Cumulus Media AC “My 98.3” WMIM Luna Pier, MI will become the latest station to flip to the company’s Nash Icon brand on Friday, October 3 at 5:00pm.
WMIM targets the Monroe, MI market, but also covers all of Toledo, OH where the new format will flank market leading sister “K100” 99.9 WKKO. The current on-air staff of WMIM will remain with the station following the format change.
Cumulus announces that My 98 WMIM in Monroe, MI, will launch as 98.3 Nash Icon on Friday, October 3 at 5:00 p.m EST. Nash Icon is a new format playing the best Country hits from Country music’s most iconic artists, driven by Country music fans’ desire for more exposure to their all-time favorite artists from 1980 through today. The station will feature artists from Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and the Dixie Chicks to Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride and Kenny Chesney. 98.3 Nash Icon will feature local on-air personalities including Chris King and Mark Benson and will be operated by current WMIM staff, with no personnel changes anticipated.
Andy Stuart, Regional Vice President for Cumulus said: “We spent a great deal of time analyzing what is the best format for Monroe, and it became quite clear that Nash Icon is ideally suited for the market. I really appreciate the time and effort that John Dickey, Mike McVay, Bob Raleigh and Charlie Cook have all provided and appreciate having this format available in the Cumulus family to bring to the Monroe community.”
Chris King, Program Director for WMIM/98.3 Nash Icon said: “Nash Icon is an exciting new format and the perfect fit for Monroe and Monroe County. This station will proudly serve Monroe, Monroe County and Southeastern Michigan with the music that listeners love and our continued commitment to the community. I am very happy to be a part of this new chapter in Monroe radio.”
Nash Icon’s national headquarters is at Cumulus’ state-of-the-art NASH Campus in Nashville, the nation’s only multi-media facility devoted solely to producing and distributing content based on the Country music lifestyle. Featuring three studios designed for a combination of TV and radio programming, indoor and outdoor event space, a print newsroom and extensive office space, leading Country stars such as Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum and Sheryl Crow are among the early visitors.
The Nash Icon record label and live events venture was announced by Cumulus and its strategic partner in the venture, Big Machine Label Group, in May. Nash Icon, a strategic partnership between the two entertainment and media leaders, was created to expand the growing NASH platform by showcasing Nashville’s most iconic talent from the last 25 years.
98.3 Nash Icon is one of the first 20 Cumulus stations in the U.S. to offer this brand new format to radio listeners and Country music lovers. Nash Icon is an important complement to the more contemporary artists that are heard on NASH, its sister brand.
This poor station has been searching for a purpose for a while. It tried so long to rimshot Toledo when it was still transmitting from Monroe, Michigan – and no sooner did the transmitter get moved down to the Toledo TV tower farm than Cumulus turned around and shifted its focus back to Michigan, where it no longer has much of a signal. Maybe the shift to Icon will refocus it on Toledo?