RadioInsight

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WYPR Baltimore Acquires WTMD

Posted: 28 May 2021 12:26 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...acquires-wtmd/



Your Public Radio Corporation, operator of Public News/Talk 88.1 WYPR
Baltimore MD/88.1 WYPF Frederick/106.9 WYPO Ocean City MD, is purchasing
AAA 89.7 WTMD Towson/Baltimore from Towson University for $3 million.

Outside of some shared services, both stations will continue to operate
separately after the deal closes. WYPR President/General Manager LaFontaine
E. Oliver stated that WTMDs current programming and staff will remain in
place.

WTMD GM/PD Scott Mullens wrote on the stations website, Let me be clear:
This is a great opportunity for WTMD. Partnering with WYPR will broaden our
reach, and give us more resources to better serve our community. WTMD
listeners and members can expect the same high level of programming they’ve
come to rely on from us.

You’ll still hear Alex Cortright in the mornings, Bob the Paper Guy
middays, Carrie Evans in the afternoon, Kelly Bell in the evenings,
Weasel’s Wild Weekend and the rest of the lineup you know and love. Our
live concerts will continue as planned – in fact, we’ll be announcing more
in-person shows soon.

We couldn’t ask for a better partner in WYPR, and are looking forward to
this new chapter in the WTMD story.


Public service broadcaster Your Public Radio (WYPR) 88.1FM today announced
plans to acquire WTMD 89.7 FM from Towson University. WTMD has been
operated by Towson University Public Media, Inc., a non-profit
organization, in affiliation with Towson University since 2014.

WYPR is an NPR member station serving Baltimore, Central Maryland and
beyond. It is an independent community licensee and a top-ranking news/talk
station in the market airing local, national and international radio
content. WYPR excels in local programming and journalism through
outstanding shows like Midday, On the Record and Out of the Blocks as well
as its award-winning newsroom. With signals in Baltimore (WYPR 88.1 FM),
Frederick (WYPF 88.1 FM) and Ocean City (WYPO 106.9 FM), the station also
leads the local podcast scene with popular podcasts like The Daily Dose and
Essential Tremors.

Towson University received a great deal of interest in the purchase of WTMD
but was most excited about working with WYPR since it is a local community
licensee with a proven track record and commitment to growing the beloved
format of the station.

“We’re grateful to have found a partner in WYPR to continue the community
first, public radio station in its existing format that listeners have come
to appreciate from WTMD,� said Ben Lowenthal, CFO and Vice President for
Administration and Finance at Towson University. “Maintaining WTMD’s format
was of the utmost importance for TU as we sought a new home for this
award-winning station.�

WTMD began at then-Towson State University in 1972 as WCVT, adopted its
current call letters in 1991 and changed to its current AAA format in 2002.
Over the past 10 years, WTMD has developed into one of the leading AAA
(Album Adult Alternative) music stations in the country. Nationally
recognized as a “taste maker� station within the radio and music
industries, WTMD’s unique “Total Music Discovery� format consistently
breaks new music and cutting-edge artists long before other stations. WTMD
has received numerous awards for Best Radio Station from both Baltimore
magazine and the former City Paper.

WTMD also produces the First Thursday Music Festivals, the largest free
music event in the region. In recent years the event has grown to include
two stages, six bands and numerous vendors in Canton Waterfront Park, where
thousands turn out each month, May through June, for the free events.

“WTMD has put a lot of effort into growing our First Thursday Festivals
into a nationally recognized event that is a direct reflection of our
adventurous music discovery format,� said Scott Mullins, general manager/
program director for WTMD and music director for its First Thursday
Festivals. “We certainly look forward to continuing to bring live music
events to the Baltimore area with WYPR as our new partner.�

WYPR will continue to find ways to partner with Towson University, which
continues to grow its role as an anchor institution serving greater
Baltimore and Maryland.

WYPR was established when Johns Hopkins University sought a new home for
WJHU in 2002. A group led by community members formed Your Public Radio
with the sole purpose of maintaining local control of the non-commercial
license. “WYPR is proud to preserve another university radio station, to
serve the Baltimore community, on the heels of our 20th anniversary year,�
said President and General Manager LaFontaine E. Oliver. “We plan to build
on the investments made by Towson University and the success of WTMD, which
provides a rich and unmatched music discovery platform with opportunities
for Baltimore’s musicians and artists at its core. What Scott and his team
have been able to accomplish over the years has been tremendous.�

WYPR will seek financial support from the community, inviting both major
donors and grassroots supporters to participate and become members of this
expanded public service opportunity. With the help of our community, it is
WYPR’s intention to preserve and strengthen this public resource for music
discovery.

