Now What New York?
March 2, 2009
Last week we mentioned a number of possible decoys being registered in regards to a possible format change at CBS’ “92.3 K-Rock” WXRK New York. Here’s some of the domains that were registered anonymously with our thoughts:
923ampradio.com – Obvious Amp Decoy
923new.com – 92.3 WNEW?
923nowfm.com – See * Below
923theparty.com – Nice CHR name
energy923.com – Play into the Dance fanatics on the boards.
now923.com – See * Below
radio923newyork.com – 92.3 in Cleveland flipped from K-Rock to jockless Alternative Radio 92.3 last year.
* We quickly noticed that two domains were registered for “Now”, a branding that seems to be picking up steam. First was Indianapolis’ “Radio Now” which debuted in 2000. The only other uses we could find of the branding are Lansing, MI Adult CHR WJIM-FM “97.5 Now-FM“, and Philadelphia AC “Now 97.5” along with the Dial Global national satellite “Hits Now!” format.
On Friday, our questions were answered by adding one more domain to the list directly. 923now.com was registered directly by CBS Radio. That gives us all the ammunition we need to say that it’s only a matter of time until New York sees Now. Adding to the expectations is when Scott Fybush picks up on a rumor. According to Fybush, CBS is scouring for a toll free telephone number that spells out “HITS”, much like it found in Los Angeles for KLSX.
UPDATE: Looks like there’s a Twitter account for 923NowFM as well.
Party’s Over In Houston
March 2, 2009
Univision Rhythmic CHR KPTY “Party 93.3″ has returned to the Regional Mexican format and “Que Buena” imaging that had preceded it on that frequency until 2007.
The “Party” format had bounced around the Houston dial over the years, beginning in 1999 as a part-time format at 100.7 KRTX. The station would later slide down to 104.9 as KPTY and add a Galveston area simulcast at 105.3 KPTI before finally shifting over to 93.3 in December 2007.
Q107.1 Myrtle Beach Flips To Rock
March 4, 2009
Qantum Communications flipped Urban AC “Q107.1” WQSD to Rock at 10:00am on Tuesday, March 3 as “Rock 107″ under new WRXZ calls. Mad Max, who used to host mornings at crosstown Rock WKZQ, will take the same shift at Rock 107. Sister Variety Hits WYNA “104.9 Bob-FM” PD Craig Russ will also oversee the new station.
K-Hits 107.1 Fresno Launches
March 4, 2009
Lotus Communications has flipped Spanish AC “Beso 107.1″ KXOB Fresno to Classic Hits as “K-Hits 107.1″ KHIT-FM. Sister Classic Rock KKBZ PD Andy Winford is overseeing the new station as well.
KYDZ Radio Launches in Las Vegas
March 6, 2009
CBS Radio has flipped Sports 1140 KSFN to a Childrens oriented format as “KYDZ Radio“. Core artists on the station include Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, The Plain White T’s, David Archuleta, and Miley Cyrus. The station is promoting itself as “For Kids, By Kids” and will feature on-air product produced and voiced by local children.
Pulse 87 New York To Air in Chicago & Los Angeles
March 9, 2009
Mega Media Group, operators of New York Dance CHR WNYZ-LP “Pulse 87” has announced it will lease two stations from Venture Technologies Group, LLC to expand its programming into Los Angeles and Chicago. Like WNYZ, KSFV-CA San Fernando Valley/Los Angeles and WLFM-LP Rochelle/Chicago both air on TV Channel 6, allowing for its audio to be heard on 87.7 FM. The “Pulse 87″ programming will debut in both markets on June 1.
Both markets have had Dance radio stations in the recent past. 103.1 in Los Angeles was “Groove Radio” in the 90’s and “103.1 KDL” in 2003. From 2001 until 2003, Chicago was home to “Energy 92.7 & 5″. Since 2006, “Dance Factory FM” has aired on those same frequencies along with southern rimshot 99.9 from 9pm to 5am daily.
Opie & Anthony Out At K-Rock New York; Flip Coming Wednesday
March 9, 2009
As we wait for the inevitable flip of 92.3 WXRK New York from Rock to CHR, the first shoe has dropped as Morning Hosts Opie & Anthony have been informed that their services are no longer needed.
The show, which normally airs from 6 to 9am before moving to the XM studios for an additional two hours, stayed on WXRK for an extra hour taking calls from listeners about the pending flip and ending their show with a fake flip to “Amp Radio” and playing Rhianna’s “Don’t Stop The Music” before returning to the normal (for now) Rock format.
Opie & Anthony will continue to air on Sirius XM.
Update 4:45pm: Countdown Clock at 923Now.com is pointing to Wednesday at 5:00pm.
92.3 Now New York Launches Wednesday @ 5:00pm
March 9, 2009
CBS Radio has officially announced the debut of CHR “923 Now” will take place Wednesday March 11 at 5:00pm. The press release follows the link below.
92.3 Now Debuts
March 11, 2009
CBS Radio officially launched CHR 92.3 Now at 5:02pm with Black Eyed Peas’ new “Boom Boom Pow” as the first song. Following Van Halen’s “Right Now” the station stunted for a few minutes with a ticking clock and then a sweeper directing listeners to 92.3 HD2 and its website where K-Rock will continue and to sister Sports WFAN.
You can hear the end of K-Rock and the launch of 92.3 Now at the Format Change Archive.
The RadioInsight.com Net Gnomes broke the news that WXRK would potentially become “Now” on March 2.
Click below to see the final hour log for K-Rock and the first hour of Now.
ESPN 710 Seattle Announces Lineup
March 11, 2009
710 KIRO Seattle has announced the on-air lineup for when it flips to Sports on April 1.
3am to 7am – Mike and Mike in the Morning
7am to 11am – The Herd with Colin Cowherd
11am to 3pm – Brock Huard and Mike Salk
3pm to 6pm – Kevin Calabro
6pm to 7pm – ESPN GameNight
7pm to 3am – ESPN GameNight
Brock Huard is a former University of Washington and Seattle Seahawks Quarterback. Mike Salk has worked for ESPN Radio in the past and was most recently hosting middays at “ESPN 890″ in Boston. Kevin Calabro spent 19 years as the play-by-play voice of the Seattle Supersonics.
KIRO began simulcasting on 97.3 FM last fall and will complete the transition to FM only with the flip to Sports.
