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RadioInsight

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Star Country 106.7 Launches In Northern Michigan

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 02:00 PM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212818/christmas-comes-to-northern-michigan/


After a week of multiple stunts including Christmas music and a small loop
of Classic Rock songs, MacDonald Garber Broadcasting has launched Classic Country Star Country 106.7 WSRT Gaylord/Traverse City MI.

Focusing on Country hits of the 80s through early 2000s with core artists including Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, and
George Strait, the new format creates an FM competitor to Midwestern Broadcastings WTCM Gold 1310 WCCW Traverse City.

Original Report 9/13: MacDonald Garber Broadcasting has relaunched 106.7
WSRT Gaylord/Traverse City MI after the station had been off the air for
much of the past 20 months.

WSRT is currently running a three hour loop of Christmas music as it
prepares to shortly launch a new format. We have reported on domain registrations connected to the station in our 9/2 and 9/9 Domain Insight reports.

WSRT and former simulcaster 105.5 WSRJ Honor ceased operations in December
2019 due to ongoing financial issues which have made continued operation at this time unsustainable. Northern Broadcasting then sold the former ESPN Northern Michigan to MacDonald Garber Broadcasting in March 2020 for
$215,000.

I have a feeling Christmas is coming early this year

- STAR Country 106.7 (@1067WSRT) September 9, 2021




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PPMs Double-Digit Radio Stations 2021

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 09:00 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/ross/212966/ppms-double-digit-radio-stations-2021/


Last fall, when Radioinsight debuted its new, expanded ratings section, I
took a “Fresh Listen” to the four PPM share champions, as well as cume leader WLTW (Lite FM) New York, as shown in ratings guru Chris Huff’s just-launched Ratings Top 50. The top four share leaders profiled were
heritage stations that you would expect listeners to turn to during
COVID-19: Classic Rock KSHE St. Louis and WHJY Providence, R.I.; Adult R&B
WVKL Norfolk, Va., and AC WRCH (Lite 100.5) Hartford, Conn.

All four of those stations were still in the top 10 when Huff did his
latest calculations. WVKL is the No. 2-ranked station, and No. 1 music, trailing only N/T WLW Cincinnati. Listening levels have rebounded somewhat, radio usage has continued to evolve, and some of the unlikely winners of
summer 2020 are at more typical levels. But the stations in the
stratosphere are at a level beyond flukiness.

Rather than return to the stations profiled the first time, I decided to
take fresh listens to No. 3 WGRR Cincinnati (Classic Hits); No. 5 WQMG Greensboro, N.C. (Adult R&B); No. 9 KBPA (Bob FM) Austin, Texas (Adult
Hits); and No. 10 WNCX Cleveland (Classic Rock). All four are long-running franchises as well. Bob-FM is the most recent, launched in the mid-’00s.
WGRR goes back to 1990. WNCX to 1987. WQMG went Adult R&B in the mid-’90s;
as a Mainstream R&B station, it dates back to the ‘70s.

I originally saw the list when Huff tweeted it a few nights ago. It’s worth noting that of Huff’s 20 share leaders, only the Adult R&B outlets and, to some extent, WRCH play any significant amount of current music. Hubbard’s Adult Top 40 WRMF West Palm Beach, Fla., and KSTP-FM (KS95) Minneapolis are
the only stations in the Hot AC/CHR ecosystem that make the list.

Last year, the stations profiled all had a significant
personality/community component, and I was willing to make the connection between that and the pandemic. This year, among the stations profiled, Austin’s Bob FM would seem like an exception, but even that station has a small element of traditional DJ patter in between the sweepers that usually give an Adult Hits station its personality.
WGRR Cincinnati (10.9-11.7 6-plus)

Cumulus’s WGRR was, for years, one of Classic Hits’ oldest-skewing radio stations, still doing well with some ‘60s hits and early ‘70s pop that other stations had moved on from. The difference is slighter now. The
station began playing some ‘90s a year ago. Recently. It added another wave of ‘90s titles, including the one heard in the hour I monitored. PD/p.m. driver Keith Mitchell was still teasing the upcoming Beatles Wednesday when
I listened. The station is also wrapping up a Payroll Payout promotion. 

