Entercom relaunched “Magic 102.7” WMXJ Pompano Beach/Miami as mostly 1980s Classic Hits “102.7 The Beach” at the stroke of midnight and 2016.
Now positioned as “More Music, More Fun”, the station debuted with Michael Jackson “The Way You Make Me Feel”, Billy Idol “White Wedding”, Madonna “Material Girl”, The Outfield “Your Love”, and Wham! “Careless Whisper”. Imaging includes music stretching from Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” to Quiet Riot’s “Cum On Feel The Noise”.
The eight “Throwback 102.7” related domains registered earlier this week now can be considered to have been decoys.
Original Report 12/8: Entercom Classic Hits “Magic 102.7” WMXJ Pompano Beach/Miami has let go of most of its on-air staff and is running jockless. Is a format change next?
The Miami Herald reports that three full-time and six part-time staffers were dismissed on Monday. Among those exiting are APD/Morning co-host Mindy Lang who had been with the station for over thirty years, Morning co-host Vance Phillips, middayer Joe Johnson, and weekender Gnarly Charlie. Only afternoon host DJ Holiday remains with the station. The Herald reports that the current format will remain mixed with Christmas music through the end of the year with a full change to come in early 2016.
Pattie Moreno joined WMXJ as Program Director in early November. She most recently programmed Entravision Rhythmic CHR “Hot 103.5” KHHM Sacramento. Most of her career has been spent on the west coast at Rhythmic CHR’s including “Blazin’ 98.9” XHMOR Tijuana/San Diego, “B95” KBOS Fresno, and “Wild 102.9” KWYL Reno.
INSTANT INSIGHT: Based on Moreno’s resume and potential format holes in the Miami market, we’re placing our bets on a Rhythmic Hot AC or Classic Hip-Hop station along the lines of Entercom’s “Q102” 102.1 KRBQ San Francisco or “Hot 103.7” KHTP Seattle. That said, they must really see a viable hole to blow up a station that is currently ranked sixth overall in the market with a 4.5 share.
only1moore 
Jay Rudko 
Cory 
Joseph_Gallant 
Nathan Obral 
Charles Everett 
maytableinc 
saladressing 
ksradiogeek 
geekjedi 
earlyriser 
homerjay 
Wow! What a shocker! Who knows, maybe they’ll do a better job than WMIA did.
This brings up the question of who’s go in to pick up the slack when Magic flips. Truthfully, I think the folks at Entercom have flipped to mess with a station that’s number 6 in the market. I had a bad feeling about Entercom taking over this cluster; seems I was right.
The flip to WSFS was crazy enough, but to blow up a well-performing station for Rhythmic AC or Classic Hip Hop is insanity. Is Entercom Miami just a tax write-off?
Since no analog radio station in the Miami area is (to my knowledge) programming an all-Christmas format, I could see WMXJ-102.7 go all-Christmas for a few weeks, then launch a new format in early January.
I suspect Classic Hip-Hop is most likely, given that it’s the “hot” format of the moment. Whether the Classic Hip-Hop format becomes as enduring as Classic Rock, or the latest “fad” (read: “Jack FM” or “Jammin’ Oldies”) remains to be seen.
Classic hip-hop is meant as a flanker format for mainstream urban stations. It is not meant as a standalone format.
Given Ms. Moreno’s background, she might try for a Rhythmic Hot AC and take advantage of the city’s Dance culture. Plus you got listeners who have moved on from WPOW now that CBS has shifted Power 96 to Top 40, so they pick the perfect timing to make this move.
Lincoln Financial built its Miami cluster to success. Entercom is taking a sledgehammer to it, first pulling Sports (with the Miami Heat) off FM in favor of alt-rock, now dumping Greatest Hits after 30-some years. That’s what people should be angry about.
And any change to Rap Oldies would be seen as a gimmick, even in the city that was home to The 2 Live Crew.
To Entercom: Please don’t fix something that is NOT broken.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
As far as I know, Entercom is not very friendly with this particular format. Might be a good time for iHeartMedia to give it a go on WMIA.
In the rhythmic classics genre, most stations are carbon copies of the next however Entercom’s Q102/SF and Hot 103.7/Seattle are two of the most inventive and unique stations in the country in any genre.
Hopefully a rhythmic classics station in South Florida would also sprinkle in some of the dance hits that have been popular in the past in the area.
Well, it looks like a WFLC staffer is leaving that station December 18 (2015). She’s already given hints of what she plans to do.
Entercom is a fairly smart company, but I’m questioning why they’re doing this.
An 80s format? They’ll last long as ” Miami Vice.”
From Wikipedia “Miami Vice”: The series ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984 to 1989.
I’ll take it.
Although the show’s last two seasons under Dick Wolf paled mightily in comparison to what everyone else remembers the show for…
Sounds more like a re branding and more 80s music added. I guess 80s-based Classic Hits. Still playing Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl, Steve Miller – The Joker, Lou Rawls – You’ll Never Find Another Love, Doobie Brothers – Long Train Running, Bee Gees – More Than A Woman, Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music, War – Low Rider, Earth, Wind & Fire – Fantasy, even some early 90s Michael Jackson – Black Or White, Santana – Oye Como Va, K.C. & The Sunshine Band – Get Down Tonight, etc.
The playlist is very limited from what I can tell by paging thru their website. Lots of repeats. Guessing they’ll expand things both 80s and 70s over time.
That’s the hot format lately. CBS-FM, K-HITS, etc.
It’s not just the “hot format…” it’s the future of the classic hits format outright. 1980s music is now three decades old, after all. CBS-FM is targeting those who grew up listening to the original Z100, as they should be.
This is all about paying lower salaries on air. They wouldn’t have put on a relatively similar format without plans of a) jock less presentation or b) grabbing them some 30 year old desperado jocks who will work for 30 k /yr.
Let’s see which turns out to be true. Entercom’s CEO said he couldrun LFM cheaper. He is.
Yes, and running things cheaper is inherently evil, right?
When it causes uneccesaty job losses, yes.
That’s necessary.
Who’s to say what’s necessary and what’s not? This is radio, it’s not like this should surprise anyone.
It’s every business. Radio is not somehow exempt.
I would be surprised if The Beach isn’t a jockless adult hits station not unlike “Jack FM.” This repositioning could easily have been done without blowing out the entire airstaff. Heck, WODC/Columbus is retaining their airstaff (a mix tape of local and “Premium Choice” VTed hosts) after their recent flip from classic hits to 80-based adult hits.
It would surprise me if it was jockless. Not Entercom’s MO for anything other than the Variety Hits formats, and even those stations started adding voices.
Full disclosure: I work for Entercom, but not in programming and not in Miami. Anything I post here is my simply my opinion.
They will NOT be jockless. The afternoon host from Magic was retained and word is a pretty big morning host will be “crossing the street” once contractually able to.
But something does still seem off with this flip. Maybe playing The Tide Is High 21 times on Friday? Maybe I’m just overthinking those Throwback domains.