WYPR is uniquely positioned to continue the expansion of WTMD as both
stations have success in providing music exploration on new platforms
including streaming, smart speakers, multiple HD channels and mobile
applications as well as large-scale live events. Uniting the two stations
will enhance these efforts to serve new audiences on a broad array of
distribution platforms.

Your Public Radio was aided by Public Media Company, while Towson
University was represented by Patrick Communications. The license transfer
is subject to approval by the FCC.




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Saga Preps Springfield Frequency Swap

Posted: 28 May 2021 11:56 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...requency-swap/



Saga Communications will swap formats on two of its signals in Springfield
IL.

Classic Hits Cool 93.9 WQQL Sherman will move to 93.5 W228DL Springfield
while rebranding as Rewind 93.5 on June 7. The shift will mean the demise
of the Cool brand in the market after 28 years as Oldies Cool 101.9 debuted
in 1993 and moved to 93.9 in 2013.

That will allow News/Talk 1240 WTAX to move its FM simulcast from 93.5 to
the 93.9 signal as the company has reserved new WTAX-FM call letters. The
move allows WTAX to join its in-format competitor with a full powered FM
simulcast as Midwest Family Broadcastings 970 WMAY began simulcasting on
92.7 WMAY-FM Taylorville last September.




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99.3 Harrisburg Gets Real With Hip Hop

Posted: 28 May 2021 09:07 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-with-hip-hop/



iHeartMedia has dropped Alternative on Alt 99.3 WHKF Harrisburg PA.

Following an hour of looping REMs End Of The World (As We Know It) and one
spin of Green Days Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), WHKF flipped at noon
to Hip Hop Real 99.3 launching with Meek Mills Dreams and Nightmares and
Pop Smoke What You Know Bout Love.

Real 99.3 will feature iHearts national Hip Hop on-air talent lineup
including WHRK Memphis Big Sue in middays, WMIB Miamis Papa Keith in
afternoons, and WJBT Jacksonvilles T-Roy at night. Mornings are currently
listed as vacant but the station is promoting a special show announcement
for Friday, June 4 at 6:00am.

WHKF had flipped from CHR to Alternative in April 2018. The station rose
from a 1.5 share in February to 2.6 in the March Nielsen Audio ratings.

iHeartMedia Central PA announced today the debut of the new REAL 99.3 –
Central PA’s Hip Hop and RB, effective immediately.

REAL 99.3 will broadcast the biggest names in Hip Hop and RB, including
songs from Drake, J Cole, DaBaby and Meek Mill. The station will also
feature Big Sue, Papa Keith, T-Roy, with a special show announcement
scheduled at 9:00am on Friday 6/4.













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WZPR Returns to Rock As Z92.3

Posted: 28 May 2021 09:05 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...f-friday-flip/



After stunting since Monday, JAM Media Solutions Conservative Talk 92.3
WZPR Nags Head NC has flipped to Rock as Z92.3.

Focusing on Rock from 1975 to 2015, the station lists Alice in Chains,
Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Metallica, Motley Crew, Def Leppard, Black Sabbath,
Journey, Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, and Green Day among core
artists. The station debuted with AC/DCs For Those About To Rock (We Salute
You) and will feature 10,000 songs commercial free.

JAM Media Solutions COO Steve Borneman told the companys OBX Today, “You’ll
hear the greatest rock songs ever recorded. We are really excited to be
offering this station to everyone here on the Outer Banks, we think you’ll
love it!�

The move returns Rock to the frequency less than a year after the station
dropped its prior Classic Rock 92.3 identity for Conservative Talk in July
2020.

Original Report 5/25: JAM Media Solutions has dropped the Conservative Talk
format on 92.3 WZPR Nags Head NC and is stunting ahead of a format change
on Friday, May 28.

WZPR had only flipped from Classic Rock to Conservative Talk in July 2020.
It is now running daily blocks of different programming leading up to the
flip with Monday featuring all-Elvis and Frank Sinatra today.

The new format will debut on Friday at 12pm.

pic.twitter.com/0XUm94OsWT

- Z 92.3 The Rock Of The Outer Banks (@Z923Rocks) May 24, 2021



All will be answered Friday at noon pic.twitter.com/s3iUfU31Ec

- Z 92.3 The Rock Of The Outer Banks (@Z923Rocks) May 24, 2021





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WOLZ Fort Myers Is On The Beach

Posted: 28 May 2021 08:32 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-on-the-beach/



iHeartMedia has relaunched Classic Hits 95.3 OLZ WOLZ Fort Myers FL as 95.3
The Beach.

