JVC has officially announced that 103.1 WOTW will launch as Country “103.1 The Wolf” at 1:03pm. In addition to the previous staffing announcements, the station will pluck the syndicated Bubba The Love Sponge for mornings from “CBS Sports 810/93.1” WRSO Orlo Vista.
JVC’s description of the new station is:
Soon to be Orlando’s hottest, most cutting edge country station. 103.1 “The Wolf” features the big bad wolf himself, “Bubba the Love Sponge”, in the morning and today’s hottest country music and throwbacks served up all day and night! Country music is today’s most popular radio format and 103.1 “The Wolf” plays the biggest country stars including Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and more! Your home for country hits and throwbacks…is 103.1 “The Wolf”!
Leading up to the launch at 1:03pm, WOTW is looping promotional sweepers and music from other JVC owned stations.
Update 12/18: When JVC launches its new format on Friday at 1:03pm, it appears it will do so as Country “103.1 The Wolf“. Twitter and Instagram account are live with the new logo and positioning statement of “Orlando’s Country Hits and Throwbacks”. TheWolf1031.com was registered anonymously in November.
Update 12/15: JVC has closed on its purchase of WHKQ. The company will debut its new format on Friday, December 18, at 1:03pm.
In the interim the station will simulcast portions of the programming from iHeartMedia’s “Rumba 100” WRUM in order to transition the WHKQ audience over. JVC has also announced the following hires for their new station: Chris Ganoudis former GSM of Cox’ 98.9 WMMO joins as General Manager. Steve Avellone joins from iHeart as General Sales Manager. Shadow, former MD/Afternoon host at Cox Country “K92.3” WWKA and Murph Dawg, current PD/Afternoon host at sister “Party 105.3” WPTY-FM Long Island will lead the programming department.
With the change in ownership, the entire airstaff of “KQ 103” has been let go. Night host JJ Cardona posted the following farewell message:
Update 12/12: As JVC prepares to close on their acquisition of “KQ103” WHKQ Windermere/Orlando, co-owner Vic Canales has registered Party1031.com and OrlandosParty.com. JVC has reserved the WOTW call letters for when they close on their station, which doesn’t give away format connections to either Party or My Country.
Original Report 9/24: Cox Media Country “K92.3” WWKA Orlando may soon be gaining some in-market competition.
With JVC Media launching Rock “93.5 The Bar” WBGF in the West Palm Beach market yesterday we know can place potential ownership of the anonymous registration made on the same day in early August for MyCountry1031.com and 1031MyCountry.com.
JVC Media announced the purchase of Spanish CHR “KQ 103” 103.1 WHKQ Windermere for $10 million in early September. The company utilizes the “My Country” branding at 96.1 WJVC Center Moriches, NY and 102.3 WTRS Ocala, FL.
Orlando is one of the few markets remaining with only one in-market Country station. Hall Communications’ 97.5 WPCV Winter Haven covers much of the market, but does not primarily target advertisers in Orlando. WWKA is currently fourth in the market with a 6.3 share as of the August 2014 Nielsen Audio PPM ratings. WHKQ is currently 15th with a 2.4 share.
Beachguy 
Scott Burns 
only1moore 
Eric Jon Magnuson 
JayR 
Byron 
I’m sure 97.5 does alright in the Orlando market. They don’t sub to Nielsen?
Don’t subscribe nor are they technically in the Orlando market as currently classified due to their tower location.
Are you referring to 103.1 in West Palm Beach or in Orlando? WPB’s 103.1 is already country- WIRK. Has bee for a while.
He’s referring to 103.1 in Orlando. 103.1 in West Palm is Country 103.1 WIRK. It was previously Now 103.1 (Hot AC) and 103.1 The Buzz (Alternative).
Perhaps I should have said that in my own post.
Oh, wait. I did.
Forgive me. I didn’t see your post.
No big deal, Scott. We all do that. Goodness knows, it’s a specialty for me! I was just teasing you, but since I’m down with some version of creeping crud, my post didn’t come across as the tease I meant it to be.
One gets the feeling that JVC has something else in mind for 103.1, given the new call letters.
Maybe “Party” is now indeed more likely than “Country”; from today’s “RAMP” (at https://t.e2ma.net/message/mg37q/24w760, under “In Other News…”)…
“JVC Broadcasting increases its Florida footprint as the company closes on its acquisition of WHKQ/Orlando. The station has been a Spanish-language Top 40 station, but that direction is expected to change this week — look for the official announcement soon, but RAMP has learned that Murph Dawg, PD of JVC Rhythmic-Dance sister WPTY (Party 105)/Long Island is transferring down to this new station — sporting new calls WOTW — as APD/MD/afternoon drive personality. Please watch this space, as the new format should be revealed shortly.”
Not necessarily. Looking at Murph’s Instagram shows that he was at the American Country Countdown Awards in Nashville this past weekend: http://instagram.com/murphdawg17/
Maybe its a good thing that they would go in that direction. Only time wil tell if this approach works. One has to wonder if WPYO, WJHM, and WXXL will breathe a sign of relief right now.
They are simulcasting WSVU “95.9 The Palm” as of this post.
A different JVC sister station every hour. After WSVU was “My Country 96.1” Long Island and then “93.5 The Bar” West Palm Beach.
No one’s mentioned this yet, but there’s already a 103.1 The Wolf up in Tallahassee playing a Country format. I realized this because WWOF actually owns a very similar domain 1031thewolf.com. Whoops.
Byron
How’s that a whoops? There’s no signal overlap and hundreds of miles between the stations. There’s multiple station brands duplicated in markets across the country
After the sound of wolf howls, 103.1 The Wolf lanched with “My Kinda Party” by Jason Aldean.
*launched.