Update 3/14: “104.3 K-Hits” debuted as expected at 1:04pm following a music montage of the years the station will be focusing on. Listen to the launch at FormatChange.com.
The first hour of music on K-Hits consisted of:
Chicago – Beginnings
The Rolling Stones – Start Me Up
Maxine Nightingale – Right Back Where We Started From
The Beatles – Twist and Shout
Prince & The Revolution – Let’s Go Crazy
Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
The Doobie Brothers – Listen to the Music
KC and The Sunshine Band – Get Down Tonight
Loverboy – Working For The Weekend
Fleetwood Mac – Don’t Stop
Journey – Don’t Stop Believing
Elton John – Crocodile Rock
Men Without Hats – Safety Dance
Styx – Come Sail Away
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Second Update 3/10: “K-Hits 104.3” will debut Monday, March 14 at 1:04pm. In addition to Eddie & JoBo in the mornings the station lineup will include Gary Spears in middays and Bo Reynolds in afternoons. Spears was at B96 from 1982 to 1984 and again from 1990 to 1994. He is best known for his run in middays at KIIS-FM Los Angeles. Reynolds worked at B96 from 1987 to 1990 and was most recently in afternoons at Wilks Classic Hits “Kool 105” KXKL Denver.
Update 3/10: Robert Feder confirms that WJMK will become “K-Hits” on Monday with Eddie & JoBo in the morning.
Unlike our presumption the format would be a more modern Oldies format, Feder reports the new station will be a traditional 60’s through 80’s Classic Hits outlet targeting 25-54. The station will continue to be programmed by Todd Cavanah, who also programs Rhythmic CHR “B96” WBBM-FM.
The new format will be in direct competition with Citadel’s 94.7 WLS-FM, which assumed the Classic Hits mantle from WJMK a few months after 104.3 dropped the format for Jack-FM in June 2005. Bonneville’s “97.1 The Drive” WDRV and “Rewind 100.3” WILV will also have musical overlap with the new station.
Original Report 3/9: CBS Radio is preparing a flip at one of its Chicago stations.
KHitsChicago.com was registered last week and has today been moved to CBS’ Radio.com server. CBS has two struggling frequencies that could be potential targets for a flip: Variety Hits “104.3 Jack-FM” WJMK and AC “Fresh 105.9” WCFS. We’re leaning towards WJMK as 1043KHits.com was also registered anonymously in January.
Incidentally, Robert Feder of Time-Out Chicago reported this morning that longtime “B96” Morning Hosts Eddie & JoBo have an offer on the table to return to mornings at an undisclosed Chicago station.
What format would K-Hits be? Jack has been hurt by Bonneville’s 80’s heavy AC “Rewind 100.3” WILV. If Eddie & JoBo are being pursued for this new station our guess is a Gen-X Oldies format focusing on the music they played during their heyday at B96. Such a format would potentially flank B96 and Fresh while taking listeners from Bonneville’s WILV and sister Adult CHR “101.9 The Mix” WTMX as well as Clear Channel’s “93.9 Lite-FM” WLIT and “103.5 Kiss-FM” WKSC,
Thaddeus C. Budzynski
I didn’t care for Jack-Fm when it first started in 2005. I didn’t have a computer at that time to listen to Oldies 104.3 when it was moved to the internet. I really missed hearing Paul Perry in the morning, Greg Brown during the midday, Fred Winston in the afternoon and Dick Biondi at night. I thought I would never hear them again till a year later, when True Oldies moved into 94.7-FM and brought back the oldies along with John Records Landecker,Greg Brown and Dick Biondi. I love listening to True Oldies 94.7, and sometimes I would listen to Jack-FM. Now that I got use to listening to Jack-FM, I will miss that station. I’ll still be continuing to listen to True Oldies 94.7, but I will miss Jack-FM too.
KHits, I wish you well.