Reading through the demise of 97.5 WABB on their Facebook page, I could not help but see a staggering number of people who have expressed their disappointment in the "shocking news." I am going to be blunt here: It was not shocking.
Not one bit.
I think it was interesting to see through a course of the past several months of WABB's on-air personality trend go from 8 to 3. With the latest fallout going to afternoon stud Maverick. A week later (today) we all find out that EMF will buy WABB-FM beginning at the "stroke of midnight" on March 1st possibly to a Christian AC outlet "K-Love". So, lets be rational here when you see signs of a station's upcoming death/demise. It was quite clear for me personally. One sign as I mentioned above - the decline of On-Air DJ's. The question that seems to draw out curious thoughts is if WABB saw a buyout a while back? For this case, without a doubt, yes. I am not aware of any station of a group of people asking to purchasing a station with limited time. Yes, Dittman family has seen this coming but it was time to share it to the public and today, it very well did.
So, March 1st, 97.5 WABB will be dead, sold for a better word who cannot take in the abrupt change. The birth of K-Love will be introduced. We know this: WABB will be playing heavily throughout that week the top songs with a majority of emotional shout-outs and dedications until 11:59 PM on February 29th. It will be a tough change to swallow but Mobilians will move on. March 1st will, really just be another new day.
I, however don't understand why a majority of comments on the Facebook page have expressed comments such as "What station will I listen too?, What now?" People, look - You will have new option: 107.3 Hit Music Now (we can leave swapping signals to 96.1/94.9/99.9 in the future, if such changes are applicable and necessary). So without a doubt, 107.3 will shift once again their format from Rhythmatic CHR to Mainstream or even Adult CHR for the long shot. Here, folks will be the new leader of Top 40 in the Mobile/Pensacola area. And guys, give them time. Clear Channel knows how to run successful CHR stations. Give them a chance. It probably won't be a WABB, but Clear Channel will (or should) know what drawn thousands of listeners to WABB for 52 years. Let's get rollin and bring the new face of the primary leader of Top 40 on the Gulf Coast.
Not one bit.
I think it was interesting to see through a course of the past several months of WABB's on-air personality trend go from 8 to 3. With the latest fallout going to afternoon stud Maverick. A week later (today) we all find out that EMF will buy WABB-FM beginning at the "stroke of midnight" on March 1st possibly to a Christian AC outlet "K-Love". So, lets be rational here when you see signs of a station's upcoming death/demise. It was quite clear for me personally. One sign as I mentioned above - the decline of On-Air DJ's. The question that seems to draw out curious thoughts is if WABB saw a buyout a while back? For this case, without a doubt, yes. I am not aware of any station of a group of people asking to purchasing a station with limited time. Yes, Dittman family has seen this coming but it was time to share it to the public and today, it very well did.
So, March 1st, 97.5 WABB will be dead, sold for a better word who cannot take in the abrupt change. The birth of K-Love will be introduced. We know this: WABB will be playing heavily throughout that week the top songs with a majority of emotional shout-outs and dedications until 11:59 PM on February 29th. It will be a tough change to swallow but Mobilians will move on. March 1st will, really just be another new day.
I, however don't understand why a majority of comments on the Facebook page have expressed comments such as "What station will I listen too?, What now?" People, look - You will have new option: 107.3 Hit Music Now (we can leave swapping signals to 96.1/94.9/99.9 in the future, if such changes are applicable and necessary). So without a doubt, 107.3 will shift once again their format from Rhythmatic CHR to Mainstream or even Adult CHR for the long shot. Here, folks will be the new leader of Top 40 in the Mobile/Pensacola area. And guys, give them time. Clear Channel knows how to run successful CHR stations. Give them a chance. It probably won't be a WABB, but Clear Channel will (or should) know what drawn thousands of listeners to WABB for 52 years. Let's get rollin and bring the new face of the primary leader of Top 40 on the Gulf Coast.