Update 12:10pm: Each station will make the shift to the “Nash FM” brand at 12:00pm local time with WLXX and WKAK already doing so at 12pm Eastern.
Original Report 5:00am:Phase Two of the “NashFM” launch is officially underway.
Cumulus has flipped five of its Country stations to the Nash brand as of this morning. The stations making the move are:
- 92.9 WLXX Lexington, KY now “Nash FM 92.9“
- “97.3 The Hawk” KHKI Des Moines now “Nash FM 97.3“
- 97.9 KQFC Boise now “Nash FM 97.9“
- “99.5 & 104.9 The Wolf” WPKR Omro & WPCK Denmark/Green Bay now “Nash FM 99.5 & 104.9“
- “K Country 104.5” WKAK Albany, GA now “Nash FM 104.5“
These are the first stations to take on the NashFM brand since the launch of WNSH New York in January. We were the first to identify that Cumulus was launching a national Country brand last November. Today’s move brings six of Cumulus’ 84 Country stations under the “Nash FM” brand.
In the press release, Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey reiterated plans to expand the Nash identity to other media platforms.
“Following our debut of the NASH FM brand earlier this year we’re excited about expanding NASH to more radio stations as well as bringing NASH content to other forms of media including video and magazines,” said Lew Dickey, CEO of Cumulus. “Our listeners and advertisers will continue to benefit from the variety of on-air and off-air Country lifestyle content opportunities associated with the NASH brand.”
And now, to take your place of cranky web guy:
If you go to the former Hawk site, you get a web page titled NASH FM but you still get the Hawk template. Not long after the launch, the first image on the Nash page was a graphic for Sweetjack with the old hawk branding.
If you go to the Albany, GA site, one of the first things you see is a giveaway to the Billboard Music Awards. You know, the show that happened last weekend.