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104.9 Lake FM WTNQ hires local staff.

104.9 Lake FM has hired Frank Murphy for middays and JJ Jeffries for afternoon drive. They start on 2/15. JJ held that same shift on the same station until 8 months ago. Only that was one owner and two formats ago (or three formats if you count Santa).
 
With this staff 104.9 could do well if it didn't lack signal in town. Same with 106.1. It would be great to see both stations get a Sharps Ridge translator. I know there isn't much room, but some larger markets have done crazier. I've always wondered why nobody in this are has tried "booster" stations? I'm not sure what the rules are. Could 104.9 and 106.1 do a low wattage one in town?
 
104.9 could possibly move closer to town with a change in C.O.L. but they would be fighting with the translator @ 105.1.
 
104.9 could possibly move closer to town with a change in C.O.L. but they would be fighting with the translator @ 105.1.
At least they also own 105.1. Either way, a full power signal would have the rights over any translators. There are several area translators on 104.9. One in McMinn County and one over the NC state line. All those translators would have to "accept" interference according to the rules or apply to move channels.
 
I have been listening on and off the last few days. Jeff is doing his thing in the afternoon, haven't had the chance to catch Frank yet in middays, I enjoy the music mix OK. Hope fully they will get some promotions going as spring and summer approach. I can't really say much good about the morning show, they only do a few breaks each hour and when they do start talking it's usually just babble between the two, I am reaching to change the channel as soon as they start talking. Maybe I'm too old school but it's just not entertaining radio.
 
I have been listening on and off the last few days. Jeff is doing his thing in the afternoon, haven't had the chance to catch Frank yet in middays, I enjoy the music mix OK. Hope fully they will get some promotions going as spring and summer approach. I can't really say much good about the morning show, they only do a few breaks each hour and when they do start talking it's usually just babble between the two, I am reaching to change the channel as soon as they start talking. Maybe I'm too old school but it's just not entertaining radio.
Referring to the morning show, they should've tried to get Bob and Sheri back. They already had an established presence in the market considering they used to air on the River 8 months ago.
 
Ok, so is Loud Media actually renting space & building studios in the Sunsphere? I heard the “broadcasting from the top of the Sunsphere” sweeper on Lake FM & figured it was just a goofy top of the hour id. But looking at Loud Media’s website, it lists their address as the Sunsphere. I have to admit, that’s pretty darn cool. This company must have tons of money to waste, but their stations are some of the best sounding in town. Wish they had bigger signals to work with.
 
Apparently it’s true. Just looked at the Facebook pages for Lake FM, Jump 97-1, & 106-1 VLZ, & they all have posts showing pics from their studios on the 5th floor of the Sunsphere! Also noticed all three now have at least some local hosts (Jump has Terry Styles on now in afternoons as well as the previously mentioned hosts on Lake FM & VLZ). But the Sunsphere studios are awesome. I’d promote the heck out of that.
 
One of the principles in Loud Media is CEO and co-founder of Aiir, a pretty successful software company for broadcaster websites. I don't know his level of wealth, but it seems they've made acquisitions that are small and not over extending themselves. I find their model and growth intriguing.
 
I love Loud Media. I believe they have big potential and I do agree about them being the best sounding stations in town (audio and product). Even WKCE sounds good audio wise but I wish they would try something different with it. I would love to see them subscribe to ratings. I'm curious what their small signals are getting in numbers. Anybody else notice the huge drop at WKHT last month? I am curious if Jump 97.1 caused that.
 
I would say WKHT's drop would be due to both Jump 97.1 and Jammin' 99.7. But since neither of them subscribe, that's just pure speculation.
 
Apparently it’s true. Just looked at the Facebook pages for Lake FM, Jump 97-1, & 106-1 VLZ, & they all have posts showing pics from their studios on the 5th floor of the Sunsphere! Also noticed all three now have at least some local hosts (Jump has Terry Styles on now in afternoons as well as the previously mentioned hosts on Lake FM & VLZ). But the Sunsphere studios are awesome. I’d promote the heck out of that.
Terry is truly a nice guy. Worked with him in the early 90's at WOKI. I had to check the Jump website to make sure it was him and it is. The last time I heard from him he was working in Pensacola while I was in Panama City, FL. I left the radio business in 2005 and lost touch, I'll try and get in touch with him and drop him an email.
 
Ok, so is Loud Media actually renting space & building studios in the Sunsphere? I heard the “broadcasting from the top of the Sunsphere” sweeper on Lake FM & figured it was just a goofy top of the hour id. But looking at Loud Media’s website, it lists their address as the Sunsphere. I have to admit, that’s pretty darn cool. This company must have tons of money to waste, but their stations are some of the best sounding in town. Wish they had bigger signals to work with.
Unless Loud got a super pandemic deal, I've got to think they're paying a pretty penny for Sunsphere digs.
 
I've been monitoring both stations for a couple of weeks now and I can't figure out what they are doing format wise. There doesn't seem to be any actual direction for either. It's a real shame too. When Momentum had them they were sizzling. Now? Not so much as a pop of oil. Signals are weaker than other distant stations which are actual factors in the market (Animal, Duke, Jack). Even if they were to subscribe I don't have much hope that either station would make any sort of noticeable impact in the market.
 
I've been monitoring both stations for a couple of weeks now and I can't figure out what they are doing format wise. There doesn't seem to be any actual direction for either. It's a real shame too. When Momentum had them they were sizzling. Now? Not so much as a pop of oil. Signals are weaker than other distant stations which are actual factors in the market (Animal, Duke, Jack). Even if they were to subscribe I don't have much hope that either station would make any sort of noticeable impact in the market.
I could have sworn 104.9 had a better (though far from full market) signal as oldies. Now I struggle to hear it in downtown Knoxville. I don't totally understand the music mix either.
 
I noticed yesterday that they have changed their call letters to WPLA. Interestingly (probably to no one other than me) those call letters were previously used in two other markets where I used to live at the time on stations I remember hearing: WPLA was "Play 91" in Plant City, FL (Tampa area) in the '80s, and then in the '90s I heard WPLA as "Planet Radio 93.3" in Jacksonville, FL. Now the WPLA call letters have followed me here to Knoxville.
 
Interesting......I remember WPLA in Plant City from First Class license school in Sarasota in 1980. I'm not sure what they're doing musically, seeming to hear a lot of 90s and 00s that weren't recognizable to me. The signal in most of Knoxville is terrible.
 
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