As Christmas music fades away for another 10 or 11 months, its time for another batch of mass format changes to get us into the new year. This list will be a handy all-in-one guide to all the changes taking place between Christmas and the time everyone goes back to work on January 3. To see the list of changes we’re expecting to happen check our Watchlist.
1/4: Still coming across some smaller market changes that occurred during the holidays.
1/4: Rich Broadcasting’s “106.3 The Elf” KBJX Idaho Falls has ended its run of Christmas music and launched its new AC format as “EZ Rock 106.3”
1/3: WNWV Cleveland has officially relaunched its former “107.3 The Wave” moniker, this time as Smooth AC. The former AAA had been stunting with Christmas music since Rubber City Radio closed on its purchase of the station in mid-December.
1/3: Oldies “Kool 104.1” 1030 KMAS and translator 104.1 K281BM Shelton, WA (southwest of Seattle) shifts to News/Talk “Newsradio 104.1“. The station has a local morning newscast and is running Talk Radio Network’s “Americas Newsroom” from 9am to 9pm daily.
1/3: 570 KVI Seattle has returned to Talk after its 14 month attempt at Oldies.
1/3: Clear Channel has completed its restructuring of its pair of San Francisco AM’s. “Fox News 910” is now “News/Talk 910” KKSF, while Progressive Talk “Green 960” KKGN is 960 KNEW.
1/3: 103.9 K280CV Catherdal City/Palm Springs, CA has broken its simulcast of Classic Hits “Eagle 106.9” KDGL and is now Hot AC “Crush 103.9” being fed by 92.7 KKUU-HD2.
1/3: Active Rock “94.7 OZ-FM” CHOZ St. Johns, Newfoundland shifts to CHR, but keeps the “OZ-FM” moniker.
1/3: Northern Vermont AM trimulcast of “Fox Sports Vermont” 1390 WCAT Burlington, 1420 WRSA St. Albans, and 1490 WFAS Middlebury have dropped the format and are now simulcasting Sister Classic Hits “Cruisin’ 93.7” WIFY.
1/3: Clear Channel Sports “1400 The Team” WCOS Columbia, SC has made its move to 560, where it displaced the simulcast of News/Talk 100.1 WVOC. 1400 concurrently debuted its new format as Gospel “Hallelujah 1400“.
1/3: Northeast of Little Rock, Hot AC “105.7 The Fix” KFXV Kensett/Searcy, AR shifts to Classic Country “Hank 105.7“.
1/3: In the DC suburbs of Northern Virginia, 1480 WPWC Dumfries-Triangle, VA has become Progressive Talk “We Act Radio“.
1/2: After stunting for a few hours with songs that had Bad in the title, 101.1 WQZL Belhaven/New Bern, NC dropped its simulcast of “Pure Rock 105.5” WXQR Jacksonville, NC and flipped to Variety Hits “101.1 SAM-FM“.
1/2: 101.9 KUJJ Weston, OR/Walla Walla, WA shifts from “Smooth Jazz 101.9” to CHR “Zoo 102“.
1/2: After seeing its Catholic programming move to 820 WVSG, 1580 WVKO Columbus, OH returns its brokered programming to the Progressive Talk format it ran in 2008.
1/2: Davidson Media’s 1410 WRJD Durham, NC drops Gospel “Rejoice 1410” for Spanish Christian.
1/2: 1420 WDJA Delray Beach, FL shifts from Brokered Talk to Spanish Christian “Universo 1420“.
1/2: Classic Rock 102.9 WMKB Earlville, IL slides to Regional Mexican “Mex Mix 102.9”
1/2: Cumulus’ “True Oldies 106.1” WMTI New Orleans has shifted to Sports “106.1 The Ticket“.
1/2: 93.3 KTWI Omaha ends its Christmas music run by shifting to Classic Country “93.3 The Wolf“.
1/2: Sports “1210 The Score” WSKR Baton Rouge has become Gospel “Hallelujah 1210“.
1/2: 95.7 KKSY Cedar Rapids shifts to News/Talk as WMT-FM, primarily simulcasting 600 WMT.
1/2: News/Talk 95.3 WPLZ Chattanooga shifted to Country “Cat Country 95.3”
1/1: Cumulus Hot AC “Journey 94.1” WNNF Cincinnati drops its format after less than eight months and shifts to “Great Country 94.1“.
