XPost: rec.radio.info

RadioInsight

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WYET Relaunches As Throwback 102.3

Posted: 03 Sep 2021 09:03 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212432/wyet-relaunches-as-throwback-102-3/


Sound Managements Classic Hits 102.3 WYET New Carlisle/South Bend IN
relaunched as Throwback 102.3 at noon today.

WYET becomes the first 24/7 affiliate utilizing the brand and programming
of Tony Lorinos Throwback Nation Radio. Positioned as The Greatest Hits of
the 80s and 90s, the station launched its new brand with Wang Chungs
Everybody Have Fun Tonight, Michael Jackson Wanna Be Startin Somethin and Eurhythmics Sweet Dreams.

Lorinos daily syndicated show will continue to be heard at night from 7pm
to 12am. The rest of the lineup will debut in mid-September featuring a
lineup of talent from across the country with former KYKY St. Louis host
Paul Cook in mornings, WKKW Morgantown WV morning co-host Trisha Moore in middays, and former KHMX Houston PD/midday host Chase Murphy in afternoons.

WYET had a 0.9 share in the Spring 2021 Nielsen Audio ratings trailing
Mid-West Family Broadcastings competing Classic Hits Z94.3 WZOC Plymouths
5.5 share.

Sound Management, LLC, operators of WYET-FM in South Bend, IN, unveiled a
new 24/7 music format at noon today. The All-New Throwback 102.3 features
the Greatest Hits of the 80’s and 90’s, produced by Throwback Brands, the national syndicator of Throwback Nation Radio with Tony Lorino, which has
aired on WYET every evening since 2019.

Throwback 102.3 will feature iconic pop artists including Bon Jovi,
Madonna, and Prince from the 80’s, and 90’s superstars like Janet Jackson, Backstreet Boys, and Mariah Carey.

Beginning in mid-September, Throwback 102.3 will introduce
personality-driven content anchored in mornings by Paul Cook, formerly of KYKY-FM/St. Louis. Midday listeners will be treated to longtime WSNY-FM/Columbus, OH and current WKKW-FM/Morgantown, WV veteran Trisha
Moore, while afternoons will be commanded by Chase Murphy. Murphy most
recently served as Program Director of KHMX-FM in Houston. Throwback Brands founder Tony Lorino will continue to be heard at night on “Throwback Nation Radio.”

Pam Mason, WYET-FM General Manager, said, “Sound Management is ecstatic
about Throwback 102.3. Our listeners already embrace Throwback Nation
Radio, and now our new full-time music mix defines the most influential generation of entertainment consumers in history. We are ready to delight Michiana’s dedicated listeners and serve our advertisers.”

Throwback Nation Radio founder Tony Lorino commented, “I can’t imagine a better first partner for Throwback Brands’ new hosts and lineup than Sound Management. Arthur Angotti [Owner of WYET-FM], Pam Mason, Brad King
[Operations Manager of WYET-FM], and their team understand the emotional connection listeners make with music. We look forward to being a fixture in
the vibrant South Bend community.”

Throwback 102.3 can be heard at 102.3 FM throughout the Michiana region,
and it streams online at www.throwback1023.com and on the Tune-In Radio app.


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Summer Song 2021: "Hard To Choose" Is Better Than "Hard To Say"

Posted: 03 Sep 2021 08:00 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/ross/212246/summer-song-2021-hard-to-choose-is-better-than-hard-to-say/


When I was “Handicapping the Summer Song of 2021” in May, looking at a suddenly promising field of contenders, I wrote that “the real question is whether there will be depth.” I was hoping for “enough Summer Song candidates for a photo finish on Labor Day.” Beyond that battle, I was looking for a steady stream of radio records that didn’t have to be the summer song; they just had to sound like “the summer we all need this year.”

In that regard, the second half of summer 2021 was gratifying in Friday morning’s new-release e-mails and on the radio in a way it was not in real life. Whatever their ultimate chart disposition, having Camila Cabello, “Don’t Go Yet”; Silk Sonic, “Skate”; the Weeknd, “Take My Breath”; Lizzo,
“Rumors”; and Shawn Mendes, “Summer of Love” dropping on successive weeks
was, in the aggregate, exactly what I had been hoping for. Having a
left-field entrant in Elton John & Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart” or an organic, even-more-left-field hit in Måneskin’s “Beggin’” was a bonus.

