Sunny 105.9's effect on Ocala's Big Oldies 92.9

[MN Maniac]

By now, I'm sure we've all heard (or at least heard about) CBS Orlando's flip of WOCL-105.9 to "Orlando's Greatest Hits, Sunny 105.9." There is much discussion on the Orlando board regarding the effect this will have on other stations in the market.

I'm curious also as to how this will effect Asterisk's "Big Oldies 92.9", located just up the road. 105.9 punches a a city-grade signal into Ocala, thanks to that big stick in Orange City.

Is this the end of Oldies on 92.9? Or just time for format and/or personnel adjustments?

 

[radioatlantis]

I love to see the big boys and the fringe markets go head to head although most of the time, the intimidated one bails, no matter how entrenched it is in the marketplace or niche. More so-called radio strategists and those who consider themselves major players, retreat way to fast instead of just simply improving their product to make it more competitive.

Stations are going to have to start proving themselves by more than a limited and over-researched number of songs and start building exclusive benchmarks - the kind of in-house programming that make s people want to listen for some other reason than to hear an Eagle song an hour (the current stressed-out redundant artist favorite among Classic Hit stations).

Lets hope that Big is every bit it's name and more and the very presence of the king of the oldies franchise, makes them better for it.

 

[DJ Mo]

Wow. Totally didn't think of this station in a whole 'nother market. One format flip can have a domino effect. We needed a shakeup in Orlando, so Sunny 105.9 was a treat. I can almost pick up Big 92.9 in Apopka.

Next Sunday, when I drive up to Gainesville to mix live at Kiss 105.3, I'm gonna have to check up on how strong Sunny 105.9's signal is. Not sure if it reaches all the way to Gainesville. I remember I was jamming to O-Rock 105.9 a month or 2 ago on I-75 before I got on the FL Turnpike, possibly in the Ocala area. Quite an interesting conflict we have here.

 

[MN Maniac]

WMFQ's stick is located SSE of Ocala. This is why they can be heard in Orlando, especially the northern suburbs. It's also why their signal suffers in parts of Gainesville. They cannot move any further north because of WAAC/92.9 in Valdosta, GA. (WMFQ was originally 3kW on 92.7. The upgrade to 50kW @ 92.9 required a site restriction to the south.)

Why WMFQ dropped Lite A/C, I have no idea. I worked there in 1992-93 when they were "Soft and Easy Favorites, Q-Lite 92-Point-9." This was back when Bob Hauck owned the place. We had strong listenership in all the retirement areas, especially The Villages and On Top of the World. Asterisk changed the format to Oldies shortly after acquiring the station. Wasn't hitting the money demos, I guess (?)

As for 105.9, you'll have no problem hearing them in Gator Town. That signal makes it to Gainesville, Jacksonville, and Melbourne. Used to make it to Tampa on the car radio before 105.9/Englewood came on-the-air.

How much live/local talent does Asterisk employ for Big Oldies 92.9? Last time I was in town, it was Bill Barr in the morning (who's been with 92.9 FOREVER!), then voicetracked the rest of the day.

 

[austingrace]

yes. 105.9 has a huge signal here in altamonte. i've heard 105.9 allmost to georgia. that stick in orange city helps out a lot. im glad a good format is on that signal. i hope the format does not get the best of it's self though. that would suck. i live like 5 minutes from that station.