Oak Ridge FM has flipped Conservative Talk “Knox Talk Radio” WNFZ Powell/Knoxville, TN to Adult Alternative “94Z“.
The flip resurrects the “94Z” moniker used on the station in the 1990’s as an Alternative station. The Knoxville market has been without a younger skewing Rock station since Midwest Communications flipped “95.7 The X” WVRX to Classic Country “Duke-FM” in May.
WNFZ will retain its current “Rude Awakening” morning show hosted by Mike Howard and Terry West with the format change. Losing their spots on the station are the syndicated Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Dana Loesch, Hermain Cain, and Alex Jones along with the local afternoon Sports show “The Drive with Russell Smith”.
The Talk format on WNFZ lasted just short of two years. It began as part of a multi-stepped maneuver that saw the Talk programming move from 100.3 to 850 and finally to 94.3 as Oak Ridge FM sold 100.3 to Journal (now Scripps) and ended their LMA with South Central (now Midwest) to operate 94.3.
borderblaster 
WeNeverKnew 
Cory 
You’d think before you launch a format, you’d actually get some imaging done.
Everything about the new 94Z screams “rushed to air.” They probably didn’t even know they were flipping until Monday, and were likely forced to move quickly on speculation that another station was preparing to go alternative.
Interesting take on the flip. Any speculation on who that other station might have been? And could we hear them flip despite Pirkle’s move?
Yep. It seems radio companies care less and less about new station roll outs anymore. We can’t even get a webpage.. Sheesh!
No web page for 94Z yet (except that logo) but you can still listen online and access the old website. http://www.knoxtalkradio.com/ and I guess they have social media.
I don’t get the lack of imaging. I’ve heard small stations down south in the mountains that only run a liner coming out of a stopset, but not in Knoxville. They obviously didn’t plan this, either that or they lack an imaging and internet budget. The music seems decently programmed.