New Huntsville station to come soon from CC?

[RollTide]

Way-FM's 99.5 W258AU has applied a change in city of license from Chase to Huntsville with an upgrade from 10 watts to 120 watts at 392.7 meters. This translator is currently relaying Way-FM from 88.1 WAYH Harvest. The application for the upgrade lists a change in parent signal to an HD subchannel of CC's 102.1 WDRM. WDRM currently runs one HD2 subchannel that plays new country. Could CC be preparing to lease the 99.5 translator from Way Media to launch a new format on 99.5? It seems plausible since Way wouldn't need to lease an HD subchannel from CC to relay 99.5 on, since they have (and are currently using) their own WAYH to relay it. Any thoughts or other theories as to what might be going anyone?

 

[Rrrrzzzz419]

Way-FM's 99.5 W258AU has applied a change in city of license from Chase to Huntsville with an upgrade from 10 watts to 120 watts at 392.7 meters. This translator is currently relaying Way-FM from 88.1 WAYH Harvest. The application for the upgrade lists a change in parent signal to an HD subchannel of CC's 102.1 WDRM. WDRM currently runs one HD2 subchannel that plays new country. Could CC be preparing to lease the 99.5 translator from Way Media to launch a new format on 99.5? It seems plausible since Way wouldn't need to lease an HD subchannel from CC to relay 99.5 on, since they have (and are currently using) their own WAYH to relay it. Any thoughts or other theories as to what might be going anyone?

You are probably right to say clear channel is launching a new station, or are they? They could just use this translator to put A.M.'s WBHP 1230 / WHOS 830 back on the F.M. dial.

Anyway if they are launching a new station I see five directions they might take it,

1. CC did this in Nashville ( Alt 98.3) how about make it Alt 99.5.

2. CC now has two rock stations in Birmingham ( 103.1 The Vulcan, Rock 94.9 ), so make it 99.5 The Vulcan
as a sister station to WTAK Rock 106.1.

3. CC might just use this translator to put E.M.F.'s Air 1 format on the dial in Huntsville.

4. CC has Gospel 105.1 Hallelujah F.M. in Birmingham so make it 99.5 Hallelujah F.M. in Huntsville.

5. The best option I see since CC has 104.1 The Beat in Birmingham is to make it 99.5 The Beat in
Huntsville to compete against 103.1 WEUP. I think this would do the best because WEUP's signal
is lacking in some areas in Huntsville and to the North and Northeast.

And of course as I said they could always use this translator to relay WBHP 1230 / WHOS 800 A.M.
on to the F.M. dial ( 106.5 was used as the relay until they broke it up and launched 106.5 Kiss FM
Also I think this translator would come nearer relaying WQRV 100.3 HD 3 rather than WDRM 102.1 HD 2.

 

[Rrrrzzzz419]

Way-FM's 99.5 W258AU has applied a change in city of license from Chase to Huntsville with an upgrade from 10 watts to 120 watts at 392.7 meters. This translator is currently relaying Way-FM from 88.1 WAYH Harvest. The application for the upgrade lists a change in parent signal to an HD subchannel of CC's 102.1 WDRM. WDRM currently runs one HD2 subchannel that plays new country. Could CC be preparing to lease the 99.5 translator from Way Media to launch a new format on 99.5? It seems plausible since Way wouldn't need to lease an HD subchannel from CC to relay 99.5 on, since they have (and are currently using) their own WAYH to relay it. Any thoughts or other theories as to what might be going anyone?

Keep in mind Way FM probably won't need this translator (99.5 Chase, soon to be Huntsville ) because they have a construction permit for 98.5 FM Moores Mill / Huntsville.

 

[Rrrrzzzz419]

Way-FM's 99.5 W258AU has applied a change in city of license from Chase to Huntsville with an upgrade from 10 watts to 120 watts at 392.7 meters. This translator is currently relaying Way-FM from 88.1 WAYH Harvest. The application for the upgrade lists a change in parent signal to an HD subchannel of CC's 102.1 WDRM. WDRM currently runs one HD2 subchannel that plays new country. Could CC be preparing to lease the 99.5 translator from Way Media to launch a new format on 99.5? It seems plausible since Way wouldn't need to lease an HD subchannel from CC to relay 99.5 on, since they have (and are currently using) their own WAYH to relay it. Any thoughts or other theories as to what might be going anyone?

The more I think about this, the more I think it would seem logical for CC to make 99.5 "Hallelujah 99.5" because WAY FM originally owned 105.1 in Birmingham I believe before it was sold to CC and became Hallelujah 105.1. This format would not require a lot of DJ's, provide competition for WEUP 1700 AM / 94.5 FM , as well as not have competition from WBTG 106.3 out of Sheffield due to it fading out around Athens.

 

[Rrrrzzzz419]

The more I think about this, the more I think it would seem logical for CC to make 99.5 "Hallelujah 99.5" because WAY FM originally owned 105.1 in Birmingham I believe before it was sold to CC and became Hallelujah 105.1. This format would not require a lot of DJ's, provide competition for WEUP 1700 AM / 94.5 FM , as well as not have competition from WBTG 106.3 out of Sheffield due to it fading out around Athens.

Ok, maybe it would have a little competition from WBTG but maybe only on the HD feed.

 

[RollTide]

I'm not sure the gospel audience is big enough in Huntsville. Birmingham has a much larger black gospel audience than Huntsville so it made sense to have it there. I don't see them using a format that they won't be able to make money with. I'm not sure about Air1 either since this is a WAY Media owned translator. I do think Alternative would definitely be a possibility. WTAK HD2 already runs an alternative format & CC has launched Alternative on translators in several markets lately, most recently in Nashville. Urban would also definitely be a possibility now that Hot 103.5 is gone and WEUP's signal is so awful. I also had the thought that they could possibly flank WDRM with classic country. Putting WBHP back on FM never crossed my mind but that could also be a possibility. Then again, the translator could just simply relay WBHP and wouldn't need an HD FM signal to do it with. Plus, the last time it was on FM on 106.5 it did absolutely nothing to help so I don't know if they'd waste time trying it again. I think the biggest possibilities are alternative or urban since CC currently has no stations catering to the black population in Huntsville at all right now. They could be planning on trying to pick up some of that revenue.

 

[RollTide]

The rest of the websites haven't caught up yet, but the fcc site shows the application has been granted as of the 24th. I guess we'll all wait and see now if a new station is indeed in the works & if so what it will be.