Update 11/3: All further updates to the list of Christmas stations will be made here.
Update 11/2: The shifts to Christmas continue to come as Entercom AC “Star 102.5” WTSS Buffalo and Clear Channel AC’s “Magic 93.7” WMJY Biloxi and 105.9 KGBX Springfield, MO join the list of stations.
A second Buffalo station, Townsquare Media AC “96.1 Joy-FM” WJYE joined WTSS at 2:00pm.
Original Report 11/1: As the calendar changes to November, stations across the country have begun to make the move to Christmas music for the holiday season.
Norfolk, VA and Louisville have already seen two stations in their markets make the move today. In Norfolk, Entercom AC “The New 101.3” WWDE flipped at midnight and was joined by Clear Channel Rhythmic AC “Movin 107.7” WMOV-FM at 6am. In Louisville, Summit Media AC “Lite 106.9” WVEZ Louisville flipped at 9am and was joined by Clear Channel 90s Hits “Gen X Radio 100.5” WLGX in the afternoon.
Among the known stations also making the switch this morning:
- Clear Channel Classic Hits “Classic 93.1” KHLX Sacramento
- “True Oldies 1170” KRUE Waseca, MN
- Pillar of Fire Christian AC “Star 93.3” WAKW Cincinnati
- SJ Broadcasting AC “Sunny 95.3” WJEK Champaign IL
- “97.7 Guess-FM” 1430 WOWW/W249BN Memphis
- Clear Channel Hot AC “Mix 93.1” WSVO Staunton, VA
- Bristol Broadcasting Classic Rock 94.7 WQQR Paducah ditched its branding for “Christmas 94.7“
- Clear Channel’s “Oldies 107.3” WODX Rochester
- Clear Channel Hot AC “Mix 94.5” WMXL Lexington
- Clear Channel Hot AC “Mix 95.7” W239BV Winchester, VA
- Clear Channel Hot AC “Capital 106.3” KPTL Des Moines
- CBS has launched All-Christmas on WWFS-HD2 New York and WODS-HD3 Boston
These stations join “Santa 100.9” K265CA Albuquerque which launched on August 31, and “Holly-FM” 103.9 WNDR Syracuse, “Easy 93.1” WEZW Wildwood NJ, 104.9 KYXE Yakima WA, “92.1 The Coast” WLTQ Sarasota and 1290 WZTI Milwaukee which made the move to Christmas music at various times in October.
Have we missed a Christmas flip? Let us know in the comments below.
Buffalo’s WJYE-96.1 also flipped; according to Tune Genie.com, they did so at 1:47 P.M. EDT this afternoon (November 2nd); just a few hours after WTSS did (WTSS did so at 8 A.M. EDT today).
Had WTSS flipped on a weekday; WJYE may have responded sooner and might have gone within minutes. Maybe someone tipped-off the WJYE program director, who was probably not at work, and the PD gave the go-ahead to switch.
Additionally, Burlington, Vermont’s WEZF-92.9 has posted a countdown on their homepage indicating that they will go all-Christmas at 6 A.M. Eastern Standard Time on November 22nd.
Although it’s unlikely that anyone else in the HGurlington/Plattsburgh market will go all-Christmas (WEZF usually has the field to itself), should someone flip before that, WEZF will go sooner.