So with 103.3 rebranding as Country 103.3

[Radio Nashville]

are Nash & Nash Icon being phased out? That leaves 17 Nash branded, while 24 either rebranded or changed format. 14 Nash Icon (Cumulus), 9 (non-Cumulus), 20 rebranded or format changed.

Radio station news has to be awfully slow for me even to notice this.

 

[TheBigA]

Apparently so. The Nash name has left a bunch of stations during the past year or so, but this is a big one. Reported here by Country Aircheck:

Brand New, Man: Cumulus WKDF/Nashville has dropped its “Nash 103.3” branding in favor of “103.3 Country” and a new Tennessee-themed logo. “If the listeners call it 103-3, then that’s what we’re going to call it,” says VP/MM Allison Warren. “Our station is all about our community and the people of Tennessee, so now our logo reflects that.” Adds PD Paul Williams, “This is just one step in the evolution of our brand.” 'KDF was added to the Nash brand family more than six years ago (CAT 2/3/14). The current on-air lineup – including the recently launched Morning Koffy with Paul Koffy and Jasmine Sadry (CAT 5/4) – remains intact.

 

[JustinT]

Looks like a copy/paste of the overhaul at WKHX, just swap out the state name. Not following on the state angle so much though. "New Country for all of Tennessee"? 103.3 is a great stick but doesn't even cover a third of Tennessee. Past that, why promote yourself as the country station of Tennessee when you sit in the world capitol of country music? (Fittingly enough, they've been "Music City 103" before).

Unless... is 103.3 is trying to be the country station for people who live in the Nashville market but not in Nashville? I suppose that's an angle that could be taken. A country country station. The banner on their website makes it clear they're pumped about Christiana.

 

[TheBigA]

Unless... is 103.3 is trying to be the country station for people who live in the Nashville market but not in Nashville? I suppose that's an angle that could be taken. A country country station. The banner on their website makes it clear they're pumped about Christiana.

I think you were right before when you said it's a copy of WKHX, and do they call it "Atlanta's Country?"

No. It's New Country 101.5: Made in Georgia. Complete with the state map in the logo.

 

[JustinT]

I think you were right before when you said it's a copy of WKHX, and do they call it "Atlanta's Country?"

No. It's New Country 101.5: Made in Georgia. Complete with the state map in the logo.

Prefacing this that I lived in Nashville for three years, but recognizing completely that times and attitudes change so take my assessment as what it is:

WKHX and WKDF are both playing the "proud of our state" angle. But I would argue that, there may be a little more Georgia pride in Atlanta than there might be Tennessee pride in Nashville. For example, Atlanta is just down the road from Athens (noting that the WKHX color scheme pulls heavily from UGA's black and gold). Nashville is a pretty unique place in the state, and many Nashville residents would think of themselves as Nashvillian first and Tennesseean second. Leave Davidson County, and that answer could be quite different. Any election map can show you the split. And I think those areas are what the new branding of WKDF is going for -- the country station of true Tennesseans.

Otherwise, why would you be a country station in Nashville that doesn't want to brand itself as a country station in the home of country music?

 

[TheBigA]

Otherwise, why would you be a country station in Nashville that doesn't want to brand itself as a country station in the home of country music?

If it was the only such station, that would be appropriate. But there are four country stations, and the real heritage is with WSM.

 

[Kent]

103.3 is a great stick but doesn't even cover a third of Tennessee.

I can't say how much of Tennessee it covers, though I don't remember ever getting 103.3 during the semester I spent in Memphis (and that was before WRBO 103.5 moved into the market). It is, however, the first Nashville station I get on 24 when traveling to Nashville. I usually start getting it in my car just east of Paducah. I'm thinking it starts coming in around Calvert City.

Past that, why promote yourself as the country station of Tennessee when you sit in the world capitol of country music? (Fittingly enough, they've been "Music City 103" before).

The "Music City 103" brand didn't last too long as I recall. I seem to remember, after a few years, it went back to 103 KDF. Call-letters aren't usually a great way to brand a station, but the WKDF calls are still visible on the skyline of downtown Nashville.

 

[dlf1]

I used to pull 103KDF in around Munfordville on I65 in Kentucky (100 road miles from Nashville) and when I turned west on 40, they would carry about the same distance (around Lexington, TN). This was back in their rock/rock oriented days of the 80’s and 90’s. WSM FM also had a good signal to the west if memory serves me right.

I would have brought back the 103KDF moniker. Like Kent said the KDF sign on the Stahlman Bldg is iconic and 103KDF would have appeal to former rock listeners (now listening to Country) and those who only know of Country on 103.3.

 

[TheBigA]

I would have brought back the 103KDF moniker. Like Kent said the KDF sign on the Stahlman Bldg is iconic and 103KDF would have appeal to former rock listeners (now listening to Country) and those who only know of Country on 103.3.

Keep in mind KDF is co-owned with WSM-FM. That's the station aiming for the heritage listeners, not KDF.