With all due respect, what did you expect with this station at 102.1. With WVKL, WKUS, WOWI, WNVZ and WZNR all in the same market area and fighting it out, it wasn't going to be Hot with a signal that didn't cover Newport News, Hampton and Williamsburg. WOWI(103 JAMZ) has been urban for as long as I can remember hearing it since the mid 80's. WVKL and WKUS do a good job at aiming their attention at the people who prefer the classic R&B and old school. WNVZ and WZNR go for the food court crowds at the mall, Zone being a mainstream top 40 and Z104 being a rythumic top 40.
That being said, On Top needed this station on a frequency that covered the area. Not just the southside of Hampton Roads. Now, if it did cover it without the second frequency(not possible with the 102.1 frequency) it would be easier for them to get the ratings up to be a contender but again lies the issue of getting into a market with a heritage urban station like WOWI. WOWI has been on for decades as a Urban hits station and it would take a MAJOR shift in the market to bring it's ratings down. It would take WNVZ going all Hip-Hop for example to maybe take a shot at it's ratings.
To compare it for us Richmond folk, it would be the same as saying that someone wanted to get a FM talker up against WRVA(or even a AM talker again). They would have a lot of work to do to make it work, given that WRVA has been in Richmond for eons. You could get Phil Hendrie, Tom Leykis, LIONEL(a homeage to a buddy of mine and Radio X's, Ambulancechaser) and others. Here is the kicker though, it can't afford to be on a frequency unless it covers the whole area wide without a drop off. WTOX dropped off so bad at night, you thought you were listening to college radio. Same with WLEE when it was all news on 990. You ended up with two stations that at night had horrible drop off and in result, horrible ratings. <P ID="signature">______________
Quoth the raven.....Nevermore</P>