As for that photo finish, I asked Facebook friends for their Songs of
Summer. Not surprisingly, “Levitating” by Dua Lipa and “Good 4 U” by Olivia
Rodrigo were the top two contenders and the only songs with double-digit
votes. At least four people voted for both, with another “too close to call” or two. Nobody wrote “I didn’t really think there was one this year.”
In the late ‘10s, I could have just cut-and-pasted those it was a weak
field quotes from year to year.

At this writing, “Levitating” has a slight edge in reader votes. “It is all
the joy we need right now, and the spins back me up,” wrote Jeanne Ashley. “’Levitating’ seems to be the song that will never die and is the No. 1 summer song,” added another South Florida radio veteran, Cedric Hollywood. Justin Bryant cites “its story, dominance, mainstream appeal, staying
power, etc.”

Rodrigos hit was “our most-requested song for 34 nights in a row,” before finally being displaced by The Kid Laroi/Justin Biebers Without You, says PartyLiveline host Mason Kelter. “It gave us the alt-variety we desperately needed and filled the ‘heartbroken teen bop’ void that Taylor Swift left behind,” Kelter adds. Similarly, Matt DelSignore asks, “When was the last time a leading contender for song of the summer was so guitar-driven?”

WWST (Star 93) Knoxville, Tenn., PD Rick Thomas, and WJFX (Hot 107.9) Fort Wayne, Ind., PD Robbie Mack both vote for “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat. “It hung around all summer and just seems to have that summer vibe,” says Mack, before adding that it was a “good summer of music this year.” Doja began the summer looking for a second real pop hit. She ended it with two songs
in the top 10 and a third just cracking the top 40 at this writing. There
were also multiple votes for Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits,” which provided the
first of summer’s “but wait, there’s more” moments on its release in mid-June.

“Summer’s not over, and the ‘Fancy Like’ [by Walker Hayes] phenomenon is
growing. Let’s just wait,” says Kevin Robinson. “I’m firmly in the ‘Fancy
Like’ camp, I find it mystifying how a song can be the No. 1-selling
Country song for 40 days running and it’s [No. 25] at Country radio,” says Marc Nathan. Theres encouragement in a decidedly Country song now being
worked to multiple formats (and in the stylistic variety among all the
songs weve mentioned so far).

Summer is expected to end with Billboard declaring “Butter” by BTS to be its Song of Summer 2021. Reader Joe Persek agrees with that “based more on streams and sales than on airplay.” Julie Pilat, who made the move to streaming at Beats Music, then Apple, eight years ago, named “Butter” instantly. 

“Butter” got BTS their warmest initial welcome at radio so far. By peaking at No. 6, it ended up in a place familiar to One Direction fans of a decade
ago — supported, but not powered. It is still my instinct that the Summer Song should have had radio ubiquity, but if we’re having the “what is a hit now anyway” discussion for “Fancy Like,” which will probably achieve consensus at Country radio, but not for months, we need to have it for both songs.

And I am willing to now declare “Fancy Like” to be the Country Song of Summer 2021. I did hear it plenty on the radio, although it was a mix of Country, Top 40, and even SiriusXM’s new TikTok Radio. “Fancy Like” came on
to my radar thanks to Country Insider’s Brian Mansfield a few days after
the “Handicapping” article, the only song that existed at the time of “Handicapping the Summer Song” but wasn’t included.

For the Ross on Radio Song of Summer 2021, I’m going with “Good 4 U,” in part because of timing. Unlike “Blinding Lights” last year, I consider “Levitating” a legit Summer Song contender, rather than a holdover, because of its late-spring resurgence. But “Good 4 U” coincided perfectly with summer. When it played next to “Levitating” in June, I felt pretty good for Top 40. Same when I encountered it next to Dua Lipa’s “Love Again” in the second half of summer. And summer is ending with Sour atop the Billboard
200 album chart again.

“Good 4 U” was the cultural moment that youd want from the song of the summer. When mother/daughter records began to magically reappear, it was
the song where daughters took the lead. Also, because starting with “Driver’s License,” the Olivia Rodrigo phenomenon could have happened without radio’s final signoff as well. But radio mattered to the Rodrigo story to the point of Interscope working “Good 4 U” and “Déjà Vu” simultaneously to No. 1 and 2.

