Alt 92.3 to Become WINS Simulcast

[MVB13]

You know what? Call me crazy, but with the date 10/27, it just hit me. What if they're planning to flip NEW 102.7 to alternative? They could've chosen to flip 92.3 to 1010 WINS today, but randomly on a Thursday?

I HIGHLY doubt that! 102.7 is the only true Hot A/C in this market. (KTU is a Rhythmic Hot A/C) Plus 102.7 FINALLY has found its footing. It took a decade after WNEW signed off to get there!

 

[mikerock]

I HIGHLY doubt that! 102.7 is the only true Hot A/C in this market. (KTU is a Rhythmic Hot A/C) Plus 102.7 FINALLY has found its footing. It took a decade after WNEW signed off to get there!

This is NYC radio, if they finally found their footing it means time to switch formats.

What better way than to return it back to, "the place where rock lives".

"WNEW-FM is back for our 33rd year of Rock and Roll on 102.7 FM" starting on 10/27. LOL, one can hope.

If not 102.7 and going back much further, 103.5 WAPP. Yeah, I know, not going to happen and not many probably even remember it existed.

 

[Jacko]

You know what? Call me crazy, but with the date 10/27, it just hit me. What if they're planning to flip NEW 102.7 to alternative? They could've chosen to flip 92.3 to 1010 WINS today, but randomly on a Thursday?

That would be something, but, alas, Thursdays are big ratings days for radio. A lot of big format flips, radio promotions, and giveaways happen on Thursdays. I know that 102.7 WEQX in Manchester, VT dubs 10/27 as "EQX Day."

 

[Marcos_C]

If not 102.7 and going back much further, 103.5 WAPP. Yeah, I know, not going to happen and not many probably even remember it existed.

I remember The Apple. It launched in June 1982 with an entire summer of commercial-free music.

 

[101tm]

101.9 RXP Version 2 was around at a time when the alternative format was relatively healthy in the early '10s, when artists like MGMT, Muse, Mumford & Sons, Modest Mouse (a lot of Ms!) were big, and was the right balance of indie vs. mainstream, old vs. new, and tightly focused vs. freeform. If I recall, RXPs numbers went up in the last several months when their playlist became more focused and more in line as an alternative station. They disappeared for a while, so when Version 2 appeared, fans were excited to get RXP back. Perhaps it was coincidental that they got some relatively strong numbers during that brief time, but they were tapping into something that didn't exist in New York at the time. Granted, the launch of Alt 92.3 was pretty good out the gate, but bad programming choices and corporate mentality got in the way, and one by one, Audacy's Alts are disappearing.

There were a ton of Alt to CHR crossovers around that time too. “Somebody That I Used to Know”, “Little Talks”, “Feel it Still”, “Pumped Up Kicks”, “Sweater Weather”, “I Will Wait”, etc.

 

[davideduardo]

So it's been announced that he will leave the company at the end of the year. That part of the story is over. The challenge is for the format to find a core and rebuild. That will take more than radio people. That will take a coalition of artists, labels, and fans. Other formats have been able to do it in ways that benefit the music. Based on what I'm seeing, I'm not hopeful with this one.

You bring a very interesting point to this discussion: the need for an alliance of fans, labels and artists. That you did not mention programmers I take as intentional, because some rather good efforts have been made across the US to create working alternative formats, and there are few that work.

 

[NYRadioFan22]

Just curious, back in 2017 when ALT 92.3 started, how did Hurt by Johnny Cash make it into the playlist?

 

[JeremyAndrews]

Just curious, back in 2017 when ALT 92.3 started, how did Hurt by Johnny Cash make it into the playlist?

The Johnny Cash track is a Nine Inch Nails cover and has been a staple on a lot of Alternative stations since it was released almost 20 years ago. Some stations play both versions.

 

[TheBigA]

The Johnny Cash track is a Nine Inch Nails cover and has been a staple on a lot of Alternative stations since it was released almost 20 years ago. Some stations play both versions.

The record was produced by rock producer Rick Rubin. It was around the same time that Jack White produced Loretta Lynn.

