The Beat moves to 96.1

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

This makes move # 3 for THE BEAT. I guess iHM is really invested in making Urban a main stay. Sadly, this should have been done over 10 years ago!

1). 92.3/96.7 THE BEAT
2). 105.3 THE BEAT
3). 96.1 THE BEAT

Can’t forget the Rhythmic/Urban stations prior:
1). WILD 96.7
2). WILD 105.7/96.7

 

[trusty]

This makes move # 3 for THE BEAT. I guess iHM is really invested in making Urban a main stay. Sadly, this should have been done over 10 years ago!

1). 92.3/96.7 THE BEAT
2). 105.3 THE BEAT
3). 96.1 THE BEAT

Can’t forget the Rhythmic/Urban stations prior:
1). WILD 96.7
2). WILD 105.7/96.7

Wasn't The Beat on 95.5 about 15-20 years ago (WBTS/Cox) (or was that something else)?

 

[ksradiogeek]

Wasn't The Beat on 95.5 about 15-20 years ago (or was that something else)?

Yep, Cox did that.

 

[trusty]

This freq. jumping adds a new definition to "hip hop radio".
😜

 

[DeJesus Daniel]

Colorado Springs also has 96.1 the Beat, but it’s #1 for hits and hip hop!

 

[rohocop2121]

Here's my story. Power ratings had dropped significantly so this shouldn't necessarily be a shock. But then again, V-103 is not the powerhouse it once was either. Atlanta radio stations Power and the Beat swap frequencies

 

[RadioDoogie]

Wasn't The Beat on 95.5 about 15-20 years ago (WBTS/Cox) (or was that something else)?

Sept 1999-2010. Was a CHR until then Q100 came on the air in January 2001. But at that time segued to a rhythmic CHR until its demise in 2010.

 

[RadioDoogie]

What about call letters? I know in other iHM markets recently with multiple flips (i.e. Memphis) they have let the call letters stay in place right where they’re at.

 

[RadioDoogie]

Why didn’t they move Power to 105.7? Any idea what the reasoning was here? Maybe there’s a future plan for 105.7? It would appear the smarter decision would have been to put it on 105.7 with Z’s fledgling ratings.

 

[MVB13]

I think they should have gone with a new name for 105.3 maybe Hits 105.3 and give Atlanta a local morning show.

 

[Gregg.]

Switching 96.1 to "The Beat" puts this iHeart station in the middle of an Urban Contemporary rivalry.

103.3 WVEE "V-103" (Audacy) #6
107.9 WHTA "Hot 107.9" (Urban One) #14
105.3 WRDG "105.3 The Beat" (iHeart) #18 tie
1420-94.5-105.1 WWSZ "Streetz 94.5" (JDJ Communications) #21

At one time, WVEE was #1, month after month. But in recent years, it has fallen. As we've commented before, it's not easy for youthful Urban stations since many of the lyrics have to be omitted. Now in Atlanta, there will be two full-power Urban Contemporary outlets (V-103 and 96.1 The Beat) and two that have so-so signals (Hot 107.9 and Streetz 94.5).

 

[markkatt]

Does anyone have airchecks of the swap?

 

[deejaywestbrook]

Power (105.3) is barely listenable in Lawrenceville, Buford, Sugar Hill, etc. 🙄 Oh well, we had a good run I guess. Now it's back to Q99.7 for pop hits. They're definitely not a bad soundings station these days. However, they BETTER NOT go back to those God awful HotAC days of 2008-2009... All I'm sayin'! Lol

 

[ksradiogeek]

Power (105.3) is barely listenable in Lawrenceville, Buford, Sugar Hill, etc. 🙄 Oh well, we had a good run I guess.

It’s not like there’s a certain app out there that can help with those hard to receive areas or anything…🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[RadioDoogie]

Power (105.3) is barely listenable in Lawrenceville, Buford, Sugar Hill, etc. 🙄 Oh well, we had a good run I guess. Now it's back to Q99.7 for pop hits. They're definitely not a bad soundings station these days. However, they BETTER NOT go back to those awful HotAC days of 2008-2009... All I'm sayin'! Lol

Agree. I just drove through the same areas and haven’t locked onto HD once.

 

[deejaywestbrook]

It’s not like there’s a certain app out there that can help with those hard to receive areas or anything…🤷🏻‍♂️

Hell, I know that. Lol I'm also old school... It's more just the principle. Nothing like pulling in a good megawatt signal OTA. But, takes some getting used to, putting on 96.1 and hearing 310babii and Playaz Circle. I mean do we really need 5 terrestrial hip-hop stations in one market? Lol

 

[101tm]

Why didn’t they move Power to 105.7? Any idea what the reasoning was here? Maybe there’s a future plan for 105.7? It would appear the smarter decision would have been to put it on 105.7 with Z’s fledgling ratings.

Spanish has been on 105.3, 105.7 and 105.3, 96.7, basically everywhere except the two class C’s (96.1 and 94.9). Every few years iHeart flips the format, moves the frequency, rebrands, etc but they normally have a station in the format. Before 105.7, Z was on 105.3 - which is a horrible signal for a Spanish language format. 105.3 is perfect for an urban format - as I’ve said many times before, its signal is almost identical to 104.1 WALR, and we see how well they do.

My guess is iHeart wants to keep Spanish in Atlanta (on a signal other than the dog 96.7), and knows even though it doesn’t do well on 105.7, 105.3 is even worse for the format. iHeart has been through so many Spanish incarnations in Atlanta - Viva (on both 105.3 and 105,7 at different times), El Patron (on 105.3 and later/now, 96.7), Z on 105.3, then 105.7. It seems like an endless cycle. I remember for a while in the 2000s, Viva and El Patron both did quite respectably.

 

[ksradiogeek]

Spanish has been on 105.3, 105.7 and 105.3, 96.7, basically everywhere except the two class C’s (96.1 and 94.9). Every few years iHeart flips the format, moves the frequency, rebrands, etc but they normally have a station in the format. Before 105.7, Z was on 105.3 - which is a horrible signal for a Spanish language format. 105.3 is perfect for an urban format - as I’ve said many times before, its signal is almost identical to 104.1 WALR, and we see how well they do.

My guess is iHeart wants to keep Spanish in Atlanta (on a signal other than the dog 96.7), and knows even though it doesn’t do well on 105.7, 105.3 is even worse for the format. iHeart has been through so many Spanish incarnations in Atlanta - Viva (on both 105.3 and 105,7 at different times), El Patron (on 105.3 and later/now, 96.7), Z on 105.3, then 105.7. It seems like an endless cycle. I remember for a while in the 2000s, Viva and El Patron both did quite respectably.

Not to mention, the target demographics are largely in the north metro.

 

[ksradiogeek]

I mean do we really need 5 hip-hop terrestrial stations in one market? Lol

If the format makes more $ than Top 40/CHR, gives a marquee AM show a better clearance, and puts the station on better footing with the others, then yes.

 

[WCDukenfield]

To use an old phrase, iHeart could f-up a wet dream. Other than WSB and V, they've tanked the most successful brands in Atlanta radio's FM history. Let's see if they don't screw this one up too.