Update 5/1: Philadelphia Magazine gives some more details on the lineup of the coming “IQ 106.9“. Former WCAU-TV and KYW-TV anchor Larry Mendte, who we teased would be involved with Merlin prior to launch will co-host mornings with PD Al Gardner. Mendte has also been heard as the imaging voice on “Hannity 106.9“. The article also confirms Glenn Beck will host the 9am to noon slot preceding Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.
Update 4/16 2:00pm: After approximately 15 minutes of dead air at noon, 106.9 began its stunting with All Sean Hannity with the WWIQ calls now in place.
Original Report 4/16 12:30am: Merlin Media has begun the process of converting its recently acquired 106.9 WKDN Camden/Philadelphia to News/Talk.
The station’s carrier dropped its Family Radio programming at exactly 12am as the station began the process of moving its programming to Merlin’s studios.
After about a half hour of dead air the station returned with a loop of REM’s “End Of The World As We Know It”, playing off Family Radio owner Harold Camping’s failed prediction of the end of the world which led to the station being sold off in the first place. That programming will soon give way to a non-stop loop of Premiere Radio Network’s Sean Hannity. The Hannity1069.com that we told you about last week has gone live promoting All-Hannity around the clock. Listen to the end of WKDN and beginning of stunting at FormatChange.com.
It is expected that Hannity will soon be joined by Rush Limbaugh as the station takes on CBS’ 1210 WPHT for the Talk audience in Philadelphia.
Lou Pickney 
Gonzo 
MattParker 
Chucky 
Joseph 
Bill 
homerjay 
thomaspollack 
Any word if Merlin will change the station’s call letters? I realize some say call letters no longer in PPM markets, but as long as newspaper stories about radio stations list their calls, I have to respectfully disagree, particularly in this case since the WKDN calls have been connected with the old format for many years.
Reports are that Merlin’s applied for new calls WWIQ to coincide with the expected new branding of “IQ106.7″…
It’s been in the FCC database since March 19 as I first reported on Thursday.
Merlin should add a legal ID in the music loop.
AM talk v FM talk.
Local-live v syndicated talk.
Let the games begin.
If 1210 does well without the Premiere line-up, look for CBS talkers to ease out Rush for Smerconish, look for Cumulus talkers to ease out Rush for Huckabee.
WPHT does well in the spring and summer during the Phillies’ season. Also, CBS does not syndicate Smerconish.
WPHT’s Phillies boost will take a major hit this year as the games are now simulcast on 94.1 WIP-FM.
I believe that Michael Smerconish is syndicated.
In Boston, he’s on WTKK-96.9.
Or does he does a separate show for WPHT-1210??
Smerconish IS syndicated, but not by CBS as you first claimed, but rather Dial Global. There’s no incentive for CBS to place him on other stations as you first alluded to.
What are the chances of MAS beating Rush? Slim to none?
Beating Rush isn’t the point. A better bottom line is.
Merlin has done such a fine job in Chicago and New York, I suspect that competitors will be salivating over the next rating book.
Do want to thank for the last hours montague of ‘KDN; ‘HFS not so good, ‘NIB made one sad.