• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Clearchannel Announces Format Change For WFNX

B

bobbailey

Sources out of the 10 Cabot Rd. studios of Clearchannel Boston in Medford told me within the last 10 minutes that the format of
WFNX 101.7 will be changed to a 24 hour Polka station to satisfy the Polish community in the area and tap into their advertising dollar.

The new morning man signed his contract shortly before noon today. Bob Litwin, who for over 30 years, has had a long running
Polka show on WESX-AM 1230 on Sunday's from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm - The Litwin Polka Varities. WESX studios are currently in
Chelsea running a Spanish format after the sale of the North / South Shore Broadcasting in 2006, Litwin has had the only English speaking
program on the station.

Litwin will handle morning drive from 6:00 am to 10:00 am and he brings a great knowledge of Polka music and dance as well as Polish
community affairs as he is deeply in touch with the Polish community.

His ratings on WESX are the highest on the station and the powers that be at Clearchannel Boston hope that translates to the FM dial.

The rest of the Polka weekday lineup on WFNX has been announced and will include: "The Polkatime Show" with Lou & Terry Daniels from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm , Billy Belina's
"Polka Bandstand" will be on for the PM commute from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm , " Polka Celebration" with Helen Szubzda will run from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm,
to be followed into the overnight with "Polka-A-Go-Go" hosted by Jeffrey Guyette from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am and "The Polka Beat" with Bob Jaracz will
entertain listeners from 2:00 am to 6:00 am before Litwin hits the airwaves again.


John Hogan , CEO of Clearchannel, is said to be thrilled with the acquisiation of WFNX and looks forward to establishing the first Polka
station in the country to dominate the FM dial.
 
Weekend programming will most likely be a combination of time bought programming as well as syndicated
Polka programing from the Polish Radio Network.

Other Polka shows being considered for weekend shifts include : Carl Mackiewicz's "Polish American Radio" , "Polish Cavalcade of Music" with Wally Skibinski, the
"No Name" Polka Program with Leon Kozicki and "The New Polish Hour hosted by Annie & Stas Golembewski.

The format change is expected to take place before the July 4th holiday weekend.

Stay tuned for more information.
 
Mark S of BRW was talking to me about this on Twitter. He thinks it would be Spanish on 101.7
(talk? music? both?) He said high Latino populations in areas where the FNX signal goes,
and as for conservative talk, the 101.7 signal doesn't quite reach the suburbs (well) where
conservative fans area, but again we'll see
 
News for bobbailey from Talk 1200 (since I know he's a big Jeff Katz fan):
>>Congratulations to TALK 1200-Boston's JEFF KATZ who will be picking up two 2012 Associated Press Awards tonight... for Best Boston Radio Talk Show & Best Public Affairs Show, for his broadcast from the Fisher House-Boston. Congratulations Jeff on winning two years in a row
 
Joseph_Gallant said:
I would still put my money on a Spanish-language music format aimed at young Hisopanics under the age of 40.
Click to expand...

There are two facts here that make that about as likely as the moon crashing into Earth.

First, while the market is almost 10% Hispanic with over 400,000 Hispanics in the metro, only about a third are in 18-40, and less than half of those are Spanish dominant. That means a core sales demo cume of well under 100 thousand people.

Second, there has been essentially no inbound migration from Latin America since well before the recession started... or about 6 or 7 years. 18-24 is now mostly made up of second generation, assimilated Hispanics, and they listen to CHR and rhythmic CHR type stations, not Spanish language stations.

Further, remember that Spanish is a language and not a format. So any specific Spanish language format will not be liked by all Spanish dominant Hispanics of any age group. Just as among the general population, some people in 18-40 will like CHR and some will like rock and some will like AC or urban or country, there are even more format variants in Spanish! This is partly because there is local music in each Latin American country or region that is unique to that area, and which people from other areas will not generally like... and there are also formats that are broad based and more universal.

A Spanish la language station in Boston would have a hard time getting much above a one share.
 
In which case those of us hoping it's WXKS 1200 moved to FM, or country, or whatever,
would be glad to hear it isn't Spanish. (And we hope another station can take up the
slack of what was WFNX and perhaps air the music, commit to the local audience, etc.
We can hope...'BOS? Would help if they hired an air staff...)
 
DavidEduardo said:
There are two facts here that make that about as likely as the moon crashing into Earth.
Click to expand...

David, are you perhaps unaware of Mr Gallant's history on Boston-area radio boards? He had been absent from Radio-Info for what must be close to a decade. His postings in this thread mark his return. The sad part (or maybe it's the best part) is that a decade of absence appears to have had no effect on his propensity for off-the-wall predictions. However, if he resumes publication of his annual prediction list shortly before New Year's, those of us who did not follow him to his alternate venue will be treated to some of the best laughs we have had since his departure.
 
I sure hope the format change is an Urban outlet since Boston didn't have one the FM for almost six years now. It would be cool if the outlet either is a good Hip Hop station or an R&B station.
 
Joseph_Gallant said:
I would still put my money on a Spanish-language music format aimed at young Hisopanics under the age of 40.
Click to expand...

Well. that clinches it. Have you EVER made one single prediction about Boston radio that proved to be correct? If so, please tell us about it.
 
Baholden1994 said:
I sure hope the format change is an Urban outlet since Boston didn't have one the FM for almost six years now. It would be cool if the outlet either is a good Hip Hop station or an R&B station.
Click to expand...

Well, if they were to flip WFNX to Urban AC, it would do well but I agree with most of the people on this post that WFNX will flip to something else other than Urban.
 
Joseph Gallant and I are thinking along the same lines. A 'CHR or Hot AC' Spanish format. This won't be boring. It will be hot and have significant ratings.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom