Seven Mountains Media completed its revamp of its Johnstown PA cluster today with the launch of CHR “Pop Radio 104.5” on the former News/Talk 1490 WNTJ/104.5 W283CX Johnstown.
WNTJ is simulcasting with Seven Mountains’ recently launched “Pop Radio 104.5” 1290 WFBG/104.5 W283DI Altoona. It replaces the former “Hot 92.1” WJHT Johnstown as the company’s CHR in its cluster although WJHT was previously running Westwood One’s Hot AC network.
WNTJ’s former simulcaster, 990 WNTI/103.5 W278CR Somerset PA has flipped to a simulcast of Country “Froggy 95.5” WFGI-FM Johnstown under new WGGI call letters.
As previously expected, Oldies “Cool 101.7” WCCL Central City is now Classic Hits “WOWY Radio” under new WOWQ call letters. WOWQ joins the network based at 103.1 WOWY State College that is also heard on 103.9 WQWY Bellwood and 1430 WTNA/99.7 W259DG Altoona and 1150 WHUN/97.7 W249DD and 103.5 WHUN-FM Huntingdon. The station’s logo continues to include a yet-to-launch 105.7 as well.
92.1 WJHT is now running an “under construction” loop following the launch of “Pop Radio“. The loop is identical to the nightlight content that ran on the stations Seven Mountains is divesting in State College and continues to run four months later on 94.5 WNLI (formerly WBHV-FM) since early January.
AC “Key 96.5” WKYE adjusts its music to a more Hot AC presentation as it moves from Westwood One to local origination.
Seven Mountains Media also owns Classic Rock “Rocky 99.1” WRKW Ebensburg/93.9 W230BK Johnstown, which also dropped Westwood One and leases Christian AC “K-Love” 97.7 WLKH Somerset to Educational Media Foundation in the market.
Original Report 5/5: Just as it did earlier this year in both State College and Altoona, Seven Mountains Media is preparing to flip its News/Talk station in Johnstown PA to CHR “Pop Radio“.
News/Talk 1490 WNTJ/104.5 W283CX Johnstown began stunting on Monday with a loop of NSYNC’s “Pop” and promoting a format change for Friday, May 5 at 10:00am. That’s the same stunt the company has utilized to launch most of its “Pop Radio” brands across the company’s footprint. The flip of WNTJ/W283CX to CHR will likely the predated by a change at the company’s existing CHR “Hot 92.1” WJHT Johnstown.
It is expected that at least two other changes could be coming to Seven Mountains’ Johnstown cluster this week at WNTJ simulcaster 990 WNTI Somerset has applied to change call letters to WGGI and Oldies “Cool 101.7” WCCL Central City will become WOWQ on Thursday, May 4. Classic Hits 103.1 WOWY State College has had 101.7 in its logo (along with a still unconfirmed 105.7) since it began simulcasting on 103.9 WQWY and 1430 WTNA/99.7 W259DG Altoona in March.
Seven Mountains Media acquired its Johnstown cluster as part of its $17,375,000 purchase of Forever Media’s stations in 5 markets last fall. The cluster includes CHR “Hot 92.1” WJHT Johnstown, Country “Froggy 95.5” WFGI-FM Johnstown, AC “Key 96.5” WKYE Johnstown, Christian AC “K-Love” 97.7 WLKH Somerset, Classic Rock “Rocky 99.1” WRKW Ebensburg/93.9 W230BK Johnstown, Oldies “Cool 101.7” WCCL Central City, and News/Talk 1490 WNTJ/104.5 W283CX Johnstown and 990 WNTI/103.5 W278CR Somerset.
