Update 9/2: WJYE dropped its heritage “96.1 Joy-FM” name and call letters today in favor of “Mix 96” and WMSX.
The move follows a recent brightening of the station’s music to place it closer to Entercom’s competing Hot AC “Star 102.5” WTSS. No changes will take place to the station’s on-air lineup with the rebranding.
Original Report 6/29: Yet another heritage Adult Contemporary is preparing to rebrand to shift its demographics younger.
Townsquare Media has registered Mix96Buffalo.com for AC “96.1 Joy-FM” WJYE. The registration comes days after the station hired Dave Universal as its new Program Director. Universal, who had been working in sales at WJYE, previously spent 18 years programming Entercom CHR “Kiss 98.5” WKSE and seven at “Z101” CFLZ Niagara Falls.
The “Mix” moniker was previously used in Buffalo at Citadel’s 104.1 WHTT from 2007 to 2009 during a failed attempt at shifting the Classic Hits station to AC.
and look at WHTT’s ratings after they changed from Mix… not sure if this is going to really tackle Entercom’s WTSS… they’ve previously changed from calling themselves just by their callsign and later rebranded back to their heritage “Joy” branding… nothing really changed….
Wasn’t Dave Universal the same Dave Universal who got caught up in payola at WKSE-98.5 and/or CFLZ??
Prosecuting the case was Elliot Spitzer, who rode it all the way to the Governor’s Office in New York State…..until [b]he[/b] got caught in an embarrassing scandal of his own!