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Party's Over For 102.5?

romer979fm said:
as for 102.5...they began as WDKN-FM...a class A on 102.3 (the FM in Carthage was also on 102.3 at the time.
102.3 moved to 102.5 as WQZQ...as easy listening on the tower in Charlotte...eventually becoming satellite delivered classic rock as "The Zebra"...then CHR "The Party" (first time...COL eventually became Pegram)..."Venus"..."V-102.5"...and back to "The Party" with the current WPRT calls. 102.5 is also a huge signal...their problem hitting Nashville is that the tower is in Charlotte. Should be interesting to see how the signal changes when the stereo pilot is turned off.
What goes around comes around. WDKN-AM now has an FM translator at 101.5. I've been here for nearly 20 years, so I remember nearly all the history that you have shared here. The satellite rock format was also (briefly!) on a station in west Tennessee, but they bailed on it less than three months after coming on the air. Does that seem familiar to anyone here?
 
firepoint525 said:
A second sports station on FM (106.7) was seen as a failure, yet Cromwell is trying it again.

If you weren't aware of the history, or if you had forgotten, here's a short course in what made The Fan a failure. When Plas split from 99.7, it was the case of a popular local sports host who was "wronged" and wanted to sign on with and eventually did go to work on a new TALK station. The Zone added more and more sports and only eventually became an all-sports station. Meanwhile, 99.7 tried to make a go with the host(s) who was/were rumored to have tried to push George out, and certainly had moved Willy and Darren into their own show before they left to kick off the Zone. One of the leftbehind hosts was unpopular with many sports listeners at large, but for some reason that station's sports effort was built around that host. This mess was what was spun off onto 106.7. So in reality, some might see that the format on 106.7 was set up to fail in the first place.

With The Game, Cromwell doesn't seem to have that kind of baggage going into start-up. They seem to be looking more to being an alternative (Alabama football, MMA hour, etc.) than trying to be a competitor for the Sports Talk Trophy in Nashville. At least for now.
 
I recently was driving back from Dallas and started picking up 102.5 in Jackson, but with some splatter from their 102.3. As soon as the first hill was to my west 102.5 came in clear all the way to Nashville, over 125 miles away. In fact, it seemed clearer than most spots in Madison. Curious about the Titans outcome that night, 104.5 didn't come in until less than 50 miles to Nashville. I realize WPRT is West of WGFX, but had a 75+ mile West signal advantage. Same goes for south coverage, as WPRT has fringe signal in Wayne, Lawrence, and Giles counties, but WGFX is covered up by WZYP not too far south of Columbia.
 
jetfli said:
If you weren't aware of the history, or if you had forgotten, here's a short course in what made The Fan a failure. When Plas split from 99.7, it was the case of a popular local sports host who was "wronged" and wanted to sign on with and eventually did go to work on a new TALK station. The Zone added more and more sports and only eventually became an all-sports station. Meanwhile, 99.7 tried to make a go with the host(s) who was/were rumored to have tried to push George out, and certainly had moved Willy and Darren into their own show before they left to kick off the Zone. One of the leftbehind hosts was unpopular with many sports listeners at large, but for some reason that station's sports effort was built around that host. This mess was what was spun off onto 106.7. So in reality, some might see that the format on 106.7 was set up to fail in the first place.
With The Game, Cromwell doesn't seem to have that kind of baggage going into start-up. They seem to be looking more to being an alternative (Alabama football, MMA hour, etc.) than trying to be a competitor for the Sports Talk Trophy in Nashville. At least for now.
I tried listening to the Zone on that very first day, and it was nothing but all those other (co)hosts pining for "King George," who was apparently still on exile because of a non-compete. After that, I tuned them out, and never went back.

Long story short, I am not concerned with why 106.7 failed as a sports station, only that they did. Maybe they didn't, after all. They managed to keep the sports format going for several years, whereas all their previous formats only lasted about a year each. Four formats in four years.
 
ShadowB said:
Also remember all the "failed" formats on 104.5 before the zone came along.
Most of which were different names for the same format. Arrow, Core, Rockin'/Groovin'/Jammin' Hits, whatever they were calling themselves that week. I remember that one of the jocks on one of those 104.5 formats had something on his web page mocking 106.7 for having four formats in four years. What he apparently failed to realize (or acknowledge) was that 104.5 had also had four formats during those same four years.
 
firepoint525 said:
... If anything, 102.5 could itself be considered a failure. Any station that becomes notorious for constantly flipping formats might itself be considered jinxed!

I realize New York and Nashville is apples and fried apples, but 105.1 FM in New York was much the same format revolving door as 102.5 for years until they became "Power 105.1".
 
Native, On a recent trip to St. Louis, I found 102.5 reached almost to Jackson, further than 104.5!
 
To Romer and Firepoint, I recall 102.5 as WTNQ for a brief time with studios in Dickson. They sponsored a local 10K summer 1981 at Buckner Park.
 
As much as I HATE to support it or admit it, as I can't stand talk formats taking over FM, I have a feeling Cromwell's going to do pretty well with "The Game." I have a feeling that they're actually going to put some effort into this one. Looking at the Game's FB page it looks like Aaron's going to bring a big following over. Although their website is only an image or two thus far, the logo at least looks pretty good. I guess that means no more pink buses around town.
 
Comment from the section303 article:

Kelle Daggett Bennefield
Posted August 16, 2011 at 10:52 AM

Signal upgrades are coming y’all (M’boro will be golden)… You will also be able to listen on your phones and websites. I THINK that there are affliates in Manchester/McMinnville and Cookeville (on AM stations I think) that will run off of the network. Keep the faith… and welcome to the Game!


Is cromwell going to purchase or working a deal with 101.9 W270AF (WGNS) or 100.5 W263AI (WGNS) in the Boro? I can pull in 100.5 all the way in Old Hickory. Seems like they should've done that awhile ago, being as though the Party would be a good format for a town with MTSU.
 
I still think they missed the boat way back when they had "VENUS"..programming to women..all the needed to do was Program the other station for men and call it....."PENUS'.. ::) thank you, thank you your a great crowd...be sure to top your waitress...
 
deltas69 said:
I still think they missed the boat way back when they had "VENUS"..programming to women..all the needed to do was Program the other station for men and call it....."PENUS'.. ::) thank you, thank you your a great crowd...be sure to top your waitress...
I don't think I can top your waitress. She's topless! ;D
 
firepoint525 said:
D Dean said:
Facebook page says 6p 8/29
I saw a 6:00 a.m. start time listed.

I saw 6am listed as well.. That makes much more sense... Most format flips come in the morning or in the early part of afternoon drive. A 6pm flip would be highly unusual. I'll be sound asleep then, hopefully someone can record it
 
techguy1975 said:
firepoint525 said:
D Dean said:
Facebook page says 6p 8/29
I saw a 6:00 a.m. start time listed.
I saw 6am listed as well.. That makes much more sense... Most format flips come in the morning or in the early part of afternoon drive. A 6pm flip would be highly unusual. I'll be sound asleep then, hopefully someone can record it
I will be in the car about that time, so I should hear it on the car radio. Can't record it unless I roll a tape at home before I leave the house.

I seem to recall that the flip to the Zone happened in the afternoon, early afternoon, I am thinking.
 
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