Bye Bye Buzz

[jbrasco951]

RI just reported The Buzz flipped to an Adult CHR, NOW 103.1 .

"The switch came without warning at 3pm Florida time today (12/5), with CBS now offering the "Buzz" format on the HD-2 channel of WPBZ, and online. Market manager Ben Hill says "This [new] station is all about the hits, and favorite artists. The local market has shown a great deal of interest in this format", thus the switch from active rock. Last song of “The Buzz” was “Beds Are Burning” by Midnight Oil. First song of “Now” was “Moves like Jagger”, by Maroon 5. "


Let me re-iterate what I just wrote on Facebook.

"The buzz is gone. Wow, I remember when it changed from the name Z-Rock like it was yesterday. First couple of years the station was really great, but of course, corporate control from a company like CBS had to ruin it. They jumped the shark when they fired Mark Summers...it was a matter of time before the format would be dropped altogether."

 

[Silkie]

Bye Bye, Buzz. You remember Buzz...same thing.

 

[ScottBurns]

The Buzz had a good run in this market. Look how far the Alternative format has fallen in some market! Remember the early 2000s, when there were two Alternative stations in the market - Planet and the Buzz? Moreover, on 102.3, there was a Modern AC. How times have changed.

Hopefully, CBS will fully staff NOW. Wild, with its syndicated crap (yes, I know it does well in the ratings, but it has a lock on the format), is ripe for some competition. Anyone have inside information on what the line-up will look like?

 

[jbrasco951]

Wild and 'RMF could both use a little motivation.

 

[Radio-X]

The Buzz had a good run in this market. Look how far the Alternative format has fallen in some market! Remember the early 2000s, when there were two Alternative stations in the market - Planet and the Buzz? Moreover, on 102.3, there was a Modern AC.

The Buzz was a decent station for the market. I feel its safe to say when Zeta/Planet/93 Rock were around, the Buzz pulled its weight. I think with WPBZ's departure there are only four "Buzz" rock stations around the country now: Columbia, MO, Greensboro, NC, Plattsburgh NY, and the trademark holder to the name in Nashville. The name, according to the GM of (then) early adopter WBZU in Richmond VA in 1995 was from the popular MTV rock program "Buzz Bin"

Dont jump me for this, but will anybody touch the post-grunge rock in WPB again? I know of two staions for sale down there in the metro. One is an AM which is useless the other is a FM. I never could pick it up in Broward with the Haitian pirates and who knows what sales are like there. But one can dream, cant they?

Radio-X

 

[ScottBurns]

This could further the Gater's trek into more of an AOR or Active Rock type of sound. The Gater moved more in that direction after the demise of 93 Rock. But now, they have the format all to themselves.

 

[transitfan]

So I wasn't hearing things when I turned on Buzz yesterday and heard Katy Perry. Since I generally get poor reception on 103.1 unless I'm north of Commercial Blvd, I wasn't sure.

 

[onemarketbore]

I think with WPBZ's departure there are only four "Buzz" rock stations around the country now: Columbia, MO, Greensboro, NC, Plattsburgh NY, and the trademark holder to the name in Nashville.
Radio-X

Houston (94.5), and Wichita Falls (106.3) in Texas come to mind. Also, doesnt Sarasota have one on 105.9? I'm thinking there a still quite a few out there. Certainly more than four.

 

[ScottBurns]

Isn't there still 100.5 The Buzz right here in Florida, in Gainesville?

 

[vadar]

Yes, the Buzz 100.5 lives on in Gainesville. It's an Active Rocker, not a great signal though.

 

[thebeach33445]

You know it just another corporate radio **** up. Sorry about the language but I am getting so tired of the bull crap!! Another usless station that sound like WRMF and MIA. Radio is destroying itself and they have nobody to blame but themselfs. Radio in South Florida is all crap now!! I remeber when it was amazing and we had such great stations like 943 THE BEACH!! 973 GTR, 949 ZETA, SHE 103, MAJIC when it was a real Oldies station, POWER 96 when it was a DANCE station. The buzz was the only station left that really sounded good to me.

PLAYING AC/DC AND RUSH AND LED ZEP WAS THE STUPIDED MOVE THEY COULD HAVE MADE!!

Between Big 105.9 and the Gater we didn't need another station playing the same damm songs. The Buzz was unique!!! THE ONLY STATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA THAT PLAYED ALTERNATIVE MUSIC. AND NOW WE HAVE NONE!!

I hate to say this but I know it wan't the PD. I know him very well as well as all of the DJ's that worked there. It was a corporate move!! And there lies the problem.

Gee I can see the subcription for XM going up again!!! How many millions of listeners do they have now??


Sorry guys but I had to rant!! I give up!!

 

[SuperH]

We in the Chicago market lost our Alternative station a while back... Bleeding Emmis sold some stations to Merlin Media... Q101 - Alternative turned into WWWN - FMNews. Right after the upgrade to Omnia.11 processors (sound quality was very good), they flipped formats.

Yes, radio music is dying.

I have been an XM subscriber since 2003. I have been a Sirius subscriber since 2005. I dumped the Sirius subscription when the lineup consolidated in 2008. Radio started dying long ago; it is very rare to find a quality radio station. Most content is syndicated or voice tracked (even SiriusXM does the latter - often).

I can remember like it was yesterday when programming and talent was good, and when radio was entertaining.

Sorry to hear about Miami's loss. :-(

 

[Identnut]

I think with WPBZ's departure there are only four "Buzz" rock stations around the country now: Columbia, MO, Greensboro, NC, Plattsburgh NY, and the trademark holder to the name in Nashville.
Radio-X

Houston (94.5), and Wichita Falls (106.3) in Texas come to mind. Also, doesnt Sarasota have one on 105.9? I'm thinking there a still quite a few out there. Certainly more than four.

US Virgin Islands too. (104.3).

 

[lb7906]

By the way with the new format, WRMF And WLDI will get their numbers cut in half. WRMF is another sinking ship unless they update their sound. Bob was taking them in an Adult Top 40 direction and they cut him back and brought in Steve who has given the station a classic leaning sound. Enough of the old repeats add some new music or they will get destroyed. At least Wild has gotten the hint and realized replaying mornings in afternoons was ridiculous. Still have the generic Clear Channel sound but at least they are playing newer music. Both will suffer unless they address the new kid in town. CBS is agressive and will take them on.