WFXN 102.3 WXXF 107.7, Anyone else listen?

[chad43358]

I scan the radio waves frequently, and it seems that the signals that don't come in the strongest are the ones I enjoy most. Now I don't know if anyone else listens to the Fox, but I REALLY wish CC Columbus would have a station like this. I know they've tried the Fox format before, but if they went about it the same was 102.3 does, it'd be a hit for sure. QFM has pretty much ran away with the "only classic rock" station in Columbus and the one that everyone goes to for rock, but I know of so many people who are tired of them. It's the same songs which seem to be following The Brew more and more, and a ton of commercials.

Case in point, I was at a party last night and of course, QFM was on, and I heard someone complain about them. I was able to tune 102.3 in, and that's where it stayed the rest of the night. Everyone LOVED the songs they played. We heard The Rolling Stone's Under My Thumb. None of us had heard that in such a long time. They're imaging is great as well. They created new ones for the Holiday weekend, with "Public Service Announcements from The Fox." All were very funny, and my favorite quote was "Please, don't die this weekend. Thanks."

My thought.... take 93.3 and change it to a high wattage Fox format to take a giant stab at 96.3. Or just let the same programmers who take care of 102.3 now program it for Columbus. Take 105.7 and flip it to the soft rock, and run with it. CC really doesn't have a "classic" rock format. They keep dancing around the idea, but has yet to land a good CR station with a good base.

Any thoughts, opinions?

 

[xiradiodotcom]

I moved to Powell back in November and I listen 102.3 as well as Magic 95.9 Caledonia. The moniker is misleading and left over from the oldies days before 94.3 took on country from 106.9. The imaging is small town, but CC does a good job covering Hot AC and Adult Top 40. Mix 107.9 should take a lesson from them.

 

[ericjbard]

When Ohio Radio group managed the cluster along with other subnames(one time was the largest radio operator in Ohio) they had:

WYHT-FM
WMAN-AM
WNCO-FM
WNCO-AM
WQIO-FM
WMVO-AM
WWBK-FM
WBZW-FM
WFXN-FM
WSWR-FM
WBCO-AM
WQEL-FM
WDIF-FM
WMRN-FM
WMRN-AM
WYNT-FM

All of these stations were top of the game, well promoted, well ran, etc. Clear Channel struck a deal with them (partly because they wanted to swap WBZW with WQKT to give them a better signal) and had planned to move in WQIO or WMRN to Columbus.

Clear Channel now has asked $17 MILLION for the following stations.

WYHT-FM
WMAN-AM
WNCO-FM
WNCO-AM
WSWR-FM
WXXF-FM
WXXR-FM
WFXN-FM
WDIF-FM
WYNT-FM
WMRN-AM

Sadly, these stations are mostly Premium Choice programming now. What you hear in Mansfield, you also can hear in hundreds of other cities in the country at the same exact time

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

The syndicated rock-based classic hits format on 103.9 WTDA plays pretty much everything  Ashland's Fox plays, plus more.  But I definitely agree that the Fox is a lot more listenable than LVQ, Premium Choice or not.  CC uses a somewhat similar approach at their Rochester Fox programmed by JP Hastings, who was 105.7's PD when it was the Fox (at least this was all the case last I checked, maybe five months ago).

 

[Rusty Muck]

When Ohio Radio group managed the cluster along with other subnames(one time was the largest radio operator in Ohio) they had:

WYHT-FM
WMAN-AM
WNCO-FM
WNCO-AM
WQIO-FM
WMVO-AM
WWBK-FM
WBZW-FM
WFXN-FM
WSWR-FM
WBCO-AM
WQEL-FM
WDIF-FM
WMRN-FM
WMRN-AM
WYNT-FM

All of these stations were top of the game, well promoted, well ran, etc. Clear Channel struck a deal with them (partly because they wanted to swap WBZW with WQKT to give them a better signal) and had planned to move in WQIO or WMRN to Columbus.

Clear Channel now has asked $17 MILLION for the following stations.

WYHT-FM
WMAN-AM
WNCO-FM
WNCO-AM
WSWR-FM
WXXF-FM
WXXR-FM
WFXN-FM
WDIF-FM
WYNT-FM
WMRN-AM

Sadly, these stations are mostly Premium Choice programming now. What you hear in Mansfield, you also can hear in hundreds of other cities in the country at the same exact time

WDIF no longer exists; it assumed the WMRN-FM calls and country format after WMRN's 106.9 signal became the current 106.7 move in (which also led to WYNT's partial assumption of their AC format). Aside from that, the list is pretty much accurate.

Do note, too, that WSWR and WXXR simulcast each other as well under a rockish-like classic hits format with the "My" banner (apparently it's different from the classic rock on the WFXN/WXXF "Fox" simulcast). WMAN-AM now has the standard Glenn/Rush/Hannity triple play, some local programming in mornings and late evenings, and Indians/Browns/Cavs/OSU/HSFB PBP, while WNCO-AM has all of the syndicated talk spillover from WMAN, with no local weekday programming (adopted after ABC/Citadel's "Timeless" pop standards channel went belly-up). I believe they still have a news department, however.

At least WQIO and WMVO got out for the right price, even though WQIO is all-automated with the WAITT voice-tracking system now

 

[ohgary]

102.3 is a nice station, but you need to be north of Columbus to get a good signal mobile. 107.7 is a hard copy until you get way north of Columbus due to the 107.9 signal on the north side of town splatter.

I like the mix they have, but morning drive your stuck with Bob and Tom...

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

102.3 would have to move far south to take any shot at C-bus. It's only getting where it is now because the WHOK translator is off air (see other thread).

And yes, CC was kicking the tires on WQKT/Wooster, which is one reason they ended up with WBZW/Loudonville in the first place. They were going to swap WBZW (then smooth jazz "The Breeze" targeting Wooster) to Dix, to act as a replacement for WQKT in Wooster. Then, they'd move 104.5 northeast to serve the Akron market, as the replacement for WKDD - after 96.5's move-in to Cleveland.

Of course, it ended up that CC bought 98.1/Canton instead, and has spent the last 9 years moving it back to Akron, where it'll sit at the old 96.5 site at Bellaire Lane very soon.