[membership level="2,3"] <img src="https://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2019/10/kmps-200x200.png" alt="The Sound" width="200" height="200" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-181155" />Is a Sound about to be heard in Portland? iHeartMedia seems to believe that Entercom is preparing to blow up Hot AC "<a href="https://1051thebuzz.radio.com/">105.1 The Buzz</a>" KRSK Molalla/Portland and registered six "<strong>105.1 The Sound</strong>" related domains as blockers. The domains are <a href="http://1051TheSound.com">1051TheSound.com</a>, <a href="http://1051TheSoundPDX.com">1051TheSoundPDX.com</a>, <a href="http://1051TheSoundPortland.com">1051TheSoundPortland.com</a>, <a href="http://TheSound1051.com">TheSound1051.com</a>, <a href="http://TheSound1051PDX.com">TheSound1051PDX.com</a>, and <a href="http://TheSound1051Portland.com">TheSound1051Portland.com</a>. Entercom uses "The Sound" branding in Seattle at Soft AC "<a href="https://941thesoundseattle.radio.com/">94.1 The Sound</a>" KSWD and previously used it for their Classic Rock station in Los Angeles. A move to Soft AC would be expected for Portland as Entercom already has Classic Rock <a href="https://kgon.radio.com/">92.3 KGON</a> in the market. Such a move would target iHeart's market leading AC "<a href="https://k103.iheart.com/">K103</a>" KKCW with a 8.2 share and third ranked Classic Hits "<a href="https://1067theeagle.iheart.com/">106.7 The Eagle</a>" KLTH at a 7.1. KRSK currently ranks fourteenth at a 3.1 share. <hr /> What's Midwest up to in Peoria? After <a href="https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174257/midwest-communications-acquires-alpha-medias-peoria-stations/">acquiring the cluster</a> earlier this year, the company looks to be making its first major move by eliminating the Classic Hip-Hop "<a href="https://www.g1023.com/">G102.3</a>" format on WNGY Morton. Midwest has registered <a href="http://1023TheRiver.com">1023TheRiver.com</a>, <a href="http://Duke1023.com">Duke1023.com</a>, <a href="http://Hot1023.com">Hot1023.com</a>, and <a href="http://KZ1023.com">KZ1023.com</a> for WNGY. Two of the brands have heritage in the market as "<strong>KZ 93</strong>" was the primary Top 40 in the market in the 80s and early 90s after starting out as a Rocker and "<strong>The River</strong>" was used by an AC on 98.5 in the early 90s and "<strong>River Country</strong>" was the prior branding of 97.3 WFYR before becoming "<strong>Nash-FM</strong>" in 2013. With Midwest owning the top 3 stations in the market, going after fourth ranked Classic Rocker <a href="http://www.955glo.com/">95.5 WGLO</a> perhaps as "<strong>The River</strong>" or "<strong>KZ</strong>" or creating a Classic Country flanker with their "<strong>Duke</strong>" brand seem the likely destinations. <hr /> Is Cumulus preparing to move Sports "<a href="http://www.1700thechamp.com/">1700 The Champ</a>" KBGG Des Moines to FM? Anonymous registrations were made for <a href="http://983TheChamp.com">983TheChamp.com</a> and <a href="http://TheChamp983.com">TheChamp983.com</a> potentially pointing to the move of KBGG's format to what is now Classic Hip-Hop "<a href="http://www.983vibe.com/">98.3 The Vibe</a>" KWQW. KBGG is one of three Sports stations in the Des Moines market and had a 0.1 share in the Spring 2019 Nielsen Audio ratings trailing iHeartMedia's <a href="https://kxno.iheart.com/">1460 KXNO</a> with a 2.8 and Saga's "<a href="https://espndesmoines.com/">ESPN 1350</a>" KRNT at a 1.0. A move to FM could help shift the playing field in Cumulus' favor. KWQW held a 1.4 share with the Classic Hip-Hop in the Spring book. [/membership]