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Which is more "Lite"? WFEZ/WLYF?
- Thread starter Wimmmex
- Start date
It’s been awhile since I've listened to either, but WFEZ used to be the softer of the two.
Cox recently sold the majority of its operation to a private equity firm, and I believe some of the top management has announced its departure. Radio, however, is overseen by mostly the same people. While nobody can predict the future, the likelihood of changes, at least in the short-term, seems pretty low.
Cox recently sold the majority of its operation to a private equity firm, and I believe some of the top management has announced its departure. Radio, however, is overseen by mostly the same people. While nobody can predict the future, the likelihood of changes, at least in the short-term, seems pretty low.
The whole Cox group got purchased by Apollo Global Management LLC last year. That company is an investment group, without broadcast operational experience. So far, no changes... and with WFEZ #1 why would they want to make any changes at all?
Actually, that is incorrect. Apollo has eliminated key management positions at WFEZ. Long time PD Gary Williams was let go in June. Gary only led them to the #1 in the key demos for the last several years. Ridiculous move. And AJ Punjabi, well-respected Director of Sales was also let go by Apollo recently. Punjabi was quickly scooped up by iHeart to lead their stations in Charleston.
Both were cost-cutting moves as their positions were not replaced.
The question was about changes in format.
So far, there have been no format changes.
As to staff, almost every station and company in the business has cut expenses every way they could. That is not unique to Apollo.
Actually, WLYF-HD-2 is a true soft AC. WFEZ is only "soft" by today's definition of soft.
i dont see anything happening to Easy 93.1
Has anyone suggested they might change?
WLYF is the highest billing non-Hispanic station in the market. The last thing anyone at Entercom is doing is thinking about changing it.
Entercom has several lower performers that need some adjustment; that owner is about the worst in American radio in understanding how the ethnic composition of markets influences the "flavor" of the market. Miami is not Fargo or Minneapolis or Seattle.
David, you must be referring to 104.3 The Shark. More like a tanked shark. When are they going to realize this station is not working?
With all the comments about The Shark on this board through the years, one has to wonder if Entercom has any other viable format available for 104.3? The Shark is not a bad product and it does have some South Florida elements in its playlist and with the Saturday night remix show that you won't hear on any other alternative station I've encountered. Entercom doesn't really do Spanish-language radio and this market has enough CHR flavors (WHYI, WFLC, WPOX, WZTU, anyone else?) to fill one's presets with just that format. I'd imagine WSFS's key demo sells well alongside WQAM and WAXY. If WSFS is flipped, I don't see what format is open that they can jump to unless you count WMIA leaving hot AC.
An honest rock station would've been a decent choice for 104.3, in my opinion, but with 105.9's recent music adjustments - that ship has probably sailed.
Variety Hits or Hot AC are options worthy of consideration.
Frankly, I thought the Ticket should've never been booted off the frequency; I thought the plug was pulled prematurely.
Variety Hits or Hot AC are options worthy of consideration.
Frankly, I thought the Ticket should've never been booted off the frequency; I thought the plug was pulled prematurely.
I thought CBS had held onto 104.3 after selling the rest of its cluster in West Palm to Goodman. CBS didn’t have any stations in Miami until the end of 2014 and, thus, sold 104.3 to JP/LFM after getting permission to move it into Miami.
That could be the case, I may have misunderstood how the move from West Palm was handled
CBS briefly retained what is now ESPN 106.3/Jupiter. When CBS owned it, the station was B 106.3, and had an Urban AC format.
It seemed to me since 2014, WLYF had gradually morphed from its longtime Soft AC / Mainstream AC hybrid into a Mainstream AC completely by the end of 2018. Meanwhile, WFEZ had gradually morphed from Soft AC into a Soft AC / Mainstream AC hybrid throughout the mid 10s resembling WLYF from the early 10s.
I barely listen to WFEZ throughout the 10s. I had been listening to WLYF since Fall 2011. When I started listening to WFEZ a lot more since April of this year, I thought to myself, this is what WLYF sounded like back in Fall 2011.
I barely listen to WFEZ throughout the 10s. I had been listening to WLYF since Fall 2011. When I started listening to WFEZ a lot more since April of this year, I thought to myself, this is what WLYF sounded like back in Fall 2011.
Remember, the majority of the WFEZ music research is now done with Hispanic participants as the market is just over 50% Hispanic and now less than 25% non-Hispanic white. So the change you noted may have as much to do with the ethnic composition of the market as tempo per se.
Obviously, WLYF-HD-2 is basically the resemblance of WLYF's main analog back when it was Easy Listening / Beautiful Music up until the late 1980s. WLYF made its transition to Soft AC by the early 1990s. It was originally branded "Life" before it adopted its current "Lite FM" brand. (Hint: Think about its current callsign. W LYF = "Life")
WLYF had been broadcasting in HD without an HD substation for over a decade. It's too obvious Entercom launched a true Soft AC as an HD-2 on WLYF in the late 2010s to fork out some of WFEZ's main analog / WFEZ-HD-1's listeners that do happen to own an HD Radio Receiver in an area of Miami-Ft. Lauderdale with good coverage.
KAHM in Prescott, AZ is still doing the B/EZ format the way WLYF used to back in the day. I didn't grow up listening to the format but there's something delightfully campy about an elevator music version of 'Sweet City Woman' complete with syrupy strings.
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