Could More Freshness Roll Out Over 2011?

[radiolives]

With CBS Radio rebranding KEZK St. Louis after Christmas to Fresh 102.5, I was thinking could CBS want to put the Fresh brand on more of their AC's? Even touching the AC stations that use the Lite brand. Some of those markets CBS also owns the Hot AC; Baltimore, Hartford, Cleveland.

 

[carolinaradio]

Maybe rebranding aging AC or Hot AC stations (such as KEZK, I wouldn't be too surprised if they did with WDOK at some point), but I don't know if they would start a whole new station as Fresh. The #s haven't been that great outside of NYC I don't think.

CBS does not do the AC format well, IMO.....I hope if any new Fresh stations are launched, they are focused (such as KEZK is with AC and WIAD is with Hot AC) and not in a gray area like WWFS or WCFS.

 

[radiolives]

I think CBS should have just left KEZK alone. It wasn't broken? CBS Radio controls some successful AC stations. Lite 100.5 WRCH Hartford, CT; 101.9 Lite FM Baltimore, MD; 103.7 Lite FM Dallas, TX; Sunny 104.3 West Palm Beach, FL; etc...

AC is a strong format done right. Sure in recent years its changed with some more newer ACish songs. While Hot AC has went more CHR friendly.

As for current Fresh stations we could prolly kiss Fresh 105.9 Chicago good by soon. And Fresh 102.7 keeps doing well for the NY market.

 

[CTListener]

With CBS Radio rebranding KEZK St. Louis after Christmas to Fresh 102.5, I was thinking could CBS want to put the Fresh brand on more of their AC's? Even touching the AC stations that use the Lite brand. Some of those markets CBS also owns the Hot AC; Baltimore, Hartford, Cleveland.

Hartford's hot AC, WTIC-FM, is an underperformer. Its traditional AC, WRCH, has been the default workplace listening station for eons. Why would CBS want to take the latter station in a more rhythmic direction?

 

[radiolives]

I don't think CBS would do that in Hartford. Sure I heard WRCH play a Taio Curz song.