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WEZW 93.1 flips format to WMID simulcast

radiodx10

radiodx10

According to my friend Nick Divkar, as posted on a facebook radio group.

"WEZW Easy 93.1 Wildwood, NJ flipped from soft AC to a simulcast of classic oldies 1340/1230 WMID. The format change happened right after a Phillies game broadcast on 93.1. At first I thought that it was a glitch but I later learned that it wasn’t a glitch, but an outright format change. Easy 93.1 is still streaming online, but who knows how much longer the stream will last."

Of course, it remains to be soon how an FM station with as bad a signal as WEZW will make a dime off of WMID's programming. Of course, too, their soft rock format of prior wasn't making much money either.

Might it be a temporary stunt for a new format and not a simulcast?
 
radiodx10 said:
According to my friend Nick Divkar, as posted on a facebook radio group.

"WEZW Easy 93.1 Wildwood, NJ flipped from soft AC to a simulcast of classic oldies 1340/1230 WMID. The format change happened right after a Phillies game broadcast on 93.1. At first I thought that it was a glitch but I later learned that it wasn’t a glitch, but an outright format change. Easy 93.1 is still streaming online, but who knows how much longer the stream will last."

Of course, it remains to be soon how an FM station with as bad a signal as WEZW will make a dime off of WMID's programming. Of course, too, their soft rock format of prior wasn't making much money either.

Might it be a temporary stunt for a new format and not a simulcast?
Click to expand...

Saw only a portion of the headline, and thought "They went All-Christmas ALREADY?"
 
Speaking of that, will they continue to flip to Holiday stuff in October?
 
Perhaps I am overthinking this but why would they simulcast a station that would only skew the demos even OLDER than the Soft AC format. I mean if there is any demo that is most likely to embrace the AM dial, it would be the Oldies audience to 1340/1230. How adding 93.1 to that makes sense I am missing. Is Oldies more sellable than Soft AC in this Cape May market? According to their website there is no mention of 93.1 simulcasting WMID but then again the Facebook feed on the page is from 2 years and 9 months ago urging people to vote...

Automated and all, WEZW is a unique little station. As a previous posted noted, it is still streaming on the website as of this moment.
 
There are three other classic hits stations in the market so there is no room for WMID to go younger by adding the 80s. I would absolutely love to hear a hybrid of WMID and the former Easy 93.1: soft oldies! A gold based soft AC that sounds similar to the old Sunny 104.5
 
nkd- I think that's a great idea! Truthfully, I doubt anyone is really trying to attract a large audience at WEZW. It's more than a likely a computer in a closet sorta station.
 
radiodx10 said:
It's more than a likely a computer in a closet sorta station.
Click to expand...

Then that didn't take too much work to setup the "trimulcast" as that is exactly what WEZW was typically with the Legal ID's playing half past the hour... odd clocks but I am sure most didn't even notice...
 
This one really has me scratching my head. Unless they got to cut a salary by ditching the Soft AC format on 93.1, I can't for the life of me come up with a way it makes sense to skew older by simulcasting a format geared toward people who have already succumbed to natural causes. How can this better justify the electric bill for the transmitter? I mean, just shut it down and turn in the license!
 
Miguelito said:
This one really has me scratching my head. Unless they got to cut a salary by ditching the Soft AC format on 93.1, I can't for the life of me come up with a way it makes sense to skew older by simulcasting a format geared toward people who have already succumbed to natural causes. How can this better justify the electric bill for the transmitter? I mean, just shut it down and turn in the license!
Click to expand...

Completely with you as I noted above. I'm sure it was just a matter of someone simply generating a playlist daily with little to no additional attention beyond that, which is what WMID always sounded like to me. Whoever handles traffic just had inventory to schedule and I imagine with this setup the spots would probably be/are the same on all 3 stations so less work for them in this regard. Since it was automated and this new arrangement is too... maybe it was just a matter of saving on royalties perhaps since the music aired on all 3 is the same??
 
Honestly, WEZW, with a little knowledge and effort, could be a decent station that makes some cash. It's not impossible with a PD with brains. I at least would have done major updates to the East 93.1 format. New liners, a fresher sound and new additions to the playlist. I probably would have pushed a little more upbeat, maybe even add some urban throwbacks like Freak Like Me or It Was a Good Day. Considering, however, the demographics (I'd need to research that more) it's hard to say how that would go over. I'd also turn up the processing to make the station pop out of the speakers more and cut through the static they're plagued with in the summer during nightly tropo.

What it comes down to, as always, is money. Wildwood is a very hard market to sustain. It's seasonal (summer only) and the rest of the time, it's nearly vacant. Cape May Co. is the poorest county in NJ, so factor that with a poor signal in a small vacation destination for three months out of twelve. WEZW has a huge uphill battle to fight. You have to find a format, or perhaps a hybrid of a few formats that can accommodate its very specific needs.

I'd first look at who's there the longest time. Probably retirees 65+ with money. So, in that case- WMID simulcast doesn't sound bad. BUT- how do you capitalize on the influx of much younger folks in the busiest time of the year for the WEZW market- wildwood may-august. I remember working there last summer at a store called What Goes On, and saw nothing but 16-32 year olds. An oldies format targeting 65+ is not going to work at all. That's when a 90s-2000s centric station sounds better. 102.3 already has the current music covered. 106.3 is doing a more typical classic hits format. 100.7 WZXL is classic rock. So...WEZW should try the Jack FM sorta thing. 80s-2000s top 40 with a hint of alt rock and a few urban tracks (Ice Cube, Snoop, even Tribe Called Quest) but make it all wildwood-centric. Have live events on the boardwalk, be the station for the young folks in that area. Once september rolls around, and the younger folks leave, ease back into older tracks, more 70s soft rock and sound of philly stuff.

Of course, this would cost money. And I presume Equity is not going to spend a dime on WEZW anymore.
 
When working in Delaware I tune in 1230 quite a bit (great coverage). Even for an oldies station, it skews old though they tend to sneak in something from the 80's here and there.

I'd assume WEZW is also simulcasting Rush?
 
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