AC
102.1 The Zone KOZN flips to AC Star 102 KSRC
It seems like Modern AC on 102.1 was doomed from the very beginning. When legendary KYYS “KY-102” was blown up in favor of “102.1 the Zone” in 1997, listeners did not welcome the new station. This backlash, along with the station’s similarity to CHR sister KMXV, resulted in a change to AC as “Star 102” in early 1999.
105.1 WNSR becomes “Big 105”
In August of 1997, ten months into the life of WDBZ, Bonneville was planning on pulling the plug and returning the WNSR calls and “Soft Rock 105” format to battle head to head with WLTW. However, the change was put on hold as Bonneville finalized a deal to sell the station to Chancellor, the owner of WLTW. The WDBZ calls were replaced by WNSR, but the Modern AC format stayed until October when the station gradually adjusted back to Hot AC under the “FM 105.1” name. Once Chancellor took over, market speculation led to anything from Soft AC, to Country, to Urban. All they got was “Big 105” a Hot AC that for some reason sounded very close to WLTW. Big 105 failed to make a splash in the market after trying various forms of Hot AC and for the second time in t...
100.3 WPNT becomes “Windy 100” WNND
In late 1996, rumors began swirling about the future of WPNT 100.3 FM in Chicago. One of the more interesting theories presented had Evergreen (WPNT’s owners at the time) debuting a CHR/Dance format, modeled after WKTU/New York, which the company had debuted in February 1996 and had become an instant ratings success. Someone at CBS-owned CHR/Rhythmic WBBM 96.3 FM “B-96” must have heard this rumor, because in late 1996, B-96 adopted a slogan of “Chicago’s Dance Beat” and began placing a heavy emphasis on Dance music, trying to send the message that it was THE home for Dance music in Chicago. But, that rumor never materialized. Evergreen (which became Chancellor Media) eventually sold WPNT to Bonneville. WPNT’s Adult CHR format was known simply as &#...
Cat Country 96 Debuts
Previous Format: AC “96 WLEV” New Format: Country “Cat Country 96” WCTO Date & Time Of Change: July 21, 1997 at 7:30am More Info: Wikipedia
100.9 WKLI/100.3 WKBE become K100
Previous Format: AC New Format: Adult CHR Date & Time Of Change: March 18, 1996 at 3:00pm More Info: Wikipedia
WEAZ Relaunches As B101
Previous Format: AC “EZ 101” WEAZ New Format: AC “B101” WBEB Date & Time Of Change: April 25, 1993 at 5:30pm More Info: Philadelphia Radio Archives, Wikipedia
WAXY-FM Returns To Oldies
Previous Format: AC “Mix 105.9” New Format: Oldies “WAXY 106” Date & Time Of Change: January 20, 1992 at 6:00am More Info: Wikipedia
KMGI Becomes 107.7 The End
Previous Format: AC 107.7 KMGI New Format: Alternative “107.7 The End” KNDD Date & Time Of Change: August 23, 1991 at 3:00pm More Info: Wikipedia, 107.7 The End Aircheck Contributed by Mike Workman
98.5 WROR Boston becomes WBMX Mix 98.5
Previous Format: AC 98.5 WROR New Format: Hot AC “Mix 98.5” WBMX Date & Time Of Change: February 9, 1991 at 12:00pm More Info: Wikipedia WROR was the FM station to WRKO until RKO General was forced to sell off all it’s radio properties. Before WROR they were first WRKO-FM – ARKO-Matic, the automated top forty station in the 60s. Later, it was Boston’s first Oldies station as WROR. In 1980, they went live AC, with some of Boston’s most melodic and historic jingles (JAM’s ‘I’d Rather Be In Boston’ series #1). In 1983 they experimented with CHR using a version of the WLS-FM jingles but later reverted back to AC, which they stayed until February 1991 when Roy Orbison’s “It’s Over” triggered the end of WROR and...
