Norsan Media Acquires Magic 106.3

[vchimpanzee]

Keep in mind that Toby Keith was just elected to the country Music Hall of Fame, and George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and Alan Jackson are already members. By definition, they are classic country. The newest song I see in their playlist is 15 years old. But the vast majority are 80s and 90s. That's where the format is now. Classic hits is mainly 80s with some 90s.

They are playing the music that attracts an audience they can sell. That is the basis for their definition.

The Real Country satellite format tried to add Toby Keith and newer artists but they were giving us the perception that those newer artists that had sort of a classic sound was classic country, but they didn't qualify in my opinion. I remember the format adding a brand new song "We're from the Country" by Tracy Byrd and the DJ getting all excited. Good country music, but not classic.

WESC doesn't qualify ither as far as I'm concerned. Too many newer songs and too much repetition. And too many commercials.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Flip just happened. Never thought I’d heard “WSPA-FM” in a Mexican accent!

Cut off right before “You and Me” by Lifehouse ended.

I hope there's a recording!

 

[vchimpanzee]

Now airing La Raza in simulcast with WOLI 910/105.7. La Raza is also airing on WFBC-HD4 and WYRD-HD2.

And reunited with the former WSPA-AM if you get really technical.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Will they maintain the WSPA legacy call letters or change to something else?

They can stand for SPAnish instead of Spartanburg.

 

[101tm]

Final hour and some change of Magic (scoped) with the midnight cutover to La Raza, legal ID, and first 5 minutes or so of La Raza:

@vchimpanzee here is the flip starting around 11:20.

The Magic web stream is back up, and WFBC-HD4 and WYRD-HD2 are back to broadcasting Magic. Spanish is only on 106.3 now.

Re: call letters…another wild idea, Norsan could put the WOLI-FM calls on 106.3 to go with WOLI 910. That would mark the second time and station the WOLI-FM calls were used with a Spanish format, the first time being the first decade of Spanish on 103.9. The WOLI calls date all the way back to the mid-1990s when the 103s were oldies. Funny how they’ve lived on for so long when the format they were associated with only lasted a few years. The WOLI calls went to 910 because Davidson was forced to give the WSPA calls up when it was sold in 2005. Similar to the WOLS calls on their 106.1 in Charlotte which ironically meant “oldies” too.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

The Real Country satellite format tried to add Toby Keith and newer artists but they were giving us the perception that those newer artists that had sort of a classic sound was classic country, but they didn't qualify in my opinion. I remember the format adding a brand new song "We're from the Country" by Tracy Byrd and the DJ getting all excited. Good country music, but not classic.

WESC doesn't qualify ither as far as I'm concerned. Too many newer songs and too much repetition. And too many commercials.

its a darn good thing you dont program any radio stations, to be honest.. you clearly use your personal tastes when referencing formats.. thats not how programming work. Ill tell you theyre doing it because they know what theyre doing, they research and test and study things.

classic country to the industry is about the mid to late 80s through about late late late 90s maybe early 2000s.
it depends on the market, your competition and other facts

older than that and it sounds too twangy, tired and old

Theres bee na resurgence in interest in the last 5 to 10 years for classic, or what some call real country.. 80s 90s.. when it wasnt twangy but isnt pop junk

BTw, the real country satellite format is some time tested BIGGER hits form the 90s and early 2000s with alot of gold from the 80s and 90s. it is NOT the old 60s 70s 80s stuff.

THey had/have a classic country feed that isnt called Real Country and l;eans/leaned a bit older

 

[oldiesfan2]

@vchimpanzee here is the flip starting around 11:20.

The Magic web stream is back up, and WFBC-HD4 and WYRD-HD2 are back to broadcasting Magic. Spanish is only on 106.3 now.

