Cumulus Classic Hits 96.1 WHNN Bay City/Saginaw MI will flip to AC at 5:00pm today.
To be rebranded as “My 96.1“, the new format will be positioned as “The Best Variety of Yesterday and Today”. Exiting with the format change are morning hosts Johnny Burke and Blondie. The rest of the airstaff including midday host Bob Moore, OM/Afternoon Host Scott Stine and night host Craig Allen remain.
WHNN has had an Oldies/Classic Hits format since 1990. The new format will place the station between McDonald Garber Broadcasting’s Soft AC “The Bay” 104.1 WSAG and Digity Media Hot AC “Mix 106.3” WGER-FM.
Kyle G. 
Charles Everett 
Mark W.
…Why? The current format is very successful in both Saginaw/Bay City/Midland and Flint markets, and with the strong signal would also be putting itself in direct competition with privately owned AC’s/full services, such as WIDL, WTGV, WLEW, WCZY, WQBX, WJSZ, WMPX-AM/WMRX, not to mention two very successful AC stations, WCRZ in Flint and WFMK in Lansing when you get towards the southwest part of the listening area. I guess if Cumulus does it right, it could work, but I don’t see what is wrong with the current format.
Cars 108 isn’t city-grade into Saginaw and WFMK is a very distant signal. Cumulus Media just filled a wide-open format hole. Most importantly, that format is easier to sell than Oldies.
LOL — It’s “wide open,” Charles, because AC hasn’t performed well in Saginaw-Bay City-Midland in years!!! It’s why no one else picked up the torch after 106.3 went Adult CHR. Country is hugely popular among female listeners in this market, which limits the potential AC audience.
Also, 96WHNN was Classic Hits – not Oldies.
WOMC, located down I-75 in Detroit, is consistently a top 5 biller in that market. WHNN as Classic Hits earned great ratings in its home market and pretty good numbers in the neighboring Flint market, too.
If WHNN’s billing had sagged, that was likely a function of Cumulus’ lousy sales culture and the fact Mid-Michigan simply has a weak economy, not some sort of aversion toward the radio station on the part of advertisers.
If anything, Wheelz 104.5 should’ve been the station to get tossed, and perhaps 96.1’s playlist could’ve been taken in more of a classic rock leaning direction.
Mike McVay thinks WHNN can be to Saginaw what Cars 108 is to Flint and WFMK is to Lansing. He is sadly mistaken.