A Classic Country battle has broken out in Helena, MT.
Over the weekend, Montana Radio Company signed on 104.5 K283BP Helena/107.3 KIMO-HD4 Townsend as Classic Country “Mo’ Legends 104.5” as a flanker to “Mo Country 107.3” KIMO. In a press release Montana Radio Company CEO Kevin Terry states:
Today’s country music is entering new territory. Artists like Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, and Jason Aldean are hugely popular and our listeners of 107 The Mighty Mo can’t get enough of them. At the same time, our listeners have been also begging us to play more of country’s hits of yesterday. We’ve found that it has been tough to satisfy both requests on a single station. That’s why we have launched an entirely new signal dedicated to playing “Country’s Greatest Hits.” And, so far, the response from our listeners has been nothing but extremely positive.
Montana Radio Company had been promoting that the 104.5 signal was to become “104.5 The Trail“, likely a clone or simulcast of sister “103.3 The Trail” KDTR Missoula.
Why the change in direction? After dropping their Country “98.5 The Coyote” format last week, Cherry Creek Radio’s KOYT Montana City relaunched this afternoon as Classic Country “Helena’s Gold Country” KHGC.
At the same time, sister Country “Hot Country 99.5” KBLL-FM has relaunched as “99.5 The Bull“.
INSTANT INSIGHT: While not related to the programming choices, we do find it quite interesting the differences in how both new stations were announced to potential listeners.
KIMO promoted 104.5 with a press release and this:
Meanwhile Cherry Creek News/Talk 1240 KBLL merely wrote this:
