Ready for Christmas? Santa 102.7 is
Wed, Nov 1, 2006
By TONY BAUGHMAN Staff writer
Saint Nick has come to Aiken's airwaves a little earlier this season, leaving some to ask: "What about the King?"
Elvis, the Beatles and other rock 'n' roll icons have passed the reins to Santa on WGOR 102.7FM, the former oldies radio station licensed to New Ellenton and owned by Beasley Broadcasting Group Inc. in Augusta. Last Friday at midnight, the station switched to an all-Christmas format and changed its name to "Santa 102.7."
"The big question we're getting is: 'Why so early?' Well, the reason we did it is to gain attention for the fact we're doing every other hour commercial-free, which is very rare and very unusual," said Kent Dunn, vice president and market manager for Beasley Broadcasting.
The usual fare on Oldies 102.7FM – music from the 1960s and 1970s – has been replaced by traditional and contemporary holiday songs such as Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock."
"In the past, Lite 98 used to do it. Of course, since we've changed to Top 40 on it, it didn't make any sense to do it there," Dunn said. "Prior to that, Joy 102.7 used to do it every year. We just have never done it this early."
In a competitive Augusta radio market accustomed to frequent format changes, and in an age when oldies stations across the U.S. are abandoning the format in search of younger demographics, Dunn would not say whether WGOR-FM plans to return to its rock 'n' roll roots after the holidays.
"We certainly always are going to consider our options," he said. "This was done as a way to get an unusual set of audience around Christmas that is not typically available any other time of the year."
Long before moving to its current studios in Augusta, 102.7FM was broadcast from Aiken, most recently at a converted home on Old Airport Road. The station has aired country, easy listening and news/talk programming at various times during its history prior to switching to oldies last year.
While WGOR-FM plays Christmas music and its future as an oldies outlet remains in doubt, WKSX 92.7FM in Johnston becomes the Aiken-Augusta market's only oldies station. Oldies KSX gradually will add holiday songs to its steady diet of rock 'n' roll as Thanksgiving approaches but will not switch formats permanently, according to general manager Mike Casey.
"We're the atypical oldies station. We don't stick to a very tight music rotation of a couple hundred songs that you hear again and again, and our Beach Music is one of the things that makes us atypical," said Casey. "Basically, for us, it's 'Dance with the girl that brung you.' But I wish the folks at 102.7 the best, whatever they decide to do after Christmas."