Re: call letters…another wild idea, Norsan could put the WOLI-FM calls on 106.3 to go with WOLI 910. That would mark the second time and station the WOLI-FM calls were used with a Spanish format, the first time being the first decade of Spanish on 103.9. The WOLI calls date all the way back to the mid-1990s when the 103s were oldies. Funny how they’ve lived on for so long when the format they were associated with only lasted a few years. The WOLI calls went to 910 because Davidson was forced to give the WSPA calls up when it was sold in 2005. Similar to the WOLS calls on their 106.1 in Charlotte which ironically meant “oldies” too.

it a wonder Audcry wasn't force to have the wspa fm call sign change when they sold wspa fm like Davidson had do with the wspa am

 

[101tm]

They may have to change the calls, keep in mind they’re operating under an LMA so Audacy still owns the station and call letters probably arent a first priority right now. It doesn’t seem like either party was ready for this to happen considering how fast it went. I wouldn’t be surprised if WSPA-FM has a call letter clause if it’s sold like WSPA did.

 

[101tm]

WFBC-HD4 has been shut off. Considering W268DL 101.5 in Anderson was being fed by WFBC-HD4, I wonder what is on there now?

WYRD-HD2 (98.9) is still broadcasting Magic. I kinda wondered if they'll leave it on there, but Audacy eliminated most of their HD channels that didn't carry something like BetQL or Channel Q, or feed a translator nationwide a year or so ago...unless they want to keep Magic "parked" somewhere OTA.

 

[vchimpanzee]

its a darn good thing you dont program any radio stations, to be honest.. you clearly use your personal tastes when referencing formats.. thats not how programming work. Ill tell you theyre doing it because they know what theyre doing, they research and test and study things.

Well, some stations have come close to what I like.

classic country to the industry is about the mid to late 80s through about late late late 90s maybe early 2000s.
it depends on the market, your competition and other facts

older than that and it sounds too twangy, tired and old

Nevertheless, I can listen to some stations in my area that do it right. One of them has ventured into the rock-sounding tunes by Montgomery Gentry and others. That station did pretty much get rid of the 60s music they were doing (and even some 40s and 50s) which was a shame. Another one doesn't seem to do 60s but at least their descritpions of their music don't include anything from this century.

BTw, the real country satellite format is some time tested BIGGER hits form the 90s and early 2000s with alot of gold from the 80s and 90s. it is NOT the old 60s 70s 80s stuff.

And that's why I don't like it.

THey had/have a classic country feed that isnt called Real Country and l;eans/leaned a bit older

If it's Classic Hit Country I think it's on a station I listen to when I go to the mountains, but it's only available for a few miles out of the trip.

 

[vchimpanzee]

@vchimpanzee here is the flip starting around 11:20.

Other than "Brown-Eyed Girl" it sounds pretty bad. Even the one or two other older songs weren't really anything I could enjoy. No great loss in my opinion. But then only WESC and some conservative Christian stations are doing anything close to what I like.

The man doing the station IDs is doing the frequency in English. I used to hear station IDs on another station with even the frequency in Spanish.

The music after the change ... better. I can't really say I enjoy it but it has potential.

 

[freqdev]

its a darn good thing you dont program any radio stations, to be honest.. you clearly use your personal tastes when referencing formats.. thats not how programming work. Ill tell you theyre doing it because they know what theyre doing, they research and test and study things.

classic country to the industry is about the mid to late 80s through about late late late 90s maybe early 2000s.
it depends on the market, your competition and other facts

older than that and it sounds too twangy, tired and old

Theres bee na resurgence in interest in the last 5 to 10 years for classic, or what some call real country.. 80s 90s.. when it wasnt twangy but isnt pop junk

BTw, the real country satellite format is some time tested BIGGER hits form the 90s and early 2000s with alot of gold from the 80s and 90s. it is NOT the old 60s 70s 80s stuff.

THey had/have a classic country feed that isnt called Real Country and l;eans/leaned a bit older

agree. iheart has done a pretty good job keeping both country stations in the top 5 12+ over the years the market is really urban, country, and classic rock jmo

 

[101tm]

agree. iheart has done a pretty good job keeping both country stations in the top 5 12+ over the years the market is really urban, country, and classic rock jmo

Yep, top 3 is always going to be country, urban, and sometimes classic rock. Magic going away might could push Lake in to the top 3 on occasion. They didn’t share many songs but do share a lot of audience. The Block has made an effort but even with translators covering the 3 main cities they’ll never be able to pry Jamz out of the top 3 if that’s their intent because there are still gaps with the translators.

