iHeartMedia has launched Classic Country “98.1 The Bull Icons” on 98.5 W253BK/WBUL-HD2 Lexington. As reported below the station takes direct aim at Cumulus’ “101.5 Nash Icon” WVLK-FM. W253BK will feature the syndicated Bobby Bones morning show and Classic Country from the late 80’s through early 2000’s.
Update 12/17: iHeartMedia has registered 981TheBullIcons.com for 98.5 W253BK/WBUL-HD2 for use after the Country Christmas programming ends. A Twitter account is already live with the new logo.
Launching a Classic Country station branded as “The Bull Icons” will place the translator right up against Cumulus’ “101.5 Nash Icon” WVLK-FM. The move will create the first Icon versus Icons branding battle in the country.
Original Report 11/7: iHeartMedia has launched a new translator with the second All-Christmas format for its Lexington, KY cluster.
98.5 W253BK Winchester has signed-on rebroadcasting 98.1 WBUL-HD2 Lexington with commercial-free Country Christmas music. In doing so, it joins sister Hot AC “Mix 94.5” WMXL in airing Christmas music in the Lexington market. W253BK is operating with 250 watts at 150 meters covering all of Lexington proper.
INSTANT INSIGHT: Coming one week after Cumulus launched the Nash Icon brand in Lexington on 101.5 WVLK-FM, this move allows iHeart to remove the luster from the new launch before it can gain any momentum against “98.1 The Bull” WBUL. With a very congested Country marketplace in Lexington it’s doubtful the translator will keep a Country format in 2015, but it can still prevent its new competitor from gaining any boost out of the gate.
stevens 
I think I understand what iHeart is thinking here. Now they can tell the advertiser that like Cumulus and LM, they too have an upper demo country station. Granted, it is just a translator and not much being wasted. But for once, I’m gonna say it…”too much country.” There’s no goal to this other than a hope to inflict some damage to the other guys’ bottom line. Absolutely nothing I can see that in any way benefits the listener. You know it will be a simple generic PC feed. Not something that can be much of a revenue generator itself. Just a signal to dump some “added value” bonus spots. Lexington might be better served with this one airing 90s hip hop.