Free Lance Star’s 99.3 WYSK-FM Spotsylvania/Fredericksburg, VA dropped its Modern Rock format at noon today for Rhythmic CHR as “99.3 The Vibe”.
OM Paul Johnson described The Vibe as “A blend of contemporary Urban, Rythmic, and Top 40. Our tag line is Fredericksburg’s New #1 Hit Music Station.†The station will be a blend of current format heavyweights like Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Kanye West, and Sean Kingston, along with liberal doses of 80’s and 90’s dance, and even some 70’s Old School. The station has applied for the call letters WWVB.
“Fredericksburg has no real CHR station, and no stations for the Urban audience,†Johnson explained. “We’re excited about tapping into an audience that is grossly underserved.â€
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KayKay 
dhensley 
biker04 
Nickles 
silverblade21
This is a bunch of BS why would you take away the only good new rock station we have in this area. Now we can only listen on the web?? WTH is that??? I don’t have a computer in my car!!!!! Yes some people could listen to 101.1 and 102.1 but they don’t always come in down here and they usually play all the older rock with few new, We don’t need a rhythmic station that is just like 99.5 and 101.5 which both come in great in this area. I think this is crap I’ve have been an aviate listener to 99.3 since it came on the radio but I will no longer listen to this station that plays the same old stuff as every other station around. Changing this station to new and old school pop and R&B is like changing 93.3 to a hard core metal station. I am very disappointed at this decision and very frustrated every time I get in my car and can no longer listen to the best station this area had. Very Bad decision!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Kay Kay
Contrary to the statement that Fredericksburg has no real CHR station, most of the stations in the area seem to be either Country, Talk or CHR. I don’t know anyone who’s listening to webcasts of radio and we’re certainly not playing it in our cars while we commute. I deleted my 99.3 preset this morning. 101.1 and 102.1 do not come in well in the Fredericksburg area so that format is open to whoever wants it.
This is why everybody now needs to go to either XM or Sirrus. When local stations make these stupid decisions, it leaves the listeners no choice to either change the channel or go the the paid radio. I personally have XM and enjoy it because I dont have the bs commercials or the local blabber. With the local “Dead Fred” stations, you have no choice now but either “dobedo” country or the garbage the Ysk is now sending out. 102.1 and 101.1 are not local to the Fred market and do not even consider that area to be a viable money making endevor.
My advice—-go XM or Sirrus, at least you get to hear what you want and the FCC hasn’t ruined it yet.
I have never blogged before, seriously. I am a thirty-something mom, I am in the 551. I cant believe the only station I like in Fsbg has changed. Especially to something so different from what it was, yet just like everything else on every other station around. Thats to say, the ones we can get reception on in this area. I remember the cut on 101.5, knowing we would skip over any station that played Celine Dion, because they said, “who would want to listen to that?” Well 99.3, after siting in disbelief at my receiver, and the seat of my car for the past couple of days, I can only say to myself, “Who would want to listen to that?”
You know you people are sitting here complaining but what you dont! understand is that these new genres of music that are being played today suck as hip pop, R&B, pop, and dance and so on.. and im sorry to say it but that is what MOST PEOPLE listens to nowadays ppl of all races .. black, white, hispanic, asian, islam, indian, i can go on forever. In order for these guys to stay in the competition of all the other stations while ALSO boosting their popularity this is the right move to make. Since the area and population get more diverse and filled with more and more people they have to some how keep up with the new diversity of the new fast growing population in this area. I live in Stafford and yes i am black but i listen to all music in my car yes even country! …. not to mention the minority population has really blown up, idk what it was like before bc ive only been here since 2002 But every doesnt want to just wanna hear .. 1 genre of music .. times are changing .. and sometimes a little change can be good with it. All in all im EXTREMELY happy to know about this new station bc now i dont just have to listen to 99.5 or 92.1 or 96.3 i can listen to this and hear a GOOD variety as i commute from stafford to Fredricksburg to DC .. THANK YOU 99.3! I only wish you guys the BEST of luck with the competition of the other stations!