iHeartMedia has launched “96.3 Real Fun Beach Radio” on 590 WDIZ Panama City/96.3 W242BF Springfield, FL.
The first terrestrial station based on the iHeartRadio streaming channel, the new format features a broad mix of from multiple musical genres including Classic Hits, Country, and Pop, similar to the “Tailgate” branded stations in Charleston, WV and Colorado Springs. We do wonder however, how Beach Radio Inc.’s Classic Hits “Beach 95.1” WBPC Ebro/Panama City will handle their brand identity being used by WDIZ.
iHeart purchased the Construction Permit for W242BF from Way Media in February for $75,000, while 590 WDIZ previously ran a Sports format as “Fox Sports 590“.
The first few songs on “96.3 Real Fun Beach Radio” were:
Blake Shelton – Some Beach
Don Henley – Boys Of Summer
The Box Tops – The Letter
Bob Marley & The Wailers – One Love
Eddie Money – Take Me Home Tonight
Mr. Probz – Waves
B-52’s – Love Shack
The Rascals – Groovin
Rascal Flatts – Summer Nights
All this variety in music… This sounds super-cool. Hopefully more of these types of stations will come around. From what’s described in this article, I personally think it could be better than Jack-FM, which only focuses on the rock stuff.
I noticed a four bay antenna mounted on the top of the first tower of WDiZ, its not the translator, which is in a different area. What is the FM signal of the four bay, I do not see any FM signal using that location…
I worked at that station when it was WDLP with an oldies format. It was a great station to work at under Janus Broadcasting. We were also AM stereo back then; are they again using that? A music format on AM needs that or HD Radio.