Here’s WGRR just before 4 p.m., Sept. 14:

Dire Straits, “Sultans of Swing”
Clash, “Should I Stay or Should I Go”
Earth, Wind & Fire, “September”
Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.”
When in Rome, “The Promise”
Billy Joel, “My Life”
Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know”
Culture Club, “Karma Chameleon”
Bon Jovi, “I’ll Be There for You”
Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
Pat Benatar, “Love Is a Battlefield”
Cars, “My Best Friend’s Girl”
John Mellencamp, “Jack and Diane”

WQMG Greensboro, N.C. (11.9-11.3)

“We’ve got to talk today,” said middayer Afrika during her opening break. There was “so much to unpack,” especially about the Fat Joe/Ja Rule Verzuz battle. Like Audacy’s co-owned WVKL, WQMG remains relatively current and relatively contemporary as other Adult R&B stations whittle down currents
to just a handful. (So does another highly rated Adult R&B, KJMS Memphis.) 

Here’s WQMG just before 10 a.m., Sept. 15, in the middle of two commercial-free hours:

Such, “All I Want”
Toni Braxton, “I Love Me Some Him”
SZA f/Travis Scott, “Love Galore”
Mary J. Blige, “Everything”
Kevin Ross, “Looking for Love”
Beyoncé, “Ego”
H.E.R., “Damage”
Kenny Lattimore, “Love Me Back”
Donald Lawrence & Tri-City Singers, “Deliver Me”
Lil Duval f/Snoop Dogg, “Smile B*tch”
Stevie Wonder, “Living for the City” (with a throwback stager)
Earth, Wind & Fire f/Lucky Daye, “You Want My Love” (current single which interpolates their 1976 “Can’t Hide Love”)
Refugee Camp All-Stars f/Lauryn Hill, “The Sweetest Thing”
Ne-Yo & Jeremih, “U 2 Luv”
Drake, “Hotline Bling”
Col Loud/Rico Barrino, “Serious”

KBPA (Bob FM 103.5) Austin (11.9-10.4)

When Adult Hits was new, it differed from the then-Oldies format by leaning more Pop/Rock. That distinction has lessened over time, and it’s
interesting now that Waterloo Media’s Bob FM is actually slightly more varied/less rock than WGRR. Or as one stager noted, “Bob Rocks! … He also discos, hair bands, and croons.” 

Here’s Bob FM on Sept. 14, just before 4 p.m.:

Steve Miller Band, “Abracadabra”
Abba, “Dancing Queen”
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, “What I Am”
Fatboy Slim, “Praise You”
Steve Perry, “Oh Sherrie”
Commodores, “Brick House”
Cars, “Shake It Up”
Marky Mark & Funky Bunch, “Good Vibrations”
Dan Hartman, “I Can Dream About You”
Katy Perry, “Hot N Cold”
Scandal f/Patty Smyth, “The Warrior”
Player, “Baby Come Back”
Del Amitri, “Roll to Me”
38 Special, “Caught Up in You”

WNCX Cleveland (10.7-10.2)

It’s been a good few years for Audacy’s longtime Classic Rocker WNCX. That station found success tightening and modernizing in the late ‘10s, but is still capable of surprises, such as the Jethro Tull deep cut that ended the hour I heard. It was also the first time this year I’d heard the words “Trans-Siberian Orchestra”; p.m. driver Paula Balish was giving away tickets. (Also, check out morning host Slats’ all-Canadian channel on Audacy.com.)

Here’s WNCX before 4 p.m. on Sept. 14:

Aerosmith. “Dream On”
Ozzy Osbourne, “Crazy Train”
Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Fire”
Fleetwood Mac, “Landslide”
Genesis, “Abacab”
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “What’s Your Name”
Police, “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
Cheap Trick, “Surrender (Live)”
Nirvana, “The Man Who Sold the World”
Bad Company, “Shooting Star”
Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Run Through the Jungle”
Jethro Tull, “Farm on the Freeway” (beginning of the 5 p.m. all-request hour)



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92.1 The Beat Norfolk Adds Russ Parr Morning Show

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 07:37 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/213014/92-1-the-beat-norfolk-adds-russ-parr-morning-show/


iHeartMedia Classic Hip Hop 92.1 The Beat WHBT-FM Moyock NC/Norfolk VA has
made a morning show change.

