iHeartMedia has replaced the formats of Alternative “Alt 102.9” KFNY Centralia, and Urban “KUBE 104.9” KTDD Eatonville WA with a pair of filler music formats formats from what the company used to call its “Premium Choice” in-house networks.
102.9 KFNY is now running Smooth Jazz branded as “The South Sound’s Smooth Jazz Station”, while 104.9 KTDD is running Christian CHR branded simply as “Positive Hit Music”. The music on 104.9 matches the logs running on “Up 99.3” KZFS Spokane. The KUBE format and branding has partially moved back to its original home as it now airs on 93.3 KPWK-HD2.
INSTANT INSIGHT: Why not just keep the previous formats running until the stations are sold off? This way iHeart can take them out of even any sort of competition with their current and soon-to-be Seattle market stations. More importantly it allows iHeart to retain their intellectual property and perhaps even restore them to a full market signal upon closing of its deal with Entercom.
Update 12/10: In addition to Alternative “Alt 102.9” KFNY Centralia, Urban “KUBE 104.9” KTDD Eatonville/Tacoma WA will also drop its format at 12pm on Monday, December 11.
An application is pending to move the two stations into the Ocean States divestment trust along with “Talk 1430” WKOX Boston in order for iHeartMedia to complete its acquisitions of Entercom divestments in both markets. While iHeart has begun operating 1030 WBZ, 97.7 WKAF, and 100.7 WZLX in the Boston market and Sports “1090 The Fan” KFNQ Seattle via LMA, the company cannot operate 680 WRKO Boston, Variety Hits “96.5 Jack-FM” KJAQ, or Classic Rock 102.5 KZOK until the divestment into the trust is approved by the FCC and the deal closes in early 2018.
By flipping on Monday it is possible that iHeart found a buyer for KFNY and KTDD ready to begin operating via LMA.
Original Report 12/7: As iHeartMedia prepares to place Alternative “Alt 102.9” KFNY (formerly KFOO) Centralia/Tacoma WA into a divestiture trust in order to close on its acquisition of additional Seattle stations, the station will be dropping its current format on Monday, December 11.
The flip will become the third to take place in the Seattle/Tacoma market this month following 94.1 KMPS’s flip to Soft AC and 98.9 KVRQ’s retaliatory move to Country. KFNY registered a 0.6 share in the November Nielsen Audio ratings. The station debuted its current format in January 2016 as part of a four station format shuffle.
Eric Jon Magnuson
It looks like iHeart may be keeping both Alt and KUBE alive, but on HD-2 subchannels–respectively, on 96.5 and (fortunately) 93.3. The Twitter handles are now @alt965fm and @KUBE933.