Philadelphia
Y100 100.3 WPLY Signs-Off
Previous Format: Alternative “Y100” WPLY New Format: Urban “100.3 The Beat” WPHI Date & Time Of Change: February 24, 2005 at 11:50pm For years WPLY stuck out like a sore thumb in Radio One’s portfolio. One of the few non African-American targetted station in the company, radio insiders were constantly speculating on when the Alternative Rock of Y100 would be no more. In early 2005, Preston Elliott and Steve Morrison, the morning hosts on Y100 announced they were moving to crosstown Rock 93.3 WMMR following the expiration of their contracts. Faced with either retooling the station or moving in another direction, the decision was made to go the cheaper route. Following Preston & Steve’s final show, where they announced that they were moving, the ...
Y100 Announces Format Change
Previous Format: Alternative “Y100” WPLY New Format: Urban “100.3 The Beat” WPHI Date & Time Of Change: February 24, 2005 at 11:50pm For years WPLY stuck out like a sore thumb in Radio One’s portfolio. One of the few non African-American targetted station in the company, radio insiders were constantly speculating on when the Alternative Rock of Y100 would be no more. In early 2005, Preston Elliott and Steve Morrison, the morning hosts on Y100 announced they were moving to crosstown Rock 93.3 WMMR following the expiration of their contracts. Faced with either retooling the station or moving in another direction, the decision was made to go the cheaper route. Following Preston & Steve’s final show, where they announced that they were moving, the ...
96.5 The Point Becomes Wild 96.5
Previous Format: Hot AC “96.5 The Point” WPTP New Format: Rhythmic CHR “Wild 96.5” WLDW Date & Time Of Change: November 17, 2003 at 5:00pm More Info: Wikipedia
Alice 104.5 Philadelphia Becomes Sunny 104.5
Previous Format: Rock AC New Format: Soft AC Date & Time Of Change: August 1, 2002 at 6:00am More Info: Wikipedia
96.5 WWDB flips from News/Talk to All 80’s “The Point”
One day before Election Day, a huge day for a Talk station, WWDB-FM America’s first Talk station on FM abandoned the format. Sinking ratings caused by the loss of the syndicated Dr. Laura and Rush Limbaugh to upstart 1210 WPHT as well as the many reimaging and refocusing WWDB went through in its final years helped lead to its demise. Around 9:00am the station began stunting with an automated voice counting down to 1. When the station debuted at 5:00, they did so by airing all of the station’s sweepers prior to the first song “Don’t You Forget About Me” from Simple Minds.
“Star 104.5” WYXR becomes Rock AC “Alice 104-5”
For most of the 1990’s, 104.5 in Philadelphia has programmed different variations of the Hot AC format under the Star 104.5 name. In the Spring of 1999, rumors were running rampant that they would flip to the Jammin Oldies format that AMFM Inc. was launching in most markets. However, they were beaten to the punch by Greater Media’s WXXM which flipped from Modern AC in May. In November, Star 104.5 finally flipped formats, switching from Hot AC to Rock AC (Female targeted Classic Hits with some currents) under the name “Alice 104-5”. Call Letters were soon changed to WLCE.
640 WWJZ Mount Holly flips from Standards to Radio Disney
A 1992 sign-on, WWJZ in suburban Mount Holly, NJ fit a small niche in the Delaware Valley as a locally operated popular standards station. With some tower problems, it was operating well below its allocated 50kw daytime signal, which would’ve been one of the strongest in the area. Disney, among other companies, saw the potential the 640 signal had, even with its weak nighttime signal. Disney, however was looking for a local outlet for its Radio Disney network. Targeting children, the nighttime signal was not as much of a hindrance as it would’ve been for another format.
WFLN becomes Modern AC “Max 95.7”
After 40 years of service as Philadelphia’s Classical Music station, frequent ownership changes in the mid-1990’s and developing business trends led to the demise of 95.7 WFLN. Greater Media Broadcasting donated the WFLN music library to Temple University’s 90.1 WRTI. With Q102 leaning Rhythmic, the Modern AC format of Max was thought to fill a niche between Alternative Y100 and WIOQ. However, it took almost 6 months for Max to put together an airstaff and ratings were never able to get much higher than a 2.3 share. In May of 1999, as ratings were beginning to turn the corner after the addition of the Barsky Show in mornings, Greater Media pulled the plug on Max in order to beat AMFM to the punch with Rhythmic Oldies.
103.9 WDRE flips from Modern Rock to Urban
In late 1996, Jarad Broadcasting sold off WDRE to Radio-One, who specializes in Urban based formats. With knowledge of a change coming, the station decided to go out with a bang. Sweepers promoted the days remaining until the death of ‘DRE, while an anything goes attitude prevailed at the station. On Valentines Day, 1997 WDRE presented Bitterfest, a concert to mark the demise of the station. As the clock prepared to strike midnight, 103.9 played Pearl Jam’s “Alive” while the concert’s crowd chanted “DRE, DRE, DRE”. At midnight the station began a weekend stunt of Old School R&B, until the sign-on of the “New 103.9” Urban format the following Monday.
