Update 5/23: Summit Media launched Soft AC “Easy 100.9” at 8:00am.
Cloned off of sister WEZZ Birmingham, the new format on WHTI positions the station against Clear Channel’s “Lite 98” WTVR-FM and Main Line’s “Big Oldies 107.3/100.3” WBBT/WARV.
The first hour of Easy 97.3 consisted of:
Commodores – Easy
Police – Every Breath You Take
Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine
Lee Ann Rimes – How Do I Live
Stevie Nicks/Don Henley – Leather And Lace
Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely
Samantha Sang – Emotion
Sergio Mendes – Never Gong To Let You Go
The Guess Who – These Eyes
Wings – Silly Love Songs
Jewel – You Were Meant For Me
Styx – Babe
Al Wilson – Show And Tell
Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings
Buffalo Springfield – For What Its Worth
Update 5/22: “Hot” has completed its move to 106.1 W291CL.
WHTI has begun stunting with nature sounds including birds and insects chirping and falling rain. Indications point towards a Soft AC format for the station. Easy1009.com was registered anonymously last August and was recently accompanied by a private Facebook page for that brand. Summit Media launched an identical format in Birmingham last fall.
Original Report 5/7: The second new translator to sign-on in Richmond this week will soon become the new home for CHR “Hot 100.9” WHTI Richmond.
Radio Assist Ministry’s 106.1 W291CL Richmond has launched rebroadcasting Summit Media’s 103.7 WURV-HD2 and the programming of what is currently “Hot 100.9“. Summit has registered Hot1061Radio.com, which is already redirecting to WHTI’s website.
W291CL is licensed to operate with 250 watts at 188 meters covering Richmond and its adjacent suburbs (Coverage Map).
WHTI currently ranks 13th in the Richmond market with a 2.5 share as of the Winter 2014 Nielsen Audio ratings. No indications yet on what will replace the CHR format on 100.9.
shawtyblack 
Kenny Kissel 
love4mylife89 
Joseph_Gallant 
Urban AC or Country? Kiss is the only Urban Adult station in town so a 2nd choice would be welcoming.
Maybe a Possible Y101 comback? Please no Urban AC and Summit already has a Country station at 95.3.
Nothing to back this up yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Summit clone the Soft AC “Easy” format that the company launched in Birmingham last year to attack WTVR on the older end.
This radio station is bad news my son. I live in the outskirts of Louisa in Mineral and lots of people listen to 106.1 The Corner WCNR from Charlottsville with great reception in Mineral, lake Anna and in Montpelier in west Hanover were I work, but when this new signal is turned on replaying that stupid hot 1009 it completely blocked reception of WCNR all the way to Orange County which is just wrong. Change your frequency Summit Media you will save yourself the hassle and a clean frequency would me more reception further out without interference from WCNR thanks in advanced your Louisa, Orange & West Hanover Citizens.
I presume that come early November (maybe as soon as November 1st), WHTI-100.9 will go all-Christmas.
Why is Easy 100.9 touted as being a “clone of WEZZ Birmingham”?. I’m in Birmingham here, and Easy 100.9 is not a “clone” of WEZZ, believe me. At least Easy 100.9 offers post-1990 music in their programming, unlike WEZZ. One would think that Easy 97.3 and Easy 100.9’s programming would be identical since both stations are owned by Summit Media and employ the same branding, but these two “Easy”s are not even remotely similar. I’d rather listen to the Richmond station online than the OTA signal of WEZZ.