Rock AC
WHBS Becomes Max 102
Previous Format: Sports “102.3 The Sports Hub” WHBS New Format: Rock AC “Max 102” WMQX Date & Time Of Change: April 10, 2015 at 7:00am More Info: RadioInsight, Wikipedia
94.3 WMJC becomes Rock AC “Island 94.3”
94.3 WMJC is one of the many Long Island stations that has struggled to find a niche in the Long Island market due to a signal that is unable to cover the entire market. From its Beautiful Music days as WCTO through AC as “Magic 94.3” to a simulcast of 103.9 WRCN, the 94.3 frequency had failed to find a niche. That had begun to change in 1996, when New York City lost its outlet for Country Music. Sister station 740 WGSM had become the only outlet on Long Island for Country. Soon after the format moved to 94.3. By 2000, WMJC had failed to garner anything higher than a 2.0 share 12+ for its troubles. With Rock AC and All 80’s catching on nationwide, Barnstable Broadcasting jumped on the bandwagon on Long Island with the new Island 94.3.
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
92.9 WRKW becomes “92.9 Rock”
From its launch in October 1999, 92.9 WRKW ran an automated Rock AC format that had little chance for success. With a signal 20 miles north of Poughkeepsie and varying signal problems in the southern part of the market, it struggled to find an audience with additional problems ranging from poor audio to a total lack of promotion from original owners Strauss Media. After the sale of the Strauss stations to Clear Channel closed in November 2000, rumors on the future of the station came up with WRKW struggling to build an audience to little action. On June 27, 2002 at 10:00 AM, the Rock AC format came to an end with a 26-hour loop of Eminem’s “Without Me,” coinciding with the launch of Active Rock “92-9 Rock” to counter Cumulus Media’s pair of dominant rock...
Country 100.7 WGRX becomes Rock AC “The Bay” WZBA
Licensed to Westminster, MD, the 100.7 signal is at a disadvantage compared to the remainder of the FM signals in the Baltimore market. Throughout the 90’s, the station attempted various rock formats as WGRX and then country as “Froggy 100.7” and later “Country 100.7”. Failing to generate ratings and revenue under any of these incarnations, the station flipped to Rock AC on December 1, 1999. Similar to WRVV in Harrisburg and WMMO in Orlando, the station features lighter Classic Rock artists like James Taylor and Styx.
“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.
“Eagle 96.9” KGLQ flips from Classic Hits to Hot AC “Mix 96-9”
The debut of “Mix 96-9” (KMXP) marked the end of the numerous permutations of the Classic Hits format on 96.9 (the last being “Eagle 96.9”) that previous owner Nationwide had attempted over the years. “Mix 96-9” was one of the first “Mix” Rock Hot AC outlets which Jacor (now Clear Channel) brought to numerous markets across the country. KMXP debuted with a slogan of “The Best Mix of the 80’s, 90’s and 70’s” (yes, in that order). After the turn of the century, in order to continue positioning itself as a station offering some currents, the slogan changed to “The Best Mix of the 80’s, 90’s, and Today”, which is much more common.
