As expected following our Domain Insight report earlier today, iHeartMedia has flipped Alternative “Alt 106.7” WDTW-FM Detroit to Classic Rock “106.7 Detroit’s Wheels” WLLZ.
The move came after stunting with a loop of AC/DC’s “It’s A Long Way To The Top” for an hour. The launch resurrects the brand that was on 98.7 from August 1980 until its flip to Smooth Jazz in 1995. It launched as a Rock 40 and led to 106.7 WWWW dropping Rock (and Howard Stern) for Country days after its first ratings book. The return to Rock positions the new WLLZ between Beasley Media’s pair of Classic Rock 94.7 WCSX and Rock 101.1 WRIF.
The station is branding as “The Next Generation of Classic Rock” and will feature a lineup of Motor City stalwarts. Former “97.1 The Ticket” WXYT-FM morning co-host Bill McAllister will take mornings. Former WRIF and WCSX host Trudi Daniels will host middays, while former WCSX afternoon host Doug Podell takes afternoons. Program Director Casey Krukowski remains with the station and will also host evenings.
In the January 2019 Nielsen Audio ratings, “Alt 106.7” held a 1.5 share of the Detroit market while WCSX was third in the market with a 6.9 share and WRIF fourth with a 6.0.
iHeartMedia Detroit announced today the debut of the new 106.7 Detroit’s Wheels (WLLZ), The New Generation of Classic Rock, effective immediately.
106.7 Detroit’s Wheels will broadcast a new generation of Classic Rock including songs from artists like AC/DC, Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne and Pearl Jam. The new station will also feature some of Detroit’s most beloved on-air personalities including Trudi Daniels, Doug Podell and Bill McAllister as well as other legendary on-air personalities in rock Detroit radio.
“Detroit’s Wheels is back,” said Paul Corvino, Region President for iHeartMedia Detroit. “The attitude, music and personalities featured on 106.7 Detroit’s Wheels is the perfect formula and will contribute to building a great audience for our advertisers.”
“The people now have a unique destination for rock in Detroit,” said Tony Travatto, Region Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Detroit. “There’s an unfulfilled audience in Detroit radio and this new station will quench that thirst. We are excited to change the rock landscape in the Motor City!”
Full Programming Lineup:
Bill McAllister 6 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Trudi Daniels 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Doug Podell 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Casey Krukowski 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.
johndavis 
Charles Everett 
chrisbubb 
Steve Varholy 
Website is already flipped to WLLZ… launching now with Back In Black.
“The New Generation of Classic Rock.”
Yet it looks like it won’t be playing a “Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin”.
On a more current note, iHeartMedia must have realized that 89X from Windsor still commands a sizable following in the States even though it no longer appears in any US ratings surveys.
Correction: The original WLLZ launched in 1980, not 1990. WRIF vs. WLLZ in the ’80s was one of the epic Detroit radio battles of all time.
Doug Podell is back. Now we can experience the delight of going to radio conventions and bitch that he’s not getting enough money from the labels to play the sh*t records he’s getting money to play.