As expected Cumulus Media flipped the former Classic Hip-Hop “93.9 The Beat” WRWM Lawrence/Indianapolis IN to CHR “Energy 93.9” WYRG at 9:39 this morning.
Positioned as “Indy’s New Hit Music Station”, the move gives Indianapolis its third Top 40 outlet as it joins Entercom’s 99.5 WZPL and Urban One’s “Radio Now 100.9” WNOW-FM. The station also re-adds the syndicated Bert Show, which previously aired on the station when it was CHR “I94” from 2011 through its 2014 move to Classic Hip-Hop.
Program Director Jay Michaels will host middays from 10am to 1pm, while “Q100” Atlanta middayer Rachel Ryan will track 1-4pm. Justin Luvv remains from the former format for 4-9pm and the syndicated Zach Sang will air from 9pm-2am.
Cumulus Media announces that its Indianapolis radio station WRWM-FM launched today as ENERGY 93.9, Indy’s new Hit Music Station. The Top 40 station, formerly programmed as a Classic Hip Hop station, debuted at 9:39am today with its first song sung by Taylor Swift and aptly entitled “Ready For It”. Cumulus Media-Indianapolis also debuted ENERGY 93.9’s new website at: Energy939Indy.com. The station’s new call letters are WYRG-FM.
ENERGY 93.9 heads into 2018 with a heavy music schedule and little interruption. The station will have on-air talent broadcasting 24/7, bringing The Bert Show back to Indy, and also featuring the popular show, Daly Download with Carson Daly. Beginning January 8, 2018, ENERGY 93.9 will introduce the following on-air lineup:
The Bert Show (6am-10am)
Jay Michaels (10am-1pm)
Rachel Ryan (1pm-4pm)
Justin Luvv (4pm-9pm)
Zach Sang (9pm-2am)
Jay Michaels, Program Director, WRWM-FM and WJJK-FM, said: “ENERGY 93.9 is the perfect complement to our dominant Classic Hits Station, WJJK; and to our country powerhouse, WFMS. With our focus on playing only the best hit music – and having engaging and relatable personalities on 24/7 – we’re ready to pump some new Energy into Indy in 2018! Not to mention, one thing I’ve heard over and over from our listeners the last three years is “Where’s The Bert Show?” – Well, they’re back!”Tom Stemlar, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Media-Indianapolis, said:
“Jay Michaels has programmed our Classic Hits station WJJK-FM to #1! I am very anxious to see what he does with even a greater mass appeal station like ENERGY-WRYG.”
Update 12/22: Cumulus’ “North Pole Radio” WRWM Lawrence/Indianapolis IN is promoting “E Day” coming to the market on Tueday, December 26 at 9:39am.
The station has reserved the WYRG call letters and has registered multiple domains although only one of those fits with an “E” theme.
Original Report 11/17: After flipping from CHR to Classic Hip-Hop in December 2014 and surging from a 1.7 share to leading the Indianapolis market with a 7.7 share in its first full ratings period, Cumulus has pulled the plug on Classic Hip-Hop “93.9 The Beat” WRWM Lawrence/Indianapolis IN.
WRWM began stunting for the holiday season at 5:30pm today as “North Pole Radio” after a ten minute farewell to the old format and teasing random formats. WRMW had still been doing better than it was prior to its flip to Classic Hip-Hop but had dropped back down into the 2’s in recent months with a 2.7 in the October PPM’s.
The move also gives WRWM a head-start against Emmis AC “B105.7” WYXB which will go Christmas next Friday.
Cumulus Media announces that it has delivered the best of the North Pole to Indianapolis Christmas music lovers with today’s launch of North Pole Radio 93.9! WRWM.FM/93.9 The Beat turned on the holiday cheer in a big way with the warm sounds of the season on North Pole Radio 93.9, launching today at 5:30pm EST with the Christmas favorite, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”. North Pole Radio 93.9 plays all Christmas music, all the time, and offers a nostalgic and fun-filled soundtrack of holiday classics to help listeners make the holiday memories of a lifetime doing the things they love with the people and the music they love most.
Tom Stemlar, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Media-Indianapolis, said: The listeners of Indianapolis love holiday music and our advertisers love great results and we think North Pole Radio will make both of those stakeholders very happy this holiday season!”
Jay Michaels, Program Director, WRWM-FM, said: “It’s been a rough year – and what else can bring people together more than Christmas music? We’re excited to kick off the holiday season a little early, and spread some Christmas cheer to Indy!”
johndavis 
ksradiogeek 
Nathan Obral 
Charles Everett 
northernexposure 
only1moore 
tsherck 
josephw 
kadakwa
Cumulus’s treatment of the “throwback” format reminded me too much of Jammin’ Oldies. The ones using the satellite feed are pretty awful.
There are a few stations around the country who have a good idea of how to do rhythmic gold, but there are more who haven’t figured it out yet. Hint: research the hell out of the local market and don’t plug in a satellite feed because not all of these songs will work everywhere!
Looking at you, Twin Cities!
That trimulcast in the Twin Cities has rarely been any factor in the market since the late 1990s.
Rap Oldies is STILL a gimmick format. Read the headline on this article.
Entercom would disagree with you.
As would KDAY.
Cumulus’ iteration of the format is one of many failed initiatives from the mind of Lew Dickey (NASH, CBS Sports Radio). Done on the cheap to make a quick buck, it absolutely deserved to fail.
It doesn’t matter if the format is “jammin’ oldies,” hip-hop classic hits, all-sports, country or CHR: if you treat it as nothing but a line item on a budget and make zero investment, the station will fail and/or severely underperform.
The E teaser must be hinting at a Rhythmic Top 40 direction, based on the image itself.
And what word can you make out of “YRG”? 😉
I went to their Facebook page. Someone mentioned if it’s flipping to Country. The response from 93.9 was “Nah.”
I’m going with Energy 93.9 On 12/26
They’ve already tipped their hand – going to the 939NorthPoleRadio.com site forwards you to EnergyIndy.com now, even though the layout is for the Christmas music station.
This station will crash and burn in the ratings. You can’t expect the public to switch to a new top 40 station if they are used to what they already listen to on a daily basis. They should have tried something different like a dance format or even a hard rock format.
A pure Dance format when much of Pop radio already has an EDM feel? Clueless to say the least.
I’ll eagerly await your resume to review your programming and research experience.