WHBT-FM has dropped Premiere Networks Big Boys Neighborhood in favor of
Reach Medias Russ Parr Morning Show. Based at Radio Ones Majic 102.3/92.7 WMMJ/WDCJ Washington, Parr most recently aired in the Norfolk/Virginia
Beach market on Max Medias now-defunct RB Oldies/Talk 1310 The Power WGH
until its flip to Business News/Talk in June 2020.


92.1 The Beat, Hampton Roads Throwbacks & RnB, announced today that “The Russ Parr Morning Show,” will join the stations morning program lineup, effective immediately. “The Russ Parr Morning Show” will broadcast weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Listeners can tune in to “The Russ Parr Morning Show” daily for a guaranteed good time. The show is filled with top-charting music, plus engaging interaction with up-to-the-minute news, interviews and fun. Russ
Parr and crew –Alfredas, Supaken, Albert and Tanisha Nicole– will keep their adult listeners captivated, waiting to hear what they’ll do and say next! Russ always delivers with a style and format like no one else, from
the best films to music, fashion, and initiatives important to the Black community.

“People feel engaged and part of ‘The Russ Parr Morning Show’ because they
are a

part of the show. Our listeners are a part of our family and we’re a part
of theirs,” said Parr.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome ‘The Russ Parr Morning Show,’” said DJ
Fountz, Program Director for 92.1 The Beat. “Russ and the crew are highly-entertaining, funny, and relatable and we know our listeners will
love getting up to “Parr.”



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Station Sales Week Of 9/17

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 04:30 AM PDT https://radioinsight.com/headlines/212993/station-sales-week-of-9-17/


Riverfront Broadcasting sells AC Hometown Radio 92.7 KLGA-FM and Country
Home Country 1600 KLGZ/98.5 K253BJ Algona IA to Bernadette Merrills A2Z Broadcasting for $1,680,512. Merrill has worked for the stations from 1994
to 1997 and again 2011, rising to General Manager in 2017.

Townsquare Media sells 1530 WLCO Lapeer/Flint MI to Smile FM for $172,500.
The 5kW daytimer has been simulcasting Classic Rock US 103.1 WQUS Lapeer.
As part of the deal, Smile FM will also gain the right to program
Townsquares 95.7 WLHT-HD2 Grand Rapids for three years with the deal valued with the WLCO license at $22,500, the stations transmitter site at $60,000,
and the WLHT-HD2 lease at $90,000.

David Blair sells AC Y100.5 WZQY Glade Spring/Marion VA to Candace Bacon, Rebecca Bouldin and Christina Ogles Ladybug Radio for $60,000. The buyers
are the three daughters of Bristol Broadcasting owners Roger and Lisa
Bouldin, but the station will be operated completely separate from Bristols five stations in the Marion market.

Bobby Edwards is donating Radio Centrals ten stations in Alpena MI and
Riverton WY to his son Jerry Edwards Edwards Communications. A time
brokerage agreement took effect on July 31. The stations involved in the
deal are:

Alpena: Classic Rock I92 92.1 WIDL Cass City, Classic Hits 99.9 The Wave WHAK-FM Rogers City, Classic Rock Thunder 100.7 WWTH Oscoda, Hot AC 107.7
The Bay WHSB Alpena, and Classic Country 1360 WKYO Caro.

Riverton: Rock 93.1 KFCW Riverton/95.3 K237CP Lander, Country 93.9 KTAK Riverton/104.1 K281BF Riverton, Hot AC 99.1 The Heat KWYW Lost Cabin,
Classic Country 101.7 KDNO Thermopolis, and Conservative Talk 1450 KVOW Riverton.
Translator Sales

Educational Media Foundation sells 90.9 K215FF Rock Springs and 94.3 K232CU Green River WY to the University of Wyoming for $1. The two translators
will be used to rebroadcast Public News/Talk Wyoming Public Media 91.9 KUWR Laramie.

Houston Christian Broadcasters acquires 95.9 K240EO Lufkin and 97.3 K247BG Nacogdoches TX from Educational Radio Foundation of East Texas for $35,000. Both translators will rebroadcast Christian Preaching 105.7 KHCB-FM Houston.

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