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98.9 Charleston flips to Oldies

C

charlestondxman

WWIK, 98.9 FM in Charleston, which was Modern AC 98.9 Chick FM, has switched to oldies as Fun 98.9 FM. They just made the switch today, making the change sometime around 7am. I believe the first song was Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose - Too Late To Turn Back Now.

They are labeling as the Greatest Hits of the 60s, 70s (especially 70s), and 80s, basically what 95.9 FM was before they switched. They already have a whole line-up ready.

Tom Kent is on nights and overnights, and voice-tracking afternoon drive. Steve Kent late overnights, and local mainstay Bill Shannon is doing mornings 5-10am. He is also VT weekends. The new station debuts as the first affiliate of Tom Kent’s 24/7 Fun programming service. The station will also carry Kent’s specialty weekend programming.

There's 70s and 80s shows on weekends, and there will be a party show weekend nights. Moms in the Morning is no more. Janet Walsh is fired from another station. Maybe the wretched 98.9 signal will actually do something in the market with this format.

Here is their website:

http://www.989funfm.com/
 
Wow, so no more "Moms In The Morning".... :D

Nice to see them planning, but I don't know how well they will do. That signal certainly isn't a flamethrower and doesn't appear to have but grade B coverage in to Charleston. Interesting that Bill Shannon resurfaced once again. It's a shame what happened with him and Kain at 95.9...that was potential.
 
Janet Walsh here, not hiding behind some shadowy online anonymity.
A) Almost everyone in broadcasting has been fired/laid off/downsized MULTIPLE times. It's the downside to a fun business.
B) This call was mine. Period.
If you want to talk about me, please call my cell and include me. I'm sure you all have my number.
 
sickofitall said:
I'm sure you all have my number.
Click to expand...

I don't. ;) Having said that, let me say that getting TK was a smart move. Over the years, he has really hit his stride with his syndication offerings. I used to work for him in the 80s...he's one of the most passionate radio people out there AND he's a great human being to boot.

Good luck with the new direction.
 
Yeah, I know what you're thinking about. I was just reporting the news that I heard when I went thru the different FM signals and reported.

She's been on almost every major FM in the market. Hopefully the new 98.9 won't be on a short leash like 95.9 was. That was ridiculous when 95.9 decided to blow that market out so they could be the third country station in the market, and so they could give 99.7 the #1 spot.

Kirkman now has two markets cornered, sports (1390/99.3 are the only ones not owned by Kirkman), and oldies (1340 AM).
 
charlestondxman said:
Yeah, I know what you're thinking about. I was just reporting the news that I heard when I went thru the different FM signals and reported.

She's been on almost every major FM in the market. Hopefully the new 98.9 won't be on a short leash like 95.9 was. That was ridiculous when 95.9 decided to blow that market out so they could be the third country station in the market, and so they could give 99.7 the #1 spot.

Kirkman now has two markets cornered, sports (1390/99.3 are the only ones not owned by Kirkman), and oldies (1340 AM).
Click to expand...
What was so strange about 95.9 was that they hired great, well-known personalities that were REALLY making the station sound great right towards the end, then fired them. ??? They must not plan anything.

I wish Greenville had a classic hits station. Shame
 
The whys and wherefores of people's longevity or lack of it in this business are often just too random to form any sort of accurate assessment when you're an outside party. I can say, with 30 years in radio, that Janet Walsh is one of the most talented and nicest people I've ever worked with. She's funny, quick, smart and with a big heart. Just a real joy to work with someone so professional in this business.
 
sickofitall said:
Janet Walsh here... This call was mine. Period...
Click to expand...

Can I ask why, then, would you post a status on "Facebook" after your final show on Friday reading, "V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!!!!", giving listeners the impression that the show would be returning to the station in the not too distant future - rather than clarify it on Monday after 98.9 Chick FM, "armed with the information that [you and Lauren] were going to stop doing the show" (as quoted by your now-former OM here), flips to classic hits "Fun FM"?

