WXCT - 31st Place In Baltimore PPM's!

[CTListener]

I will say, that when WZMX, was a fun format, the flip was a smart move. It seemed to me that there was a large gaping hole in the market for a true Urban FM station. I was and still am, suprised at how long it took for the flip to happen.

I remember when they were broadcasting NOAA weather radio! Imagine a mid-market full B signal doing that, in this day and age??

Wasn't that "format" in place while the ownership of the station was being sorted out?

 

[GlennO]

I will say, that when WZMX, was a fun format, the flip was a smart move. It seemed to me that there was a large gaping hole in the market for a true Urban FM station. I was and still am, suprised at how long it took for the flip to happen.

I remember when they were broadcasting NOAA weather radio! Imagine a mid-market full B signal doing that, in this day and age??

Wasn't that "format" in place while the ownership of the station was being sorted out?

Yes, it was a transitional thing that lasted about a year, after Spanish went from 93.7 WLVH to 1230 WLAT. When the NOAA weather guys found out they were radio stars, they actually tried to improve their presentation! Some people even wanted to advertise.

In this case, I'm glad this thread wandered off the WXCT topic!

 

[MarcB]

Wasn't that "format" in place while the ownership of the station was being sorted out?

I think it was on from late 89 until early 91 as the station was being sold by whomever was running the Latino Format to the guy who eventually founded American Radio Systems, who launched MIX 93.7 WZMX, which was HOT ACish I think. 91 (or was it 92?) was also the year MAGIC 104 got blown up in-favor of HOT ACish Star 104.1

 

[radiolives]

So both Mix 93.7 and Star 104.1 both started around 1992. How long did the Mix 93.7 format last? As for Star 104.1 that ended in 1994 when it went Radio 104.

 

[GlennO]

So both Mix 93.7 and Star 104.1 both started around 1992. How long did the Mix 93.7 format last? As for Star 104.1 that ended in 1994 when it went Radio 104.

There was an opening in the Hartford market for a more upbeat AC than Magic 104 (which had gotten complacent) and Lite 100.5 (which had just evolved out of "beautiful music" intrumentals not a moment too soon in 1989). Mix 93.7 started in mid to late 1990. I guess you could call it a 1990 version of Hot AC. The New Mix 93.7 promoted itself heavily and made an impact on the market, but Magic's switch to Star 104.1 in 1991 eventually became a spoiler for them and left the field open for WRCH. WZMX went the way of AC stations like Philadelphia's WMGK in the mid nineties, becoming the 70s Station.

 

[radiolives]

So both Mix 93.7 and Star 104.1 both started around 1992. How long did the Mix 93.7 format last? As for Star 104.1 that ended in 1994 when it went Radio 104.

There was an opening in the Hartford market for a more upbeat AC than Magic 104 (which had gotten complacent) and Lite 100.5 (which had just evolved out of "beautiful music" intrumentals not a moment too soon in 1989). Mix 93.7 started in mid to late 1990. I guess you could call it a 1990 version of Hot AC. The New Mix 93.7 promoted itself heavily and made an impact on the market, but Magic's switch to Star 104.1 in 1991 eventually became a spoiler for them and left the field open for WRCH. WZMX went the way of AC stations like Philadelphia's WMGK in the mid nineties, becoming the 70s Station.

Didn't Mix 93.7 change formats because they became a sister station of 96.5 TIC

 

[bub]

I will say, that when WZMX, was a fun format, the flip was a smart move. It seemed to me that there was a large gaping hole in the market for a true Urban FM station. I was and still am, suprised at how long it took for the flip to happen.

IIRC, there were 2 AM's spinning Urban prior to the flip - WNTY (Blaze 990) and I believe it was 910 WNEZ but I could be off on the frequency and calls. The Hartford AM Urban was a ratings staple. When WNTY (now-WXCT) scored in the Hartford book, that was essentially the "test case" for 'ZMX to flip since it demonstrated that there was, indeed, a demand for that format on a much broader scale. The first book after the flip blew both AM's out of the water.

 

[bub]

I remember when they were broadcasting NOAA weather radio! Imagine a mid-market full B signal doing that, in this day and age??

I remember that, too! After many years as a Spanish station - WLVH. In fact, at the very first station I worked at, we used to rely on that station for the weather forecasts because we didn't have weather service - LOL!

I also remember in the early '90's the Middletown station spinning an all-Traffic format. Not sure if they were WMRD by then, still WCNX or a different set of calls.

 

[MarcB]

I also remember in the early '90's the Middletown station spinning an all-Traffic format. Not sure if they were WMRD by then, still WCNX or a different set of calls.

It was still WCNX. They didn't become WMRD until Don DeCesare bought it.

 

[ansky212]

IIRC, there were 2 AM's spinning Urban prior to the flip - WNTY (Blaze 990) and I believe it was 910 WNEZ but I could be off on the frequency and calls. The Hartford AM Urban was a ratings staple. When WNTY (now-WXCT) scored in the Hartford book, that was essentially the "test case" for 'ZMX to flip since it demonstrated that there was, indeed, a demand for that format on a much broader scale. The first book after the flip blew both AM's out of the water.

910 AM was known as "Jamz 910". They came on the air in the mid to late 90's. I can't remember how many years they were on the air but once Hot 93.7 came on in 2001 that was the end of Jamz 910. Prior to Jamz, 910 was broadcasting CNN news and had the moniker "910 CNN".

