Update 4/1: 92.3 WCMQ has flipped to Salsa as “Zeta 92“. Billed as “Salsa y Más”, the station’s imaging voice is Cuban-American singer Willy Chirino. As expected the station is modeled upon sister “Zeta 93” WZNT San Juan.
Original Report 3/11: Recent domain registrations indicate Spanish Broadcasting may be preparing a trio of flips in its Miami cluster resulting in the return of the heritage “Zeta” brand to the market.
The first move based on registrations of ElZol106.com and ElSol106.com would see Tropical “El Zol 95.7” WXDJ’s programming replace Columbian “Cima 106.3” WRAZ and/or Spanish AC “Romance 106.7” WRMA.
For 95.7, SBS has registered a generic 95Miami.com. Not much we can make out of that one, but if the next registrations come to fruition it could be a combination of the displaced Romance and Spanish Oldies “Clasica 92.3” WCMQ.
That brings us to 92.3. SBS has registered Zeta92.com, Zeta92Miami.com, and Z92Miami.com. As many may recall, the Zeta name had a long history in Miami on 94.9 as Rock first as “Zeta-4” WINZ-FM and later “Zeta 94.9” WZTA until Clear Channel flipped it to Spanish CHR “Mega” in 2005. We’d be surprised if a return to Rock was in the plans here though. SBS operates all-Salsa “Zeta 93” WZNT in Puerto Rico. It is that station we’d expect to see cloned at 92.3.
In the most recent PPM monthlies, the older skewing 92.3 was 7th in the market with a 4.5 share, WRMA 16th at 2.8, and WXDJ tied for 17th at 2.4. A move of the latter to 106.7 would give it a much stronger signal in the market as both 92.3 and 95.7 are Dade County oriented Class C2’s. 106.7 with its 100kW tower in Broward County covers the entire market which would put it on equal footing with Clear Channel’s “Mega 94.9” and “Super X 103.5” as well as Univision’s “Amor 107.5” WAMR.
Zeta4 is not returning to Miami.
Zeta 92 will likely be a clone of “Z93” WZNT/San Juan, which is a highly successful classic-based Salsa format owned by SBS.
What will occur? Clasica 92 WCMQ will change calls and tweak its format by dumping or trimming much of the English-language titles. The pop gold will move to another station — or disappear.
WCMQ’s demos right now are simply too old and this gives SBS a way to bring in more 25-54 Spanish-dominant listeners.
Meanwhile, Cima is already dying as El Zol 95’s programming is simulcast in morning drive on the South Dade 106.3 frequency – really a North Keys signal. El Zol will likely go into a full simulcast of 95.7/106.3 because SBS has too much invested in this brand. And, it would complement Zeta 92 better by making El Zol contemporary and younger – with Rey Ruiz already in morning drive and in need of a kick-start.
Romance is likely not changing, as it is in a three-way battle with Super X (Clear Channel) and Amor (Univision Radio).
This is why message boards can’t replace reporting by actual reporters, folks. Speculation does nothing but create frantic phone calls by concerned industry executives that should have nothing to be concerned about.