97.7 flipped to Latin at Noon

[Retro]

Just to make it official.

Rumba 97.7 Boston Debuts - RadioInsight

Rhythmic AC “97.7 The Beat” WKAF Brockton/Boston has met its demise. WKAF is currently stunting with unbranded Spanish language music telling listeners to tune in on Tuesday, May 25 at 2:00pm. As we just reported in today’s Domain Insight, WKAF will flip to iHeartMedia’s Spanish CHR “Rumba”...

radioinsight.com

 

[gr8oldies]

No one saw this coming! Boston's first legal Spanish-language FM, albeit with a signal that will be sub-optimal in some places north of the city that have sizeable Hispanic populations.

(This is all written assuming that the station is broadcasting in Spanish, not "Latin.")

May I be forgiven for chuckling over the thought of a station broadcasting in Latin....though I suppose someone broadcasts a Latin mass.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

No one saw this coming! Boston's first legal Spanish-language FM, albeit with a signal that will be sub-optimal in some places north of the city that have sizeable Hispanic populations.

(This is all written assuming that the station is broadcasting in Spanish, not "Latin.")

Yeah for this signal (south of Boston) Urban seems like a better fit, demographically, than Tropical..that should be on 101.7.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

We knew WKAF was the weakest link. Apparently they had used this format and branding on WKOX before spinning it off.

I see Hispanic counts for 10% of the population. You can make money with that.

11.9% and growing, definitely can make money. Overdue really- but should be north of Boston.

 

[MarkW]

iHM completely ruined 97.7's successful R&B format. A few of you said at the time ratings don't matter. The tightly playlisted, uptempo Rhythmic AC format was meant to complement WXKS for sales purposes and that's all that mattered. Guess you were wrong, since here we are only a couple years later, and now 97.7 isn't even broadcasting in English.

I would've preferred to see iHM bring back by the prior format; however, this move probably isn't a bad one.

 

[CTListener]

iHM completely ruined 97.7's successful R&B format. A few of you said at the time ratings don't matter. The tightly playlisted, uptempo Rhythmic AC format was meant to complement WXKS for sales purposes and that's all that mattered. Guess you were wrong, since here we are only a couple years later, and now 97.7 isn't even broadcasting in English.

I would've preferred to see iHM bring back by the prior format; however, this move probably isn't a bad one.

With CHR in a major slump (which could change in the coming months as studios and concert venues come alive again), maybe WKAF was just cannibalizing WXKS and WJMN's listener base rather than adding significant value for advertisers and iHeart decided to shift course.

 

[raccoonradio]

Rumba name was used on 1200 and 1430 around 2006 after the prog talk format (Oct 04-Dec 06) was dropped.
By early 2010 1200 went to Rush Radio talk
and later did Bloomberg Business then went back
to talk. 1430 was either Rumba or Mia for awhile, became talk then back to Spanish language.
It was later donated to another owner.

The website for Beat of Boston WKAF hasn't changed yet though the listen live link does have the current music mix in Spanish. 2pm today is supposed to be actual launch.
On Twitter someone said they hoped the former format would still run on the HD2.

 

[Retro]

The website for Beat of Boston WKAF hasn't changed yet though the listen live link does have the current music mix in Spanish. 2pm today is supposed to be actual launch.
On Twitter someone said they hoped the former format would still run on the HD2.

The main problem with the old format was that it was both unfocused, and unprovoked. I do not see any reason why to continue broadcasting their deadbeat format at all.

 

[CTListener]

11.9% and growing, definitely can make money. Overdue really- but should be north of Boston.

iHeart now has country on 101.7 and signal problems to the south, and Spanish-language music on 97.7 with signal problems to the north. A frequency swap would help Rumba with its problem, but would the Bull benefit by going to 97.7?

Yes, I know country has been on 97.7 before (WCAV), but that was some 30 years ago and irrelevant to establishing a country station on 97.7 now.

 

[davideduardo]

11.9% and growing, definitely can make money. Overdue really- but should be north of Boston.

But remember that in most Northeastern markets sixty percent or more of Hispanics are later generation and don’t use Spanish language media.

Further, there are many formats in Spanish, based both on age and country of origin or heritage. So only about 4% of the Boston market is Spanish dominant, an of that group, no single format can even get half of them.

 

[Retro]

iHeart now has country on 101.7 and signal problems to the south, and Spanish-language music on 97.7 with signal problems to the north. A frequency swap would help Rumba with its problem, but would the Bull benefit by going to 97.7?

Yes, I know country has been on 97.7 before (WCAV), but that was some 30 years ago and irrelevant to establishing a country station on 97.7 now.

MSA aside, how much influence does the adjacent Providence market factor into the South Shore area?

While we will not know until later on today what the "official" format will be, that is actual audience to be targeted, how much of a competition, if any will aimed at 97.3?