 

[radiolives]

Jamz 910 was great back then. Once Hot 93.7 came 910 went Spanish, how could Jamz 910 survive with Hot 93.7 now in the state.

 

[bub]

Prior to Jamz, 910 was broadcasting CNN news and had the moniker "910 CNN".

I used to work with the former ND of 910 CNN at another station. He later served as my boss...for all of maybe 2 months.

 

[MarcB]

IIRC, there were 2 AM's spinning Urban prior to the flip - WNTY (Blaze 990) and I believe it was 910 WNEZ but I could be off on the frequency and calls. The Hartford AM Urban was a ratings staple. When WNTY (now-WXCT) scored in the Hartford book, that was essentially the "test case" for 'ZMX to flip since it demonstrated that there was, indeed, a demand for that format on a much broader scale. The first book after the flip blew both AM's out of the water.

Blaze 990 got the job done even though it was an amateurish (I had to consult my dictionary to get the correct spelling of that word. ) operation. WNTY was owned by Peter Arpin at the time (currently he owns WARL Attleboro-Providence and has a stake in WALE 990) anyway he leased 72 hours a week (6AM-6PM Monday-Saturday) to Blaze Communications, which was headed by former JAMZ 910 Morning Host "Dr." Phillip Duncan. The whole reason for BLAZE 990's existence was to get revenge on JAMZ 910 for firing him. The music mix was great - Rap/Hip-Hop, R&B, Old School R&B, Caribbean Music (all day on Saturday). The problem was Duncan was completely clueless about how to run a radio station. He'd be on a phone with one of his clients and demand that the DJ cut-off the song and put on the client's commercial. That's why you'd often hear a song cut-off go to a commercial. And go back to the song, starting it over from the beginning. Duncan was also not an honest man and was in way over his head. He even tried to sell the station even though he did not own it. He didn't know it was illegal to sell something you did not own. Anyway Arpin hired Charlie Profit as GM in July 2001 and he terminated Duncan's lease a few weeks later. By the beginning of September Charlie began phasing out the music - eliminating the 12 hour Caribbean Music block on Saturday's and replacing it with College Football from Westwood One. By December 2001 it was all over and the station was running FOX News Channel in all time-slots not leased out or dedicated to Westwood One sports. (The final nail in BLAZE 990's coffin was Thanksgiving Day 2001 when the board-op deserted the station in the middle of Southington High School Play-by-Play). Final words on BLAZE 990 - Where is Phillip Duncan today? As of 2008 he was a chef at a restaurant. He made an appearance on Channel 3's Better Connecticut.

910 AM was known as "Jamz 910". They came on the air in the mid to late 90's. I can't remember how many years they were on the air but once Hot 93.7 came on in 2001 that was the end of Jamz 910. Prior to Jamz, 910 was broadcasting CNN news and had the moniker "910 CNN".

JAMZ 910 came on the air Good Friday 1997. Prior to JAMZ 910 they were doing Spanish AC as Romance 910. That was very short lived. (Late December 96-End of March 97) At the time the area had Spanish language radio stations up the wazoo. Prior to Romance 910 was when they were 910 CNN. They also carried ESPN Radio and simulcast the Patriots games from WZMX. I wish I still had a tape of the ID, but I remember the Legal ID from the Patriots games - "You're listening to the WBCN Patriots Rock Radio Network on 93.7 The 70s Station WZMX Hartford and News-Sports 910 CNN WNEZ New Britain-Hartford".

Jamz 910 was great back then. Once Hot 93.7 came 910 went Spanish, how could Jamz 910 survive with Hot 93.7 now in the state.

Jamz 910 was a good station. They didn't play a lot of rap/hip-hop, however. Once HOT 93.7 signed on in March 2001, all Mega Broadcasting cared about was moving WLAT from the 1KW Graveyard 1230 AM to 910 which was 5KW day and night. Just about every other station Mega owned played some sort of Spanish Music.

Maybe I'm wrong here, but if I had been the owner of JAMZ 910 at the time HOT 93.7 signed on I would've changed the format to Urban AC.

 

[DToTheJ]

IIRC, there were 2 AM's spinning Urban prior to the flip... When WNTY (now-WXCT) scored in the Hartford book, that was essentially the "test case" for 'ZMX to flip since it demonstrated that there was, indeed, a demand for that format on a much broader scale. The first book after the flip blew both AM's out of the water.

Which is ironic, since water technically assists with AM signals due to ground conductivity...

...amateurish (I had to consult my dictionary to get the correct spelling of that word. ) ...

Most browsers like Firefox should have a built-in technology where if you misspell a word, a red line will appear underneath it. Then, there's also Google.

 

[bub]

IIRC, there were 2 AM's spinning Urban prior to the flip... When WNTY (now-WXCT) scored in the Hartford book, that was essentially the "test case" for 'ZMX to flip since it demonstrated that there was, indeed, a demand for that format on a much broader scale. The first book after the flip blew both AM's out of the water.

Which is ironic, since water technically assists with AM signals due to ground conductivity...

Apparently, you weren't there in 1994 when a bolt of lightning fried one of the 2 towers resulting in WNTY operating at 500 watts off one tower throughout most of the summer until the insurance check came in to repair the tower that got the owwweee.