At noon W279CI Danbury debuted its permanent identity as Alternative “103.7 FM – Danbury’s New Rock Alternative“. The station will run commercial-free for the remainder of the summer. Nate Mumford, APD/MD of sister “98Q” WDAQ and PD of Classic Hits “B107.3” WAXB will add those duties at W279BI.
The Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation, owner of WLAD, 98Q and B107.3/850AM, has signed on a brand new radio station in Danbury, Connecticut.
The station, at 103.7 on the FM dial, is programming an alternative rock format and branding as “Danbury NEW Rock Alternative.” Featured artists include the Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Nirvana, Florence and the Machine, Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, Beck, Green Day, Linkin Park and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
“There’s a huge hole in the Danbury area for this format,” comments Berkshire Chief Executive Officer Irv Goldstein. “I95 (WRKI) has been playing the same Cream, Zeppelin and Pink Floyd records since 1975. Enough already! 103.7 Danbury’s NEW Rock Alternative gives rock listeners under the age of 45 a refuge and, for the first time in the market, a real rock choice.”
103.7 will air commercial free for the rest of the summer. For now, the station will run without announcers. “It’s all about the music,” said Goldstein. Nate Mumford, 98Q Music Director/Assistant Program Director and B1073/850AM Program Director will also handle Program Director duties for the new 103.7.
In addition to broadcasting at 103.7FM, “Danbury’s NEW Rock Alternative” is also available at 98.3 HD-2 and will stream online at 1037rock.com and at tuneinradio.com.
The addition of 103.7 further enhances Berkshire Broadcasting’s ability to superserve both listeners and advertisers. “98Q (98.3FM) is the long time dominant contemporary music station in the area – especially with women – and the alternative rock format on 103.7 should bring even more men to the party. These two stations, together with News/Talk 800 WLAD – the area’s top rated AM station – and our 70’s/80’s classic hits station B1073/850AM, give Berkshire Broadcasting even more reach across all age groups or, as we like to say in advertising circles, ‘from cradle to grave.’ “
Original Report 8/7: Berkshire Broadcasting has launched 103.7 W279CI Danbury, CT and has begun stunting in preparation of launching a new format on Monday, August 10 at 12:00pm.
W279CI is being fed by Berkshire’s 98.3 WDAQ-HD3 and currently running loops of different songs every hour. So far we’ve heard Dierks Bentley’s “Drunk On A Plane” and Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rappers Delight”. W279CI is licensed to operate with 250 watts at 131 meters from the tower of WDAQ (Coverage Map).
W279CI joins a Berkshire Broadcasting Danbury cluster that includes Hot AC “98Q” 98.3 WDAQ, Classic Hits “B107.3” 850 WAXB/107.3 W297AN, and News/Talk 800 WLAD.
For Country there’s Town Square Media’s KICKS 105.5 WDBY Patterson, NY with a booster in downtown Danbury.
“Nate Mumford… will add those duties at W279BI.”
And the first artist banner on the website is… Mumford and Sons. Coincidence? Hahahahahaha…
These translators are quite popular, why not recharter all FM stations to a 250 license and allow more services to enter the radio market?