For the second day in-a-row, Mid-West Family Broadcasting has made a format change at its South Bend IN cluster as CHR “Live 99.9” WQLQ Benton Harbor MI has flipped to Alternative.
Positioning as “The Alternative”, the station is spotlighting artists including The Killers, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer, and Pearl Jam. The new identity debuted at 12pm today with Foo Fighters “Best of You”, Smashing Pumpkins “Disarm”, and Alien Ant Farm “Smooth Criminal”.
WQLQ had debuted its CHR brand in October 2016. The station had been dropping in the ratings over the past few years from a 4.9 share in Fall 2022 to 2.7 in Fall 2023. The flip leaves Sound Management’s “U93” 92.9 WNDV-FM as the only CHR in the market. WNDV-FM had a 7.7 share in Fall 2023. The new format positions the station closest to Federated Media Rock “103.9 The Bear” WRBR, which was fifth in the market with a 5.4.
The flip at WQLQ follows the company dropping its Country “96.1 The Ton” brand on 96.1 W241AD/WQLQ-HD3 in favor of a simulcast of Sports 960 WSBT on Tuesday.
Brandon Charles
U93 is a powerhouse, ain’t no one taking them down anytime soon. at least this seems like a lane they could own, and it’s a college town, though based on the format, it does seem like it will skew a little older.