As for “Levitating,” I am prepared to now declare it Song of the Year, because any song that upstages it in the next four months is going to be
one hell of a record. I’ve written at length about how Lipa’s hits have proven the continued worth of the “radio record.” In May, the song’s resurgence prompted its own “what is a hit?” discussion, along with the question of whether radio can still make its own songs familiar in
research. At this moment, “Love Again” has slowed since its initial boom weeks and is hovering outside the top 10. After “Levitating,” I feel I know how this story ends.

Theres more music out there than Top 40 has been able to get to. I know
that because Ive got three radio station playlists worth of songs on my
Summer Energy 2021 Playlist. Most of the dance music that has made U.K. and European Top 40 radio sound great for a while is still waiting to be found
by U.S. radio. In the U.K., the song of summer contenders include Calvin
Harris and Galantis.

As for the songs that are in our consideration set, I hope programmers will
get maximum value out of them. Uptempo pop has been the hardest thing for
radio to read, as Levitating shows. Competing with TikTok throws the familiarity question in front of a funhouse mirror. For years, hooks were
an acceptable avatar for an entire song, but now we’re gauging the impact
of a video channel that plays only hooks.

Justin Biebers Peaches was as telling for radio as Levitating in a
different way. Peaches went quickly into power. It didnt linger there (especially since Stay was next in line). Peaches was probably handled the exact right way by radio. Down the road, it will probably test strongly
again for some people exactly because it got six weeks there, not sixteen
and not 60 weeks. Songs by artists who are not Justin Bieber, especially uptempo songs, dont always get that same consideration. Perhaps more should.

What was your song of the summer? Please leave a comment.


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Longview WA Signals Swap Locations

Posted: 03 Sep 2021 05:23 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212429/longview-wa-signals-swap-locations/


Bicoastal Media has swapped dial positions for its two AMs in Longview WA.

Conservative Talk/Sports 1400 KEDO Longview has moved to 1270, while
Classic Country Real Country KBAM makes the reverse shift.

The move, as with most AM changes now, was done to improve the translator signals for each station. With the move to 1400, KBAM is now tied to 99.1 K256CQ Longview giving it the 250w/181m signal. KEDO moves its FM signal to
new sign-on 99.9 K260DH Longview with 70w/-139m. Bicoastal has not yet set plans for KBAMs former 93.5 K228FA Longview with its 100w/189m signal.


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Station Sales Week Of 9/3: Family Life Ministries Buys Two & Sells One

Posted: 03 Sep 2021 04:30 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212407/station-sales-week-of-9-3-family-life-ministries-buys-two-sells-one/


Family Life Ministries was busy with two acquisitions and a divestment this week.

Family Life agreed to acquire Silent 91.1 WUFR Bedford/Altoona PA from
Family Stations for $150,000 and 88.9 WITC Cazenovia NY from Cazenovia
College for $30,000.

Family Life will sell 1590 WGGO Salamanca and 100.5 W263CZ Olean NY to Holy Family Communications for $100,000. Holy Family operates the Catholic
Station of the Cross network across upstate New York as well as Boston.


Paul Wilsons LL James Media LLC transfers the licenses of 1450 WROX/97.5
W248CL Clarksdale MS to Larry Fuss Contemporary Communications for the forgiveness of approximately $50,000 remaining on a promissory note from
the 2012 purchase of the station. WROX went Silent in November 2020
according to its former website pending an unknown federal litigation
although no Silent STA has been filed with the FCC.

Sellers Broadcasting sells Full Service/Classic Hits Classic KMRY 1450 KMRY/93.1 K226BO Cedar Rapids IA to Jim Eckers Ecker Broadcasting for
$700,000. Ecker has served as Sports Director at KMRY since 2016 after
working in the newspaper industry for much of his career.
Translator Sales

WGBH Educational Foundation sells 96.3 W242AA Beacon Hill/Boston to
Costa-Eagle Radio Ventures for $80,000. The 3 watt translator currently rebroadcasts Classical 99.5 WCRB Lowell. It will be paired with the buyers
1570 WUBG Methuen, which is currently leased to Educational Media
Foundation and airs the Christian AC K-Love network.

