1 KEGL dropped its all-Christmas stunting and brought back its former “97.1 The Eagle” moniker. Vince Richards, Director of Rock Programming for Clear Channel in Houston, has been named OM of Clear Channel’s Dallas cluster and PD of KEGL and sister Alternative KDGE “102.1 The Edge“.
The first five songs on the relaunched Eagle:
Ozzy Osbourne - Flying High Again
Linkin Park - Bleed It Out
Metallica - Enter Sandman
AC/DC - For Those About To Rock
Three Days Grace - Never Too Late
Meanwhile our NetGnomes wonder whether Friday’s registrations of my925radio.com and myfm925.com by Clear Channel are reason to believe that Americana “Lonestar 92.5” KZPS is next on the flipping list.
Roanoke/Lynchburg Signal Swap
December 14, 2007
Update 12/14: VARTV.com confirms our report and expands on it. Classic Country WZBL “The Bull” will move from 104.9 to 106.1 as we reported yesterday. Additionally, CHR WJJS/WJJX will move from 106.1 and 101.7 to 104.9 and 102.7 and AC WSNV “Sunny 93.5″ shifts its Lynchburg simulcast from 102.7 WSNZ to 101.7. Clear Channel has placed 93.5, 101.7, and 106.1 into a trust and will need to spin those frequencies off as part of its privatization plan.
Original Post 12/13: Is Clear Channel planning a signal swap in Southwest Virginia? A recent domain registration 1061thebull.com redirects users to 1049thebull.com, the website of Classic Country WZBL. 106.1 is currently CHR “Jammin JJS” WJJS Vinton which simulcasts on 101.7 WJJX Lynchburg, however the Class C2 104.9 signal gets out much further than 106.1’s Class A Signal.
96.5 WFTK Cincinnati Goes Rock
December 14, 2007
Cumulus FM Talker WFTK Cincinnati launched its new format at noon today as Active Rock “96 Rock - Cincinnati’s Pure Rock“. The Two Angry Guys, Richard Skinner and Tom Gamble will remain in mornings.
Thursday Roundup
December 13, 2007
It’s been a busy day of news and rumors here at RadioInsight. Since some of our posts have already dropped off the front page, here’s a quick list of what you may have missed:
Cincinnati - 96.5 WFTK Drops Talk. New format to launch Friday at Noon.
Columbus - “Radio 106.7″ Debuts
Louisville- 93.9 WQKC debuts as The Ticket
New Orleans - 106.1 WMTI goes Oldies. 106.7 KKND to relaunch?
Atlanta - 96.7 WLTM to go Classic Country
Orlando - WOCL to flip?
Roanoke - WZBL to move to 106.1
106.7 Columbus Launch Imminent
December 13, 2007
Update 12/13: As we expected last month, adult leaning Modern Rocker “Radio 106.7” debuted at 12pm with Elvis Costello’s “Radio Radio”.
Update 12/6: Add one more domain to the list: sportstalk1067.com. We’ve also heard that the official format will launch Thursday, December 13 at 12pm.
Update 11/21: All of the domains that were pointing to the staging site now have an “Under Construction” image appearing with one little caveat. The two spanish domains have the image stating “En Construccion”. All the domains are still pointing to the same server and either image can be accessed on any of the active domains.
Original Post 11/12: Columbus, OH should see a new city-grade FM launch this week as 106.9 WMRN-FM Marion moves to 106.7 in Dublin, OH. WMRN’s country format has already moved to sister 94.3 WDIF.
What format will 106.7 have? Clear Channel has registered a number of domains this week for the new station.
A few of the domains we can eliminate from contention right away. 1067thebuzz.com and blink1067.com are the only ones that are not pointing to Clear Channel’s staging site for the new station: http://cmh1-ip.clearchannel.com/. Fresh, Movin, and Snap can be eliminated they seem to be there as a play on Saga Communications registering those names for the frequencies of all of its AC competitors in the market. But most importantly, many of the links on the staging site redirect automatically to radio1067.com. That would seem to indicate the Adult targetted Alternative format that Clear Channel has recently launched in Cincinnati (more Modern AC oriented), Philadelphia, Hartford, and Los Angeles among others.