I know you're not trying to be a killjoy (pun intended), and at the same time I don't mean to "call you out" on this... but why not just come out and say it's the last show and you'll be back on the dial again soon?
 
Ssummers said:
sickofitall said:
I'm sure you all have my number.
Click to expand...

I don't. ;) Having said that, let me say that getting TK was a smart move. Over the years, he has really hit his stride with his syndication offerings. I used to work for him in the 80s...he's one of the most passionate radio people out there AND he's a great human being to boot.

Good luck with the new direction.
Click to expand...

Couldn't be a dumb move to include Rock & Roll's Greatest Hits with Dick Bartley either. Another great compliment to any station offering 60's, 70's, early 80s.
 
I believe there is a market in the Charleston area for 60's 70's and 80's oldies style music and I am glad that 98.9 is going for it. 95.9 had a good thing started but droping it like a hot potato in such a short time frame from first coming on the air was bad news. I think 98.9 should pick it up and run with it and do their best to make it work low signal or not.
 
It'll work if they don't make the same mistake 95.9 made in their last few of weeks of broadcasting. There are already, figuratively speaking, cats at the scratching post trying to get a bad rap going with reasons. Just one more reason they can make it work, and work big for them.
 
Do you guys have a clue what you're talking about??? Don't you know the golden rule - if they can't hear it - they can't listen. 98.9 is NOT a Charleston station, it's at best a Georgetown station. Also on the IOP Classic Hits issue, have you noticed that Apex's WAVF is up 2.5 shares since WIOP has gone country??? Now WIOP as country has better numbers than IOP Classic Hits ever had in it's first 6 months and WEZL is off about 2 shares which allows Apex to have 2 of the Top 3 stations in the market. Apex seems to have made lot's of changes but they seem to have lot's of fight and to be the Hot Horse in CHS. I live in Columbia but travel to Charleston quite often, so I'm only judging numbers and the time to time listening that I get to do. This is a business not toys to play your favorite music on, that's why they make Ipods.

Speaking of Columbia - CC has about ruined SteveFM, I wish Chuck was on in Cola.
 
No, SCRadioTune, obviously we're all idiots and you are the only one on this board witha lick of sense. 98.9 may not have the best signal by a long shot but it most certainly IS a Charleston station. But we appreciate you pipeing in from Cola to set us straight since we collectively have no clue.
 
John you are welcome, I'm glad I could set you straight! Let me help you a little more, McClellanville, SC is the city of license for WWIK, they don't even through a city grade signal in CHS but they do in Georgetown.
 
98.9 is a Charleston station. They have been ever since they signed on in the early 90s. They signed on as WWSS, and every other format has been targeted to the Charleston market. Hot actually drew decent shares as a urban station, and challenged Z-93.

Spanish served a good niche for several years before it moved, and Kirkman is trying to make it into a Charleston station. They don't have the best signal, but they're doing their best.
 
SCRadioTune said:
John you are welcome, I'm glad I could set you straight! Let me help you a little more, McClellanville, SC is the city of license for WWIK, they don't even through a city grade signal in CHS but they do in Georgetown.
Click to expand...

Glad you could make a special appearance just for this thread. As I said previously, if they don't make the same mistake 95.9 made in the last few weeks on air before their demise they'll do well.
 
Gil Kirkman is a good broadcaster and I know he will do everything possible to make this new format work. He gave ChickFM pretty much everything they wanted. So the format didn't stick; it happens. It wasn't for a lack of effort on anybody's part - Charleston just didn't embrace it. I wish them the best of luck!
 
@Pete - How do you qualify a good broadcaster? Yes, you're right most stations do flip formats in this day are era of radio. Who did Chick give everything they want to?

Again my point: Charleston can't embrace anything they can't hear in their home or office.
 
Is there any way 98.9 could move closer in to Chas (I doubt it at that frequency due to WYKZ?) or, more realistically, get a translator in Charleston to help?
 
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