It’s beginning to look and feel like that time of the year. The time when radio stations use the Christmas holiday and beginning of the new year to launch new formats.
Completed Changes
1/3: Chesapeake-Portsmouth Broadcasting closed on its purchase of Classic Rock 94.1 WSOS-FM and Country “100.7 The Bull” WMUV Jacksonville and flipped both to Christian AC “The Promise“.
1/2: Townsquare Classic Hits “Oldiez 96” WODZ-FM Utica, NY relaunches as “96.1 The Eagle“.
1/2: Cumulus Rhythmic CHR “Power 92.3” WZPW Peoria rebrands as “Peoria’s 92.3“.
1/1: Volusia Broadcasting flipped Oldies 1340 WROD/104.7 W284AV Daytona Beach to Classic Rock “The Rock of Daytona“.
1/1: 920 KKLS/104.7 K284BA Rapid City, SD flips to 80s Hits “Smash Hits“.
1/1: Silent 102.3 WFNL-FM Raleigh returns as “Country Superstars 102.3″.
1/1: iHeartMedia’s 102.1 W271BW New Haven, CT signs-on as Classic Rock “Rock 102“.
1/1: Grace Broadcasting Christian AC “105.3 The Dove” WHPP Humboldt, TN flips to Classic Hits “Hippie Radio 105.3“.
1/1: Envision Broadcast Network launched Hot AC “Q92.3” KKGQ Wichita.
1/1: Journal Spanish Sports 990 KTKT Tucson shift sto Spanish Adult Hits “La Buena 94.3“.
12/31: Shopping 92.1 WJXR Jacksonville flips to Spanish Tropical “Latina 92.1“.
12/31: Tribune flipped Sports “87.7 The Game” WGWG-LP Chicago to temporary simulcast of News/Talk 720 WGN. 87.7 to debut new format under new lessee in February.
12/31: Beasley’s “CBS Sports Radio 1010” WHFS Tampa flips to Business Talk mostly simulcasting 740 WSBR Boca Raton.
12/29: Yacapai Broadcasting moved AC format of “Sunny 100.1” KVNA-FM to News/Talk 600 KVNA/K284BO Flagstaff, while launching AAA “100.One“.
12/29 – 1580 KAMI Cozad, NE will flipped to Classic Country. Nebraska Rural Radio Association purchased the station in November.
12/29: 730 KLOE Goodland, KS flipped to News/Talk following a month stunting with Christmas music.
12/26: Liberty University flips its “Victory FM” Christian network based at 88.3 WRVL Lynchburg, VA to Christian AC “The Journey”
12/26: Curtis Media Oldies/Beach Music 920 WPCM/95.1 W236BO Burlington, NC flips to Country.
12/26: Salt & Light Radio completed its purchase of “Comedy 1270” KXQZ Twin Falls, ID and flipped it to Catholic programming simulcasting 1340 KTFI.
12/26: Bluewater Broadcasting Soft AC “Lite 100.5” W263BX flips to Classic Hip-Hop “Yo 100.5“.
12/26: CBS AC “EZ 103” KEZN Palm Springs rebrands as “Sunny 103.1“.
12/26: Woof Boom Radio shifts “Oldies 104.9” WERK Muncie to Classic Hits as “The New Sound“.
12/26: iHeartMedia Classic Hits “Oldies 93.9” KMXR Corpus Christi rebranded as “Big 93.9“.
12/26: 107.3 K297AK Fort Collins segues from Christmas Music “Santa 107.3” to AC “Sunny 107.3“.
12/26: Windy City Broadcasting launched “103.9 The Groove” W280EM Chicago with a “Contemporary” take on Smooth Jazz.
12/26: iHeartMedia’s 94.9 K235CD Omaha/102.3 K272FE Council Bluffs debuted as “Rock 94.9/102.3” after each running unique Christmas music streams.
12/26: Alpha Media AC “Lite Rock 107” WSWT Peoria rebranded as “Mix 106.9“.
12/26: After a month of Christmas music, former Sports 1270 WNLS/94.3 W232BO Tallahassee flipped to AC “94.3 MyFM“.
12/25: Soft AC/Standards “1290 Martini Radio” WZTI Milwaukee ends Christmas “100.3 The Elf” stunting as Rhythmic Oldies “The Party“.
12/25: iHeartMedia’s 98.5 W253BK Lexington, KY has flipped to Classic Country “98.1 The Bull Icons“.
12/24: Classic Alternative “107X” KXDE Denver becomes Classic Hip-Hop “Fly 107.1“.
Pending Changes
1/5 – Northern Lights’ Adult Alternative “96.3 K-Twin” KTWN-FM Minneapolis is stunting with robotic voice and will debut new format at 3:00pm.
1/5 – iHeartMedia Urban AC “Kiss 92” WKSA is stunting with nonstop Missy Elliott as it prepares to relaunch as “The Beat” likely with Classic Hip-Hop at 9am.
1/5 – Beasley’s 98.7 WHFS-FM Tampa dropped Sports on 12/4 for Christmas Music and will debut its new format on January 5.
1/5 – Entercom News/Talk 980 KMBZ Kansas City will break off its simulcast of 98.1 KMBZ-FM and split into two separate programming feeds.
1/5 – Rhythmic Oldies “Jammin 99.3” WZAX Nashville/Rocky Mount, NC is stunting with a wide variety of music while promoting a new format to debut on January 5.
1/5 – Oldies 1180 WVLZ will return to Sports after just four months on January 5.
1/5 – Moody Radio will flip Christian Preaching 1330 KMBI Spokane, WA to Spanish Christian.
1/12 – AAA “104.9 The Peak” WZMR Albany, NY will flip to Sports “Win 104.9” WINU.
TBD – Tyler Media CHR “Now 96.5” K243BJ Oklahoma City will complete its move to 92.9 enabling a new format to launch on 96.5.
TBD – After moving its Rhythmic Oldies “Hot” format to 95.1 KLQT, iHeartMedia will debut a new format on 100.9 K265CA Albuquerque.
TBD – PMB Broadcasting Spanish CHR “Unidos 107.7” W299AX Columbus, GA will flip to an undisclosed format at the end of the year.
TBD – 1550 WUCO/98.5 W253BJ Morganfield, KY will debut a new format in January following Christmas music stunt.
Stunting
Marquette, MI – Great Lakes Radio launched 106.1 W291CJ with Christmas Music as “106.1 The Gift“.
Orangeville, ON – My Broadcasting’s 101.5 CKMO-FM continues with a broad mix of music as it prepares to launch its new permanent AC “101.5 MyFM” identity.
Other Potential Changes
Louisville – Union Broadcasting will soon close on its acquisition of 93.9 WLCL Sellersburg and return the station to the air.
Palm Springs – MCC Radio registered Pride1039.com for Hot AC “Crush 103.9” K280CV Cathedral City
You can add WQEW/1560 New York and WTEL/610 Philadelphia to the list of potential changes…
Potentially WARQ (93.5) Columbia leaving Hot AC behind when it re-emerges.
933wodc Columbus Ohio relaunches as 933odc with hits from 70’s 80’s and more. I have heard some late 90’s songs.
933odc.com
They made that change last February
http://www.933odc.com/onair/amy-donovan-53054/well-what-do-you-think-13099301
WLCL 93.9 returned to the air Tuesday January 13 airing ESPN Radio 24/7.
I have not heard a TOH station ID since the station returned.That’s not good!