Timothy Jackson acquires 102.7 W274AD Corydon IN from the estate of Keith Reising for $25,400. The translator will continue to rebroadcast Two Hawks Communications Classic Country 1550 WOCC Corydon.


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Coyte Comes To An End At KLBJ-FM As Matt Bearden Joins CJ Morgan At 101X;
Elvis Duran Added At Lucy 93.3

Posted: 02 Sep 2021 04:16 PM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212412/coyote-comes-to-an-end-at-klbj-fm-as-matt-bearden-joins-cj-morgan-at-101x-elvis-duran-added-at-lucy-93-3/


Waterloo Media Rock 93.7 KLBJ-FM Austin is pulling the plug on its
afternoon Coyöte show after six months. Coyöte was hosted by Matt Bearden, comedian Abby Rosenquist, and producer Spencer Williams. Bearden and
Williams will now shift over to Alternative 101X 101.5 KROX-FM Buda to join incumbent afternoon host CJ Morgan for a new afternoon show starting
Tuesday, September 7. Bearden will also continue to be part of KLBJ-FMs
Dudley Bob with Matt morning show.

KLBJ-FM Program Director LA Lloyd will move from 12-3pm into the afternoon
slot he previously held until February 2020.

Rosenquist, who joined the company in April, and was also co-hosting
mornings at Hot AC Lucy 93.3 KGSR-FM Cedar Park with B-Doe has exited. They will be replaced by Premiere Networks Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.
Durans show previously aired on iHeartMedias 96.7 Kiss-FM KHFI Austin from
2013 to 2015 and he served as PD/morning host at 93.3 as CHR B93 KBTS in
the early 1990s.


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99.1 The Bone Debuts In Concord

Posted: 02 Sep 2021 03:00 PM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212368/99-1-the-bone-debuts-in-concord/


Binnie Media will launch Classic Rock 99.1 The Bone WNNH Henniker/Concord
NH at 6am on Friday, September 3.

Duplicating the brand of co-owned 106.3 The Bone WHXR Scarborough/Portland
ME, WNNH is breaking away from the Classic Hits Frank-FM network heard on
98.3 WLNH-FM Laconia, 98.7 WBYY Somersworth/Portsmouth, and 106.3 WFNQ
Nashua.

WNNH will launch with 5000 songs commercial-free and will carry New England Patriots football.


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Robby Bridges & Rochelle Gagnon To Depart WKHQ

Posted: 02 Sep 2021 02:34 PM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212409/robby-bridges-rachelle-gagnon-to-depart-wkhq/


Robby Bridges Rochelle Gagnon have announced the will depart mornings at MacDonald Garber Broadcasting CHR 106 KHQ 105.9 WKHQ Charlevoix/Traverse
City MI on Wednesday, September 22.

Bridges doubles as Vice President of Programming for the company and
Program Director of WKHQ with Gagnon serving as Director of Promotions and Marketing for the company. The couple joined MacDonald Garber Broadcasting
in March 2020 after previously working together at Cumulus Media Detroit
where they co-hosted afternoons at Hot AC 96.3 WDVD in addition to he
serving as Director of FM Programming and she Director of Marketing and Promotions and Townsquare Media Portsmouth NH where Bridges served as Operations Manager from January-September 2019 and Gagnon co-hosted
afternoons with him at Classic Hits “The Shark” 102.1 WSAK Hampton NH/105.3 WSHK Kittery ME.

The duo has not yet announced their upcoming plans.

Robby and Rochelle, the morning team based at heritage top 40 WKHQ/Traverse City have announced plans to wrap the show. After 352 episodes, their final broadcast in Michigan will be Wednesday September 22nd. The show is also
heard weekends in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Additionally Robby Bridges
will be vacating his role as WKHQ PD and as a VP of Programming for
Macdonald Garber Broadcasting and Rochelle Gagnon her role as the company’s Director of Promotions and Marketing.

The show was previously based at WDVD Detroit and WSHK/Portsmouth, NH

Robby adds “we’d like to thank Trish Garber and Gary Berkowitz for putting together this opportunity for us. We are really proud of two years in TC
and proud of our terrific team but are really excited for what’s around the bend. There’s definitely lots more fresh seafood and homemade marinara
sauce in our future, stay tuned!”

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