Lightner Communications has launched the “Jack-FM” Variety Hits brand on 1260 WPHB Phillipsburg/104.3 W282CV State College PA.
WPHB is now simulcasting Lightner’s 1400 WYUP Loretto/107.1 W296ED Altoona as “107.1 & 104.3 Jack-FM“. WYUP has featured the “Jack-FM” brand since November 2018. Owner Matt Lightner tells us that WPHB will break away for local sports and community events and may eventually have separate commercials and localized content for each market.
In State College, the new format positions the station between Forever Media’s trio of Hot AC “Majic 93.7” WMAJ, Classic Rock “99.5 The Bus” WBUS, and Classic Hits “Happy 103.1” WAPY as well as Seven Mountains Media Hot AC “95.3 3WZ” WZWW.
Update 3/2: Lightner Communications has completed its upgrade of 104.1 W281CB Phillipsburg PA to 104.3 in State College as it prepares to launch a new format.
Now operating as 104.3 W282CV State College with 250w/336.6m, the signal gives the translator near full-market coverage continuing to be fed by 1260 WPHB Phillipsburg. Up next will be a new format, which is now slated to debut on Monday, March 7.
WPHB/W282CV are now stunting with a loop teasing multiple formats “that will be unlike any other in the history of Happy Valley”. Many of the fake formats being teased a riffs on the brands of competitors such as Country “The Toad” to compete with Forever Media’s “Big Froggy 101” WFGE-FM, Classic Hits “Unhappy 104” to compete with Forever’s “Happy 103.1” WAPI, and Rock “Slow Rock 104” to compete with Schlesinger Communications’ “105.9 Qwik Rock” WQCK. Other fake brands in the loop include Sports “Giger 24/7“, Oldies “Chill 104“, Hip Hop “Red Hot 104“, and “Polkamania 104“.
Original Report 2/28: Lightner Communications is preparing to launch a new brand in State College PA.
1260 WPHB/104.1 W281CB Phillipsburg PA are currently running a loop redirecting listeners to sister Classic Hits “Classic Favorites” 1340 WTRN/100.7 W264BZ Tyrone and 96.9 W245CZ Altoona. The loop also promotes the move of the 104.1 translator to 104.3 State College on Wednesday, March 2 at which time WPHB will debut a new format.
Lightner purchased WPHB/W281CB last year from Twilight Broadcasting for $77,500. WPHB had been simulcasting WTRN since the closing of the deal last fall.
