Modern AC
94.1 The Buzz WMBZ Memphis flips to Rhythmic AC Snap! 94.1
This one is very much an example of the cause-and-effect of corporate mergers. Consider the previous format change at 94.1 FM. Entercom had just closed on the purchase of WOGY-FM from Sinclair Broadcasting in January, 2000. The ink was barely dry on this purchase when it became obvious to most observers that the writing was on the wall for the country station known as “Froggy 94”. Rumors had abounded for months about a flip to something – top candidate was a format known as “The Buzz” – the slogan for the station 94.1 would become in January ’01. The difference was, in the Fall of ’00, “The Buzz” was the monikker for Entercom’s then hot 80s format, not Modern AC. When the Buzz format launched, there were high company hopes t...
“Z104” WWZZ Signs-Off
On 12:00pm on January 4, 2006 Bonneville Radio announced a shuffling of its Washington, D.C stations. News WTOP moved from its 1500/104.3/107.7 simulcast to 103.5. Classical WGMS moved from 103.5 to the 104.1/103.9 simulcast that had been the home of Adult CHR Z104. This was to pave way for the March debut of Washington Post Radio on the 1500/104.3/107.7 simulcast that had been home to WTOP. Z104 had been through a number of iterations in its 9+ year history. First was the pure CHR format in the mid to late 90’s. It’s evolution to a more adult sound lead to the station dropping the Z from its name for a few years in favor of “More Music 104” before returning to the Z104 name. Listen here as Z104 plays its final song, gives its last ID, and GM Joel Oxley announces wh...
WWZZ Becomes Z104 Again
Previous Format: Modern AC “More Music 104” New Format: Modern AC “Z104” Date & Time Of Change: April 8, 2004 More Info: Wikipedia Aircheck Contributed by David Pierce
KQKQ Relaunches As Q98Five
Previous Format: CHR “Sweet 98” KQKQ New Format: Modern AC “Q98Five” Date & Time Of Change: March 12, 2004 at 3:00pm More Info: NebraskaRadio.com, Wikipedia Related Changes: KCTY Becomes Retro 106.9 Aircheck Contributed by NebraskaRadio.com
Froggy 94.1 becomes The Buzz
In the late 80s, what would eventually become Froggy 94 was actually on 94.3 FM, and was a simulcast of Oldies AM 680 WODZ. This gave way to a Beautiful Music format for a time in the early 90s, and a frequency change to 94.1. In 1992, the station flipped to Country as WOGY, and it was off to the races against well entrenched market leader WGKX “Kix 106”. For a time in the mid 90s, Froggy 94 did fairly well, even beating Kix in one or two books, but never getting past a 4 share overall. In January of 2000, the station, along with sister stations 104.5 WRVR and 680 WJCE were purchased by Entercom, and changes were in the air. By the fall of 2000, the promotions budget was reduced, and after the last major promotion, the Dixie Chicks concert at the Memphis Pyramid, it was announc...
Pulse 94.3 Bids Farewell
Previous Format: Modern AC “Pulse 94.3” WPLC New Format: Spanish AC “Amor 94.3” Date & Time Of Change: June 30, 2000 More Info: Wikipedia
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.
KYTN Becomes Modern AC “Alice 107.7”
Previous Format: Contemporary Christian New Format: Modern AC Date & Time Of Change: November 17, 1997 More Info: None
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.
