Saga Communications Sports “96.3 The Buzzer” W242AB/WYXL-HD3 Ithaca NY has temporarily dropped its daytime lineup to carry information for patients awaiting mobile COVID-19 testing at the Shops at Ithaca Mall.
Running from 8am to 5pm on weekdays for the foreseeable future, W242AB will run a loop giving out the information patients waiting in line will need to have when they arrive for the testing.
W242AB, which normally carries the national Fox Sports Radio lineup around the clock, will continue to run its Sports format at other times.
The Cayuga Radio Group will reprogram 96.3 FM “The Buzzer” starting on Tuesday March 24, 2020 to carry mobile testing information for COVID-19. Instead of hear Fox Sports, listeners will hear information targeting people getting COVID-19 tests without leaving their vehicles.
The mobile drive-thru testing center is offered by the Cayuga Medical Center and will held at the Shops at Ithaca Mall (formerly known as Pyramid Mall) at 40 Catherwood Drive.
Tests will be given based on a physician’s order only. In order to be tested, a patient must be referred by their primary doctor. Doctors can order the test for individuals who are showing symptoms which include fever, cough, chest pains, and shortness of breath. Important: mobile testing is NOT open to just anyone.
By providing the 96.3 FM radio signal, Cayuga Radio will allow drivers to tune into the FM signal to get valuable procedure information while waiting in line inside their vehicles.
“It is valuable information needed by the community immediately,” Said Chet Osadchey, President / General Manager of the Cayuga Radio Group. “We are fortunate to have the technology to be able to run a looped message and offer this technology for use by the Cayuga Medical team.”
“Radio plays a vital role inside local communities. We will harness the full reach of our radio stations in order to get the messaging out,” said Cayuga Radio Group Operations Manager Chris Allinger. “Our goal is like everyone else. To keep our community safe and do everything we can to get life back to normal.”
Testing will take place Mondays-Fridays from 10am-3pm and 96.3FM will be programmed for testing messages two hours prior and two hours after testing, airing Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
For information on COVID-19 testing, people are encouraged to contact their primary physician.