Retaining its playlist emphasis on the 1980s, the station is now
positioning as 80s and More. No changes have been made to its on-air lineup
which features all out of market trackers including KLOU St. Louis Billy
Greenwood Judi Diamond in mornings, Kristina Kage in middays, WAXQ New
Yorks Mark Coppola in afternoons, and Jeffrey T. Mason at night.

WOLZ had a 1.9 share in the March 2021 Nielsen Audio ratings.



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Station Sales Week Of 5/28

Posted: 28 May 2021 04:15 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-week-of-5-28/



East Valley Institute of Technology is selling Classic Hits Neon 90.7 KVIT
Apache Junction AZ to Kaja Browns Desert Soul Media for $125,000. The
Phoenix based nonprofit describes itself as providing multimedia literacy
and technical training, content creation and marketing services primarily
targeting and serving African- Americans within Arizona and the
Southwestern United States. EVIT will retain CHR 88.7 The Pulse KPNG
Chandler.

Twilight Broadcasting sells Classic Hits 1260 WPHB/104.1 W281CB
Phillipsburg PA to Lightner Communications for $77,500. Lightner owns 4 AMs
and 2 FMs in the adjacent Altoona market. Twilight had purchased WPHB and
the then CP for W281CB in January 2020 for $95,000.

After launching AAA Montanas River 88.9 KYWH Lockwood and 107.1 K296EM
Billings MT earlier this month, Wasatch Community Media has filed to
purchase the signals from Fresh Life Church for $70,000.

Colonial Beach Community Foundation donates Variety 88.1 WWER Colonial
Beach VA to Colonial Beach Community Radio.
Translator Changes

Maria Guels Hispanic Family Christian Network sells 92.9 K225CM Dallas
(with CP to move to 104.9) to Kuldip Singhs We Serve LLC for $685,000. The
translator will continue to rebroadcast an HD subchannel of Radio Ones 97.9
KBFB Dallas.

SSR Communications buys 91.7 W219CV Raymond MS from CSN International for
$36,500. SSR owns the commercial Conservative Talk 103.9 WYAB
Pocahontas/Jackson MS.

Powell-Meredith Communications sells two of its translator CPs.

Edwards Media acquires 101.9 W270CS Gulfport MS for $15,000. Edwards
operates Hip Hop 94.5 The Beat KWBT Waco TX and 98.9 The Beat WOWE
Vassar/Flint MI via LMA.

Carolyn Parthes Catz Dawgz purchases 92.1 K221GE Wickenburg AZ for
$15,000. Parthe owns two other translators in Arizona.



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98.3 The Vibe Des Moines Moves From Classic Hip-Hop To CHR

Posted: 27 May 2021 10:18 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...ip-hop-to-chr/



Cumulus Media flipped Classic Hip-Hop 98.3 The Vibe KWQW Boone/Des Moines
IA to CHR at midnight.

Retaining its previous branding, the format shift places the station in
direct format competition with iHeartMedias 107.5 Kiss-FM KKDM. KKDM
currently ranks second in the Des Moines market with a 7.0 share just
behind Cumulus market leading Country 97.3 Nash-FM KHKIs 7.2 share. Saga
Communications CHR Hits 99.9 K260AM/KIOA-HD2 does not show up in the
ratings.

The first five songs on the new 98.3 The Vibe we

The Weeknd Save Your Tears

Justin Bieber Hold On

Chris Brown ft. Young Thug Go Crazy

Doja Cat ft. Sza Kiss Me More

BTS Dynamite


CUMULUS MEDIA announces that Des Moines radio station KWQW-FM launched
today as The New 98.3 The Vibe. The Mainstream Contemporary Hit Radio
station is a customized hit music station that matches the young Des Moines
market’s lifestyle with today’s biggest hits. KWQW-FM was previously
programmed as a Classic Hip Hop station.

Â*

Jack Taddeo, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Des Moines, said:
“Following market research, we saw a need for a Contemporary Hit Radio
station that delivers continuous music and is focused on, and customized
for, Des Moines. This move more properly positions KWQW in that lane and
becomes accretive to our local radio group which includes Country combo
NASH FM 97.3/KHKI-FM and 92.5 KJJY, and Classic Rock 95 KGGO, as well as
Sports Talk 1700 The Champ/KBGG.�

Â*

Chad Taylor, Operations Manager, Cumulus Des Moines and Program Director,
KWQW-FM, added: “The New 98.3 The Vibe plays today’s hit music by artists
including Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars
and Maroon Five. We’re looking forward to hitting the streets, having fun
and bringing our own Summer Vibe to Des Moines! We could not have done this
without the support of Cumulus VP/Programming Operations, Greg Frey and
VP/Contemporary Formats, Louie Diaz!