Update 2/1: 98.9 and 100.5 began simulcasting at 12am leading into the relaunch of the “Bigger, Better Rock 100.5” at 10am. The two frequencies will simulcast until Monday at 12pm when 98.9 will debut its new format.
The new “Rock 100.5” will continue to feature The Regular Guys in mornings and Lyndsey Marie in middays. Axel Lowe and Lewis will move from 98.9 to 100.5 for afternoons and nights respectively. Lowe, who was Program Director of “The Bone” now assumes those duties for WNNX.
Update 1/30: Cumulus has begun promoting the first part of the changes we first reported on Monday.
“Rock 100.5” WNNX and “98.9 The Bone” W255CJ will merge their programming on 100.5 at 10am on Friday to “Create One BIG Rock Station”.
WNNX will be shifting in an Active Rock direction adding much of the library currently played on The Bone to its playlist. Both stations announced the move on-air this morning.
As far as what happens with 98.9, as we reported below Cumulus registered 989TheWalk.com and 989Walk.com last week for potential use on that station. And there’s still the “99X” brand sitting online unused.
Original Report 1/28: Cumulus is teasing more programming changes at its Atlanta cluster.
“Rock 100.5” WNNX and Active Rock “98.9 The Bone” W255CJ have both begun teasing changes coming on Friday, February 1.
https://twitter.com/LyndseyROCK1005/status/295914216915869696
Things become a whole lit BETTER this Friday on 989 The Bone!!!
— 98.9 The Bone (@989TheBone) January 28, 2013
Adding to the intrigue, the website for the former “99X” has added a banner stating “Still Under Construction, Dudes”. Meanwhile Cumulus registered domains on January 24 for 989TheWalk.com and 989Walk.com.
Cumulus also owns CHR “Q100” WWWQ, Country “Kicks 101.5” WKHX, and News “All News 106.7” WYAY in the Atlanta market. Cumulus has also announced the hiring of Jennifer Perry as the new PD of WYAY today.
How do we see this playing out? With the new domains registered for 98.9, could we see The Bone brand moved onto 100.5 with Adult Alternative or Christian AC on the translator with the Walk brand? The Bone debuted on September 1 replacing 99X following Clear Channel’s flip of Active Rock “Project 96.1” WKLS to CHR “Power 96.1” WWPW.
Wait, what about 97.9? That’s the the station I want to see flip. By the name “Walk”, it sounds like a Christian AC or a Spoken Word format will be returning on the 98.9 dial. Don’t ask why cause we have 93.3 and the Fish.
I’m going to guess 100.5 will tweak to Active Rock, still as Rock 100.5. 99X will return to 98.9 and the new domain is just a smoke screen.
So much for Cumulus Atlanta being the ‘saviors of rock’, if they’re effectively taking one such choice away.
They’re eliminating a station in the Bone that was effectively hurting Rock 100.5. This move will enable them to continue to fill their niche while opening up the 98.9 translator to fill another unserved Rock niche in the audience displaced by the previous changes at 99X and Dave-FM.
I’m wondering if they plan on taking Q100 Top-10 on 97.9 off the air. It doesn’t seem to be helping Q100 very much against Power 96.1. Maybe they’ll put 99X back on 97.9 and AAA on 98.9 as 98-9 The Walk. Who knows.
Yeah @jeremy I thinking the same thing. I’ve always thought the Q100 specialized format on 97.9 is a waste. However, TheWalk format does not sound like a Dave-replacement format. More of a Christian-themed format but who knows what Cumulus is thinking. I hope these changes will be off some good things to come in the future. If Iwere Cumulus, this is what I do:
97.9 – the Walk
98.9 – 99X
100.5 – Bone/Rock
I’m sure that Cumulus will work with Kicks regarding the Nash format so y’all stay tuned for more changes coming soon.
that will be a good idea if they put 99x back