Over the past week we have become aware of a few format changes that have taken place over recent months that have not been reported anywhere.
Starting in Lubbock TX, Walker Broadcasting & Communications gave 1420 KJDL its third format of the calendar year. Originally CHR “Z98.5” paired with K253BD Lubbock, the station assumed the Alternative format and “Edge” branding from 105.7 KRBL Idalou in February. After the translator moved to 98.7 as K254CI, the format was flipped at some point in August to Classic Country “Raider 98.7“. Considering the station’s website is still 1057Edge.com, it’s not really a surprise the station isn’t up on letting the world know about the new format.
Salem Communications quietly launched Soft AC “Lite 102.9” W275BJ/WGTK-HD2 Greenville. Salem had purchased the translator in September 2014 for $185,000 and moved it into Greenville. Despite no presence in the Summer Nielsen Audio ratings, W275BJ may have made itself felt as Entercom AC “Magic 98.9” WSPA-FM dropped to a 3.4 share from a 4.7 in the Spring book.
Following the closing of its purchase of 98.5 KGIL Johannesburg, CA from Mount Wilson FM, Adelman Broadcasting flipped the station from a simulcast of “Go Country 105.1” KKGO Los Angeles to “98.5 Nash Icon“. The station is utilizing the entire Westwood One network feed.
Eversole Media Group launched Rhythmic CHR “106.3 The Heat” in Missoula, MT in May. The station is operating on Edgewater Broadcasting’s 106.3 K292GH Missoula via Wester Rockies Radio’s 97.9 KDXT-HD3. CHOM Montreal morning co-host Heather Backman is voicetracking mornings for the station.
NOT SO INSTANT INSIGHT: In a world powered by social media its quite surprising that a radio station would want their presence to be a complete surprise. Without a press-release the other radio trade publications will not bother to seek out their existence, but how does a station not try to make their presence known to their local market?
tsherck 
K.M. Richards 
johndavis 
Also add IHeaet Media’s WDFM Defiance, OH 98.1 as They have shifted from Hot AC to Mainstream AC still using monker Mix 98.1 and sister WNDH 103.1 Napoleon, OH has shifted to Classic Hits as Napoleon’s Classic Hits Station. I think this is very odd for a big company like IHeart as this was done in September 2014.
Same thing happened when my client in Albuquerque flipped last year. Even though we notified the trades, not a mention of it until I offered audio of the flip to Lance for the Format Change Archive … weeks later.
Are the trades becoming selective in what format changes they report? Do e-mails get lost on their servers? Do we need fax machines again?
I’ve lost count of how many times I was told over the years “We don’t need billboards to advertise, we have our own transmitter.” Although the guy who said that most often was really good about getting publicity in market, there’s a “if we build it they will come” attitude at a lot of stations.