 

[JeremyAndrews]

I believe other Johnny Cash songs got into rotation on some Alternative stations as a result in the years after. As far as Hurt, it peaked at #8 on Alternative Airplay per Billboard.

 

[AceBiscuits]

You know what? Call me crazy, but with the date 10/27, it just hit me. What if they're planning to flip NEW 102.7 to alternative? They could've chosen to flip 92.3 to 1010 WINS today, but randomly on a Thursday?

One word: Nielsen. That's around if not the end of the October book, and start of the November book.

 

[davideduardo]

One word: Nielsen. That's around if not the end of the October book, and start of the November book.

It's right in the middle of the November book.

 

[gr8oldies]

I believe other Johnny Cash songs got into rotation on some Alternative stations as a result in the years after. As far as Hurt, it peaked at #8 on Alternative Airplay per Billboard.

I'm aware of at least one alternative station that played "I Walk the Line" in gold rotation.

 

[Barry]

In the Los Angeles market, IHeart's KYSR has been getting considerably higher ratings than Audacy's famous KROQ. KYSR plays more of the pop type Alt than KROQ. But in this market Alt 92.3 was heavily criticized on this board for playing the more pop stuff. Perhaps that is an indication of how different the two markets may be.

 

[macattack]

In the Los Angeles market, IHeart's KYSR has been getting considerably higher ratings than Audacy's famous KROQ. KYSR plays more of the pop type Alt than KROQ. But in this market Alt 92.3 was heavily criticized on this board for playing the more pop stuff. Perhaps that is an indication of how different the two markets may be.

KROQ went way poppier than KYSR for a span of roughly two years and that put KROQ into a ratings nosedive that they still haven’t completely recovered from. KROQ at least stopped the bleeding, but part of the problem is that they can’t compete with Woody who is absolutely whooping ass in the morning slot for KYSR.

 

[Marcos_C]

You know what? Call me crazy, but with the date 10/27, it just hit me. What if they're planning to flip NEW 102.7 to alternative? They could've chosen to flip 92.3 to 1010 WINS today, but randomly on a Thursday?

I don't think so. I'm sure that there is an administrative reason why Thursday, October 27 was chosen.

 

[davideduardo]

I don't think so. I'm sure that there is an administrative reason why Thursday, October 27 was chosen.

The best of all the guesses we are making is that this is the date the new union accord goes into effect.

 

[JeremyAndrews]

In the Los Angeles market, IHeart's KYSR has been getting considerably higher ratings than Audacy's famous KROQ. KYSR plays more of the pop type Alt than KROQ. But in this market Alt 92.3 was heavily criticized on this board for playing the more pop stuff. Perhaps that is an indication of how different the two markets may be.

I still believe the Alternative format has a lot of good music going for it. They have big name bands making a comeback, they have big name bands who had success on pop in the past but are not being played elsewhere, and a few evolving acts. A lot of the artists on the chart right now have big fan bases and are not getting much if any airplay on other formats. Problem is there's not enough of it. They have to rely on the gold library to fill time. It takes a lot of effort to figure out what a specific market wants. The pop stuff does really well in some of them, not as well in others. It costs money to have local people doing local things, which is something that Alternative and AAA usually need to be successful.

I'm sure the pop side of it did just fine in Los Angeles when KYSR did it right. KYSR probably had success with it because they did it first, and figured out what the audience wanted before KROQ.

 

[TheBigA]

This week WNYL is playing the history of alternative music:

WNYL Turns Back Clock On Alternative Radio’s History At 92.3.

Ahead of handing the 92.3 frequency over to news sister WINS (1010) on Thursday at 9am, Audacy alternative WNYL is reliving the history of modern rock music on the 92.3

www.insideradio.com

BTW According to this, the switch to news will be at 9AM Thursday

Ahead of handing the 92.3 frequency over to news sister WINS (1010) on Thursday at 9am, Audacy alternative WNYL is reliving the history of modern rock music on the 92.3 frequency in New York. Starting at noon on Monday, the station devoted each hour to a different year from the frequency’s history of playing alternative music for New Yorkers.

 

[Marcos_C]

The time of the switch has been announced on both Alt 92.3 and 1010 WINS for the last few days.