As predicted in our Domain Insight below, Cumulus moved Rhythmic CHR “103.3 The Vibe” KVYB Santa Barbara to 106.3 Oak View/Ventura meaning the end of Classic Hip-Hop “106.3 Spin-FM” on that frequency.
103.3 is running a stunt loop emphasizing the return of its original KRUZ call letters and a new format to launch on Monday at 8:00am. The loop includes snippets of 1980s events, movies, video games and songs such as Smokey Robinson’s “Cruisin”, Florida Georgia Line “Cruise”, LL Cool J “Goin’ Back To Cali”, Beach Boys “California Girls”, 2Pac “California Love”, and Bowling For Soup “1985”.
THEY FAILED TO TELL THE VIBE AUDIENCE. Let that sink in. They moved KVYB to a new frequency and didn’t bother to promote it BEFORE or AFTERwards. Nowhere has the move of KVYB to 106.3 been announced other than here. The station’s websites still show the old logos as of this writing. Neither the Vibe’s nor the Spin-FM social media have been updated in weeks. Promos were not run on-air leading up to the move, nor does the KRUZ stunt loop tell listeners to find the old format.
Cumulus has basically told the KVYB audience and its past and future advertisers they don’t care about them. If you treat your clients like they don’t matter, they will not matter. And then the industry wonders why many listeners look down on radio compared to other digital options…
Original Report 6/26: Program Director/afternoon host Matthew ‘Doughboy’ Florence and morning host Spencer Fischer have exited Cumulus Rhythmic CHR “103.3 The Vibe” KVYB Santa Barbara CA ahead of potentially bigger moves.
Florence joined KVYB in May 2017 after previously serving as APD of American General Media’s “Z106.3” KDLW Albuquerque.
Fischer had hosted mornings at KVYB since 2010 after joining the station from Montecito FM Alternative 92.9 KJEE. Only night host Steve Perez remains on the on-air staff.
KVYB and sister Classic Hip-Hop “106.3 Spin-FM” KRUZ Oak View have also applied to swap call letters and Cumulus has registered 1063TheVibe.com and KRUZ1033.com for the stations.
Such a move would take KVYB off the grandfathered 105kW/905m signal that covers four markets (Oxnard/Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria/Lompoc and San Luis Obispo) for the Class A 106.3 signal that serves just the Oxnard/Ventura market.
In return the KRUZ calls and branding would return to where it called home from 1972 until 2005 through runs as Beautiful Music, AC and Hot AC. The call letters then moved to 97.5 until 2012 where it evolved to Adult Alternative and its branding was duplicated in far-reaching markets such as Green Bay WI and Fayetteville AR. After some time parked out of market, the call letters were placed on 106.3 in 2017.
wolfenforcer32
Gee, how thoughtful of Cumulus to move the Vibe in secret. Such a wonderful way to attract listeners to a station that doesn’t even have the courtesy to refresh their website. Smooth move…sheesh.