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All-Access : WLFP (94.1 The Wolf)/Memphis To Move To 99.7, 'Sunsetting' Hot AC WMC (FM 100)

Of all of the programming and portfolio moves Audacy has made in the last month, this is the one that has me absolutely floored. I find it hard to believe FM100 wasn’t one of the top-billing stations in Memphis — if nothing else, its overall ratings were still very strong.

Audacy’s rationale may be that a) country listeners will remain more loyal to the FM dial than (adult) pop listeners over the long term, and b) The River will inherit many of FM100’s listeners. They may be right on both counts, but I still struggle mightily to rationalize killing a high-performing HAC with five decades of heritage to save a middling country station. Wow.
 
I can remember seeing rumors that FM 100 might go country on and off over the years, but I never thought it would happen. I don't listen to them like I used to but I still think that this a dumb move. I know that if this does happen I'll be dropping FM 100 from my presets in my car, something that hasn't happened since the 70's.
 
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From the article on Radio Insight:
Would Cumulus Media, whose Conservative Talk “NewsTalk 98.9” WKIM-FM currently has a zero share, acquire the intellectual property of WMC-FM? Does Audacy have more moves in play? Or like Buffalo, do they seek to combine the Hot AC and AC brands on 104.5 hoping to be left with one stronger brand overall?
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I would definitely like see 98.9 drop news/talk, hopefully once and for all, but I'd rather see Audacy combine FM 100 and WRVR somehow if this is going to happen.
 
I don’t think this is a change anyone would’ve predicted. Is there another market over the years that has been as stable as Memphis, format wise?

Look at the original 6 Memphis FM frequencies:

97.1– Urban and K-97 since 1976.
99.7–CHR/Hot AC since 1978 and known as FM 100 and Stereo Rock for 11 years before that.
101.1–Some type of urban since 1982.
102.7-Except for the brief Z 103 year, AOR/Classic Rock since 1977 and known as Rock 103 for almost all those years.
104.5–The River since 1981 but adult contemporary since 1975.
105.9—Country and KIX 106 since 1983.
 
briancraig said:
I don’t think this is a change anyone would’ve predicted. Is there another market over the years that has been as stable as Memphis, format wise?

Look at the original 6 Memphis FM frequencies:

97.1– Urban and K-97 since 1976.
99.7–CHR/Hot AC since 1978 and known as FM 100 and Stereo Rock for 11 years before that.
101.1–Some type of urban since 1982.
102.7-Except for the brief Z 103 year, AOR/Classic Rock since 1977 and known as Rock 103 for almost all those years.
104.5–The River since 1981 but adult contemporary since 1975.
105.9—Country and KIX 106 since 1983.
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Memphis needs a CHR on a good signal.
 
anotherguyTN said:
I can remember seeing rumors that FM 100 might go country on and off over the years, but I never thought it would happen. I don't listen to them like I used to but I still think that this a dumb move. I know that if this does happen I'll be dropping FM 100 from my presets in my car, something that hasn't happened since the 70's.
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Obviously used to listen to them quite a lot back when I still lived in west TN and could still do so, but I probably aged out of their format about 30 years ago!

Means that we will probably NEVER hear this on the radio again, although I can't be sure how much airplay that it has gotten in recent years. I know that Olson played it right before he transferred over to 'RVR.

 
MVB13 said:
Memphis needs a CHR on a good signal.
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The problem is that CHR is going through a "double whammy": teens and 18-24 don't use radio (much) any more and the music itself is going through a bad period.
 
This really isn't surprising. WRVR is basically FM100 AARP edition. FM100 also has some salaries they can dump now, since the Wolf is a mirror of their Chattanooga Country WUSY using the same talent. As far as Cumulus picking up Hot AC to replace talk on 98.9, it would make sense, but then that's not Cumulus' strong suit now, is it?
 
exdjted said:
This really isn't surprising. WRVR is basically FM100 AARP edition. FM100 also has some salaries they can dump now, since the Wolf is a mirror of their Chattanooga Country WUSY using the same talent. As far as Cumulus picking up Hot AC to replace talk on 98.9, it would make sense, but then that's not Cumulus' strong suit now, is it?
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Despite it being the highest billing station in Audacy's Memphis cluster, I'm sure margins were lower at FM 100 than Audacy would’ve liked. Still, seems like a dumb move when you think about the shares between the two of them and the shares between the two country stations.

I have to agree with you that Cumulus isn’t known for being smart. Having worked there during the Dickeys' reign, I would say that was true. I hear it's better now, but I can’t vouch for how much better.
 
No way that this was about FM100’s margins. The station has two local dayparts, mornings and afternoons. One of the morning hosts will stay on The Wolf, and the afternoon host (who’s a great guy) is the cluster OM. Any other difference in cost vs. The Wolf is presumably minimal.

If FM100 was indeed the cluster’s top biller and highest-rated station in the 25-54 demo, that makes this move even more bewildering.

As for Cumulus, I would not be shocked if they took 98.9 Hot AC. But they will not replicate the listener trust and ratings/revenue success that FM100 cultivated through decades of consistent execution. That goes double if they attempt to do it on the cheap (read: syndicated mornings), which they almost assuredly would. I could also see Flinn pivoting 107.5 back to a contemporary format, although that signal will always limit their success. 101.9 is irrelevant and I can’t imagine iHeart messing with any of their other signals.
 
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AceBiscuits said:
Perhaps this is a bluff? What odd times we’re living in.
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It's not a bluff, just a reflection of the current state of Radio. As has been pointed out, WRVR and WMC-FM are too close in format, so FM100 lost. The Wolf is basically every Audacy Country station in their portfolio. Audacy doesn't have an Urban station in an African-American dominated market, so continuing Wolf on a new frequency is really their only play. They can't move it to 92.9 since that's their Sports format and Memphis Grizzlies flagship. WRVR can tweak the format a bit and pick up some of the FM100 diehards.

What Audacy really needs is for the FCC to loosen the ownership caps so they can offload stations in select markets and bulk up in their key markets. If the Commission just added 1 FM to each Top 75 market cap, Memphis could be sold by spinning off WMFS 92.9 and WRVR 104.5 to Cumulus to reach 6, while iHeart could add WLFP 99.7 which would give them a Country in Memphis to counter Cumulus' WGKX, and then spin off WMC AM and WMFS AM to whoever has enough cash to make the deal, and they're out of Memphis.

I know there's going to be pushback on the whole ownership limit, but really, a scenario like this would be beneficial to Audacy in a market like Memphis, and could be a blueprint for other groups in markets across the country.
 
And the implication that all the Wolf needs to be successful is to be on a 300K blowtorch helps one understand why Audacy is on the verge of bankruptcy.....
All the 35+ women that listen to WRVR in the mornings for Ron and Karen and then flip back to 100 may feel they have nowhere to go because WRVR is for OLD people, right?
 
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