 

[raccoonradio]

Often stations changing format will continue it for a time on HD radio or a webstream, most likely jockless...satisfying some.
WBCN, WFNX, "Star 93.7", Evolution 101.7, WAAF etc But maybe they won't bother.

When WKLB went from 96.9 to 99.5, and later 102.5--2006*-- I believe it
was said the new freq would reach a good country audience north of Boston.Essex and Middlesex counties etc.

*--12-1-06 a freq swap with WCRB
WKLB started national anthem by Ricochet,
finishing it on 102.5 then going to Life Is A Highway. "Yes there is a Santa Claus and his name is Greater Media".
WCRB finished at previous freq w Copland's "Rodeo" then went to Hallelujah Chorus

 

[Retro]

But remember that in most Northeastern markets sixty percent or more of Hispanics are later generation and don’t use Spanish language media.

Further, there are many formats in Spanish, based both on age and country of origin or heritage. So only about 4% of the Boston market is Spanish dominant, an of that group, no single format can even get half of them.

FWIW, while I do not know the demographic breakdowns are between say Everett, Chelsea, and East Boston, I do think that it fairly safe to say that there at least 2 different nationalities. One that speaks straight Spanish, and the other who speaks Portegese insteadd

 

[CTListener]

MSA aside, how much influence does the adjacent Providence market factor into the South Shore area?

While we will not know until later on today what the "official" format will be, that is actual audience to be targeted, how much of a competition, if any will aimed at 97.3?

97.3? WJFD, the New Bedford station? That's Portuguese. There will be zero overlap with the audience of a Spanish-language WKAF, no matter what kind of music it plays.

 

[CTListener]

FWIW, while I do not know the demographic breakdowns are between say Everett, Chelsea, and East Boston, I do think that it fairly safe to say that there at least 2 different nationalities. One that speaks straight Spanish, and the other who speaks Portegese insteadd

Are Cape Verdeans even considered "Hispanic" by the Census or in radio circles? Portuguese is not some minor dialect of Spanish, nor is Portugal (or its current and former possessions) mere extensions of Spain and its culture.

 

[Retro]

Often stations changing format will continue it for a time on HD radio or a webstream, most likely jockless...satisfying some.
WBCN, WFNX, "Star 93.7", Evolution 101.7, WAAF etc But maybe they won't bother.

When WKLB went from 96.9 to 99.5, and later 102.5--2006-- I believe it
was said the new freq would reach a good country audience north of Boston.Essex and Middlesex counties etc.

Just a side note, remember back at the time when they said that Boston was not big enough for 2 Country music stations?

I still wonder to this very day what Fairbanks thought about Greater Media inadvertently ending up with the station, when they were adamant that they would not sell the station to them at all.

 

[Retro]

97.3? WJFD, the New Bedford station? That's Portuguese. There will be zero overlap with the audience of a Spanish-language WKAF, no matter what kind of music it plays.

OK, thanks!

 

[raccoonradio]

iHeart now has country on 101.7 and signal problems to the south, and Spanish-language music on 97.7 with signal problems to the north. A frequency swap would help Rumba with its problem, but would the Bull benefit by going to 97.7?

Yes, I know country has been on 97.7 before (WCAV), but that was some 30 years ago and irrelevant to establishing a country station on 97.7 now.

Radio-Locator.com

Radio Station Search Engine

radio-locator.com

Approx sognal range of 97.7--weaker to Mettimack Valley but otherwise covers a
half decent area.

 

[raccoonradio]

Just a side note, remember back at the time when they said that Boston was not big enough for 2 Country music stations?

I still wonder to this very day what Fairbanks thought about Greater Media inadvertently ending up with the station, when they were adamant that they would not sell the station to them at all.

WKLB slowly developed a loyal audience and soon became among the most popular stations. iHeart wanted to tap into that--at first poking fun at KLB for being "the station your parents listen to".Hot New Country was the slogan. KLB responded by dropping the weekly country
oldies show and adopting "Boston's #1 for Hot New Country".Some folks who didn't like hard rock or top 40 but enjoyed pop-laden country...could enjoy
either station

 

[CTListener]

WKLB slowly developed a loyal audience and soon became among the most popular stations. iHeart wanted to tap into that--at first poking fun at KLB for being "the station your parents listen to".Hot New Country was the slogan. KLB responded by dropping the weekly country
oldies show and adopting "Boston's #1 for Hot New Country".Some folks who didn't like hard rock or top 40 but enjoyed pop-laden country...could enjoy
either station

And both stations are playing the same music now, right? Or will WKLB slip a couple of "legends" (not Willie, Waylon, Merle but Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Chicks) into the mix every hour while WBWL keeps it current or very recent recurrent 100 percent?

I suppose the only reason 101.7 remains country is strictly to get iHeart some of the advertiser spending that's going toward country specifically, especially concerts.