Update 1/19: 96.1 made its flip to “My Country 96.1” WJVC at 12am this morning. The airstaff will include former 94.3 WMJC morning team Phathead and Cande Roth in mornings, Jay Letterman in middays, and “Party” Marty Mitchell in afternoons. Phathead is also the new Program Director of the station, while Mitchell is APD/MD.
Update 1/13: JVC Broadcasting has announced it will flip 96.1 WKJI to Country as “My Country 96.1” on Tuesday, January 18. The Facebook event page says the station will debut with the semi-standard 10,000 songs in a row. This will give Long Island its first Country outlet since 94.3 WMJC flipped to 80’s in 2004.
As reported by Northeast Radio Watch earlier today, the station has applied for new WJVC calls as well.
Original Report 10/21: It’s shaping up to be a busy autumn in Central Long Island. Following last week’s report of a potential format change at Barnstable’s 94.3 WMJC, the company announced the sale of Classic Rock 103.9 WRCN and AC simulcaster 96.1 WKJI to JVC Broadcasting for $3 Million.
JVC, owners of Dance CHR “Party 105.3” WPTY and Spanish “98.5 La Fiesta” WBON, have registered a trio of domains hinting at a new format for 96.1. The new domains are: 961TheDuck.com, LICountry.com, and My961FM.com.
Joseph 
Viviane Canes
Interestingly enough, WALK-FM-HD2 has it’s own in-house Country format, which they image as “Long Island Country, Walk 97.5 HD2”. It is of course, jockless, however, put together quite well. Its possible that enough HD receivers hit the market to influence JVC to take 96.1 Country. As of this writing, K-JOY is still a live AC.
Two comments:
(1) I don’t think JVC is buying WKJY.
(2) New York City itself, and not Long Island, is the place that really needs a country-music station!
JVC only acquired 96.1 and 103.9 WRCN. 98.3 WKJY, 94.3 WIGX, 103.1 WBZO, and 1100 WHLI are still with Barnstable, although rumors persist they may be sold soon as well.
Country is a suburban format as it pertains to New York City. If WJVC and Thunder 106 in Jersey show strong numbers, it will make the format look more desirable for one of the city FM’s. After 9 years without the format (15 if you discount Y107) these are small but powerful first steps in regaining a foothold.
This flip has caused a lot of excitement on fb and the various discussion boards. There has always been enthusiasm simmering under the surface about a Country station coming to New York, but as Lance mentioned above, it is still a suburban format. It will take a lot of convincing to get Manhattan businesses to become interested in advertising on a midtown Country station. That said, there’s a lot riding on the success of 96.1 – and that is as a Long Island signal penetrating Midtown
With regard to Manhattan, ratings don’t necessarilly mater in this case, since Country competes with AC demos, and there would be enormous resistance to any potential clients to take their money out of stations like Lite FM and move it to a Country station.
The station, as it IS, however… it’s marketed as a Long Island Country station. I believe out there, it should do very well.
The flip, BTW, is posted on RI’s sister site, Airchexx.com and will make its way to the Format Change Archive soon. Here’s the link: http://airchexx.com/2011/01/19/format-change-96-1-flips-from-wkji-k-joy-santa-mariges-ny-simulcast-to-wjvc-my-country-96-1/
So glad to hear that after 7 years we finally get Country Music back on Long Island….or if need be back to New York
City & Island. Country is definitely making a comeback in the New York area &
we should have a venue to listen to the music, latest news/gossip on its singers,
stars, etc., as well as, upcoming news on
country happenings in the area.