Most stations of all genres change their sound as time changes. However, a few keep relatively the same sound year after year. One example is winc fm in Winchester VA. It has the kind of hot ac sound you would've heard 10-20 years ago still. I hear them play live like you're dying by Kris Allen, why don't you and i-santana and several other songs long forgotten by most hot acs. Thoughts?
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Stations that never changed their sound?
- Thread starter tall_guy1
- Start date
Do you mean stations that have never changed their sound or format since they signed on? I doubt there are too many. The only one I can think of in Phoenix, other than maybe a religious station or two, is classical KBAQ 89.5, which signed on in 1992.
Several have kept the same format for decades (KUPD 97.9, KSLX 100.7, KNIX 102.5, KMLE 107.9, KESZ 99.9, KDUS 1060, for example), but all started life with a different format.
Several have kept the same format for decades (KUPD 97.9, KSLX 100.7, KNIX 102.5, KMLE 107.9, KESZ 99.9, KDUS 1060, for example), but all started life with a different format.
WINC is a (very!) small market station owned by an independent broadcaster where there probably isn't a person who shows up to work every day with the goal of programming a Hot AC format.
Everything that is written on this site about programming decisions is really talking about stations that dedicate some resources to programming. iHeart, Cumulus, Audacy and the rest of the top 20 broadcasting companies generally have this data, even for their smallest stations. But there are many hundreds, if not thousands of radio stations around the country that set up their radio stations for "set it and forget it" operation with minimal staff intervention.
I think some stations in this category were at one time airing a syndicated format from Westwood One, ABC Radio, Dial Global, and eventually dropped that, but that meant the existing staff had to pick up programming the station even if none of them really understood the format. So maybe they copied the satellite format, and are afraid to touch it, or don't have time in their workday to spend time on this station.
Everything that is written on this site about programming decisions is really talking about stations that dedicate some resources to programming. iHeart, Cumulus, Audacy and the rest of the top 20 broadcasting companies generally have this data, even for their smallest stations. But there are many hundreds, if not thousands of radio stations around the country that set up their radio stations for "set it and forget it" operation with minimal staff intervention.
I think some stations in this category were at one time airing a syndicated format from Westwood One, ABC Radio, Dial Global, and eventually dropped that, but that meant the existing staff had to pick up programming the station even if none of them really understood the format. So maybe they copied the satellite format, and are afraid to touch it, or don't have time in their workday to spend time on this station.
It seems like the currents and recurrents (usually very conservative picks) change sometimes but the gold's almost always stay the same.
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I'll have to go out of the country,to a station I used to listen to on shortwave, Ecos del Torbes, in San Cristobal, Venezuela. From at least the 70s, and through the signoff of shortwave and (based on recordings) the silencing of the AM station to the current online version, same sounders, same intros and same Lo Que Esta Noche Recuerda (without hosts).
Unfortunately, that station and the other ones in the group (2 other AMs and 2 FMs) were finally closed by the socialist dictatorship in Venezuela in January of this year. They had been trying to do an online only news source, but even that was cut off.
I knew Ecos del Torbes lost its transmitter in 2019 and was trying to solicit funds for a new one from "Venezelonas en el exterior", but I wasn't aware of the rest of the group.
Family Radio, from the early 1960s until 2018, when they finally stopped playing anything by their founder Harold Camping.
During its entire run on FM, WOXY "97X" in Oxford, OH.
Imaging done in house, mostly by Steve Baker and played the full spectrum of modern rock and alternative. When the format took a heavier rock and rap-metal approach, 97X continued to play the classics of alternative and new music from legendary and import artists, and a wide range of emerging and import artists, along with a full compliment of specialty shows from blues to reggae to electronica.
They never dramatically changed their stationality or sound, even as they kept pace with what was new and next in music. It was probably the most musically adventurous commercial FM radio station of its time and consistently delivered on their values.
Imaging done in house, mostly by Steve Baker and played the full spectrum of modern rock and alternative. When the format took a heavier rock and rap-metal approach, 97X continued to play the classics of alternative and new music from legendary and import artists, and a wide range of emerging and import artists, along with a full compliment of specialty shows from blues to reggae to electronica.
They never dramatically changed their stationality or sound, even as they kept pace with what was new and next in music. It was probably the most musically adventurous commercial FM radio station of its time and consistently delivered on their values.
I guess I can nominate my hometown station, WCSM AM/FM, Celina, OH. Particularly 96.7 has had a straight line of essentially the same programming. since the AM signed on in 1964, and the FM in 1966. Local news, music, and discussion. Paul Harvey until the end of his run. They even still ran a jingle from TM's You II package from 1977 to fairly recently. With a new owner, some branding changes are happening (and the AM now feeding a translator) but it's still the same place.
Like a few of the others, I'm not sure entirely what you mean by “change their sound.” WINC has been on multiple signals during the course of its existence. So, it wouldn’t seem to fit that bill, or at least it wouldn’t to me.
In your neck of the woods, KSYN 92.5 has always been top-40. I don’t know, however, that it fits the definition of not having ever changed its sound. In its final couple years under William B. Neal, it aired ABC/SMN's “The Heat“ part-time, and it kept the satellite programming after “The Heat” switched to Hot AC. I'm not sure if it kept the CHR sound or adopted the Hot AC logs during that time when it ran local programming. Mr. Neal, by the way, was an interesting character. He ran those radio stations for a long time but never really got on board with FM. He always thought it was a passing fad. Chuck Dunaway used to walk his dog past the station on an almost daily basis, and the two became decent friends. Mr. Neal was more than happy to swap KSYN to Dunaway for WMBH and cash because he still thought AM was where the money was.
KIXQ, far as I know, has always been country, but it started at 93.9 and merged with the former KJKT ”Country KAT 102.5” in 1997.
KBXR in Columbia has always been a AAA, but it started at 106.1 and moved to 102.3 after 4-5 years.
Many of the ex-Shepherd country stations have had the same sound for decades, but a few of them moved from AM to FM in the late 70’s/early 80’s. KJEL was about the last one to move, going from 750 to 103.7 in the early 90’s.
KMZU in Carrollton, MO has changed very little during its lifespan, but it was moved to 100.7 from 101.1 to accommodate the reverse move of KCFX when it moved to I-435 and I-70 near the Truman Sports Complex around 1990-91.
Ksyn seems to have kept the adult top 40 sound from when I started listening a decade ago (I lived in Joplin back then.)
To Tall_Guy, that means: format, and depending on the format, what particular artists that he's familiar with.
KMZU also changed their playlist, in 2012, slightly & now they focus on "New Country" & their sister station, KRLI 103.9FM, since about 2013, now plays classic country.
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