BTW, Magic confirmed on Instagram that seemingly the format will live on at 98.9 HD2. They should just dig the Magic 98.9 imaging back up.

 

[eacalhoun1]

Well, some stations have come close to what I like.

Nevertheless, I can listen to some stations in my area that do it right. One of them has ventured into the rock-sounding tunes by Montgomery Gentry and others. That station did pretty much get rid of the 60s music they were doing (and even some 40s and 50s) which was a shame. Another one doesn't seem to do 60s but at least their descritpions of their music don't include anything from this century.

And that's why I don't like it.

If it's Classic Hit Country I think it's on a station I listen to when I go to the mountains, but it's only available for a few miles out of the trip.

There are two Classic Hit Country stations (from WWI, which was Dial Global, which was Jones Satellite Network) in Western North Carolina: WMNC AM 1430/FM 106.3, Morganton and WZGM AM 1350/FM 96.1, Black Mountain. One of the best classic country stations I've heard that has the wide playlist you like is WKXR, Asheboro. WKXR streams, so check them out. WAME, Statesville, is also very good.

 

[vchimpanzee]

There are two Classic Hit Country stations (from WWI, which was Dial Global, which was Jones Satellite Network) in Western North Carolina: WMNC AM 1430/FM 106.3, Morganton and WZGM AM 1350/FM 96.1, Black Mountain. One of the best classic country stations I've heard that has the wide playlist you like is WKXR, Asheboro. WKXR streams, so check them out. WAME, Statesville, is also very good.

WAME is the one I listen to most. WMNC I listen to when I'm in the area but the sound quality is terrible, even if the music mix is the best I've heard.

I was under the impression WZGM was locally programmed. When I listened last year in the mountains it was too pop-sounding for my taste. "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt?

 

[vchimpanzee]

BTW, Magic confirmed on Instagram that seemingly the format will live on at 98.9 HD2. They should just dig the Magic 98.9 imaging back up.

And it you thought it was hard getting people to listen to 106.3, imagine what it'll be like trying to get people to buy an HD receiver.

Is it still on a translator?

 

[KyleSmith1988]

98.9-2 sounds like the sound quality has improved somewhat, but just a playlist of songs with no Liners in between songs. At least that's better than nothing

 

[101tm]

98.9-2 sounds like the sound quality has improved somewhat, but just a playlist of songs with no Liners in between songs. At least that's better than nothing

Yes, the sound quality is much better on 98.9 HD2 and sounds as good as the Summit and HIS Radio HD channels now. I don’t think they’re running a legal ID either. Just “an Audacy station” at the top of the hour.

Oddly, I have not heard any liners on 102.5 The Lake regarding Magic like they ran about Earth FM after it went off the air, and Magic was much bigger and around for a way longer time (unless I’ve happened to miss them).

I had hoped WMYI would adjust their playlist to a more AC’ish pop one like WLKO in Charlotte and WLTY in Columbia, but they’re still rolling the rock leaning premium choice variety hits feed from iHeart. 102.5 plays tons of Motley Crue, Puddle of Mudd, Foo Fighters, ZZ Top, GnR, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Led Zep, Fuel, Soundgarden, etc etc etc and similar material. It’s nothing close to an AC like 102.9 in Charlotte is. The presentation is also a lot drier and more rock friendly than its Charlotte counterpart. So much 90s-10s pop and even pop/rock is missing from the airwaves.

 

[freqdev]

magics rds readout is still on 106.3. artist-title-hawk and tom-soft rock. how can that be after all this time?

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

magics rds readout is still on 106.3. artist-title-hawk and tom-soft rock. how can that be after all this time?

Because the spanish content is being routed through the Magic studio and while the automation is being fed somewhere else, the microwave stl feeding the transmitter site is picking up the RDS data from the magic automaton computer