Update 3:01pm: After three hours of stunting, WEDX launched its new identity as “101.7 The Bull” at 3pm today.
Launching commercial-free for the rest of the summer, The Bull is launching with a current intensive Country format including core artists such as Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, and Carrie Underwood.
As is the norm for new Clear Channel Country launches, the station will be anchored by the syndicated Bobby Bones Show in mornings.
Listen to the launch of 101.7 The Bull at FormatChange.com.
Original Report 1:05pm: Clear Channel Dance “Evolution 101.7” WEDX Lynn/Boston has dropped the format and is currently stunting in preparation of a flip to Country “101.7 The Bull“.
The station is currently airing a jockless Country presentation promoting the hashtag #CountryOn1017 for listeners to tell the station what artists they want to hear. TheBull1017.com and TheBullBoston.com were registered by Clear Channel this morning.
The new format comes as Greater Media’s Country 102.5 WKLB has become a consistent #2 in the Boston market to Clear Channel CHR “Kiss 108” WXKS-FM and even surpassed it for the market lead in recent months.
The Dance format will remain on 107.9 WXKS-HD2. The station left the following message on its Facebook page regarding the change.
Thanks for listening to Evolution 101.7 over the past year and a half. Thanks to your support, Evolution 101.7 has grown, generating a loyal fan base in Boston at 101.7 on the radio and especially digitally on iHeartRadio.
Evolution will transition off 101.7 but remain on iHeartRadio and HD radios at 107.9 HD2, where we will continue to support the local Boston dance scene, the clubs, the shows, the energy, the lifestyle.Pete Tong, Sisanie, DJ Costa, DJ Cesar and all of our Evolution Underground local DJs will all still be right here with the same shows, same music, same website, same Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It’s the same Boston Evolution 101.7 on iHeartRadio.
We’ll still be there when you get into an uber late night and see the driver streaming Evolution 101.7, when you’re at the gym and hear the Evolution 101.7 stream during your workout and when you are out with friends on the weekend and someone has Evolution 101.7 streaming for the pre-party.
Thank you for listening to Boston’s Evolution 101.7!
BC 
pjc1961 
StogieGuy 
Nathan Obral 
Bongwater 
Jack Bayes 
only1moore 
Joseph_Gallant 
wow a year and a half is a long time to have a place holder format. Though i suppose the intention was to develop a strategic online brand with a city that is tech savey, especially considering radio bdc. People say the dance format doesn’t work, but the problem is that people think they can throw 8 hour loops on that people would only listen to when drunk in da club, or working out. As a strategic brand, I think Brian Fink’s Club Fusion format is a bit more up to standards of a syndicatable format. Hmm i wonder who they’ll have on for their morning show or overnights? The only way they will be able to put a dent in the ratings of WKLB is to take a hot country approach, playing the more controversial records like Mary Go Round, Drunk on a plane, and Beachin, because WKLB’s pd already specified they are an adult format.
Possible new call letters for 101.7 FM Boston: WBWL-FM
Clue: informational URL for new iHeart stream includes those call letters – see below:
http://my.iheartradio.com/b/ss/cccorporate01,cccorporate,ccnetwork,ccformat/1/H.25.2/s86961820672731?AQB=1&ndh=1&t=13%2F5%2F2014%2012%3A21%3A36%205%20420&ce=UTF-8&ns=clearchannel&pageName=ihr%3Astations%3AWBWL-FM&g=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iheart.com%2Flive%2F1017-The-Bull-6586%2F%3Fcid%3Dmain.html%26pname%3D15251%26campid%3Dplay_bar%26autoplay%3Dtrue&cc=USD&events=event7&c3=101.7%20The%20Bull&c4=6586&c6=IHM-IP&c7=CORPORATE&c8=IHEARTMUSIC&c10=ihr%3Astations&c11=3%3A15PM&c12=Friday&c13=Weekday&c17=6586&v19=6586&c25=CORPORATE%3AIHM-IP%3AIHEARTMUSIC&c26=CORPORATE%3AIHM-IP%3AiHeartRadio&c27=CORPORATE%3AIHM-IP%3AIHEARTMUSIC%2
This would not seem to be the best format for this particular signal, which mainly covers the area within the “128” corridor. Most of your country format listenership in this market is suburban in nature; an audience which WKLB’s signal covers well.
An urban or urban AC format would have been a better choice in my humble opinion.
If it’s all about clearing Bobby Bones, though, it may not even matter about the ratings.
Basically they are employing the Cumulus NASHing of country stations – who cares about ratings when they can make the claim to ad agencies that their programming is in a Top 10 market.
EDM fans across Boston are screaming “BULL!!” 😉
it is not only about getting a bobby bones clearance but also to knock wklb down a share or two.
it also proves a point: dance is a weekend, not a format.
This is a sad day for the listeners, but this could also help WJMN also.
As for whether The Bull will do better and try to take out WKLB, well, good luck.
Besides Bobby Bones, WBWL-101.7 will undoubtedly carry Clear Channel-owned Premiere Network’s’ other country music shows: Cody Alan at night, Bobby Bones’ weekend country-music countdown, etc., etc.
The new format has one purpose: To show national advertisers that Premiere’s syndicated country-music shows are now available in Boston.
Don’t expect anything on 101.7 to be locally produced out of Cabot Street in Medford.
I personally feel this is a bonehead move: While WKLB-102.5 has had much success of late, Boston is still not a strong country-music market.
This is the third mistake Clear Channel has made with 101.7 since they acquired the signal two years ago.,
What they should have done was either:
(1) Kept the WFNX call letters, format, and airstaff. ‘FNX would have done better than anything that’s been on 101.7 the past two years, or,
(2) Switch to a Spanish-language format of contemporary Latin music. Despite it’s signal area not being as large as other FM stations, it still could become one of the ten most popular Boston-area stations in overall audience (and in the top five among teens and those under 34) because of the area’s growing Hispanic population.
that’s part of it, sure. of course, one of premiere’s shows is on wklb seven nights a week, so that may be an imperfect conclusion.
wklb has become a player, especially 25-54 where kiss 108 has long been stronger than most top 40s. if the bull shaves a couple shares off wklb, it helps keep kiss stronger. 101.7 is never going to be a winner. the signal just isn’t there. it’s always going to be a flanker. the harbor wasn’t a bad idea, it was the signal. edm isn’t a legitimate format. this is the smartest thing clear channel has done with the station since they bought it.