1/1: 690 WJOX Birmingham breaks off its simulcast of sister 94.5 WJOX-FM and adds a unique program lineup as “690 The Fan“. 690 is carrying ESPN Radio from 6am to 6pm and Fox Sports Radio from 6pm to 6am and on weekends.
1/1: “102.3 The Ticket” KDSP Denver has added its affiliation with ESPN Radio and has rebranded as “102.3 ESPN“.
1/1: Rhythmic “96.3 Now” KHTC Minneapolis segued to Adult CHR with a hint of AAA “K-Twin” KTWN-FM.
1/1: 99.5 WZRR Birmingham dropped its longtime Rock format for CHR “99.5 The Vibe“.
1/1: 99.1 CJGV Winnipeg ended its Christmas stunt and began another one flipping to Hot AC as “FM 99.1” but teasing “Something New Coming on February 14”.
1/1: 540 WWCS Canonsburg/Pittsburgh, PA has flipped to Sports “Fox Sports 540“.
12/31: 1410 CKSL London, ON launched its new Comedy “Funny 1410” identity a day earlier than announced.
12/31: A high school operated station, 88.1 WSDP Plymouth, MI has dropped its former “Escape” Alternative format for CHR as “The New 88.1“.
12/31: A pair of flips took place in Dothan, AL this week. 96.9 WDJR segued from Christmas Music (after merging its Country format with new sister 95.5 WTVY-FM) to AC as “Mix 96.9“. Meanwhile, 105.3 WDBT drops News/Talk for Country as “B105.3” and new WECB-FM calls. Former WTVY-FM morning hosts Bud & Broadway will anchor the new station.
12/31: 1310 CHLW St. Paul, Alberta finalized its transition to FM as it relaunched its Country format as “97.7 The Spur” CHSP.
12/29: Recent sign-on WQEZ Cheboygan, MI which has been stunting as “Santa 97.7” launched its permanent format as Soft AC “Easy 97.7“.
12/28: Crain Media’s 93.3 KKSP Little Rock made the move from “Big Rock” to “Fresh Talk” yesterday.
12/27 – Clear Channel Hot AC “Mix 96.5” WMT-FM Cedar Rapids, IA has assumed the programming of sister “Kiss Country 95.7” KKSY. While currently simulcasting, 95.7 will assume a new format early next year.
12/27 – 1480 WDAS Philadelphia ended its Christmas programming and officially launched its new/old Urban Oldies format.
12/27 – 96.7 WLJY Whiting/Wausau, WI became CHR “Hot 96.7” at 12pm.
12/27 – 96.5 WBGI-FM Moundsville/Wheeling, WV has finally launched its Country format as “Biggie 96.5“.
12/26 – Townsquare Media Classic Hits “Cool 97.5” KOLW Pasco, WA tweaks its name to “Kool” while getting younger musically and adding Bob & Tom from sister “97 Rock“.
12/26 – CBS’ 103.1 KVFG Victorville, CA launched its previously announced Classic Hits format “103.1 The Route” at 6am local time.
12/26 – Clear Channel Hot AC “Mix 104.5” KKMY Beaumont, TX slides to Rhythmic CHR as “104.5 Kiss-FM“.
12/26 – Clear Channel Classic Hits “My 100.1” WSWR-FM Shelby, OH and simulcast parter 98.3 WXXR Fredericktown have begun simulcasting sister News/Talk 1400 WMAN Mansfield. 100.1 has changed calls to WMAN-FM, while 98.3 becomes WWMM.
12/26 – Evanov’s newly acquired 100.7 CFJL Winnipeg revamps not as “The Lounge“ as they teased, but rather as Soft AC “100.7 The Breeze“.
12/26 – Clear Channel Hot AC “92.1 My-FM” WLTQ Venice/Sarasota, FL, following a run as “Santa 92.1” comes out of Christmas music as AC “92.1 The Coast“.
12/26 – Clear Channel 90s Hits “Gen X 97.3” WGEX Bainbridge/Albany, GA comes out of Christmas music as CHR “97.3 Hit Music Now“.
12/26 – With the retirement of morning host Jim Harper, Greater Media AC “Magic 105.1” WMGC Detroit used the end of Christmas music to revamp as “Soft Rock 105.1“.
12/25 – CBS AC “Lite 102.9” WLTE Minneapolis made its previously announced move to Country “Buz’n 102.9” a little earlier than expected, launching at 6pm.
Carl
In Canada, What’s the deal with Evanov group? Are they going to change the Z’s over to energy 103.5 in Toronto and Halifax?