Farewell 107.1 KISS-FM

[Mike]

Wasn't X106.3 simulcast on 107.1 during it's infancy?

Yes, right after Commodore Media bought (then) WIRO 1230 (which was still live/local 6AM-midnight with DJ's with a classic rock format in 1995 of all things!) and elevator music 107.1 WMLV.

Until the switch to WAMX and whiner rock on 106.3, they simulcasted classic rock "The Fox 106.3 and 107.1" as WFXN and WMLV in 1997. Then 107.1 got the WFXN call letters and kept the classic rock format, but has a signal that won't reach Huntington. After it's upgrade, it still doesn't really.

Best thing they could do with 107.1, IMHO, would be have it simulcast WVHU. That station is unlistenable in the Ashland/Ironton area since they took away WIRO.

I suspect they are trying to save WAMX, by adding more signal. WCMI-FM 92.7 is a far better station. Except when they play modern emo-whiner rock, which both do, unfortunately. The sooner radio figures out that rock died over 15 years ago and ignore the crap being pushed out by the record labels in favor of the classics, the better.

The additional signal will do very little, I suspect, for WAMX. 92.7 is a far better Class A signal, and it's across the river from Ashland, and punches out well everywhere it needs to, except parts of Huntington, which was fixed by the 98.5 translator. 107.1 is just a very bad FM signal, geographically, because it's on the "wrong side" of the "Great Radio Barrier" at South Point, and too close and too short spaced to 107.3 WKAZ in Charleston to be moved any closer to Huntington than it already is.

FYI: I am still somewhat in shock that WCMI-FM is back

[cgarison]

The part that is a little sad for me is I cannot hear the Z100 Morning show in Ashland. But, the Z Morning crew is far less risque than ever before and locally owned stations are doing a great job at producing great radio again. I am definitely hearing a difference in Philly over the last 9 months. And for the Tri-State, I listened to the Clear Channel cluster after having lost all of their mojo while home for Christmas. The automation was terrible and songs were repeated within 30 minutes of having been played.

My only words of advice for 134 4th Avenue is this:

"If the crap I heard on the radio in December continues, remember to turn off all the lights, shut off the water at the main valve, and lock the doors when the corporate overlords close the office. Peons (like me) hate to have to fly to places many hours away to clean up the mess that is left behind when everybody at the office has been run off."

[Cameron]

...positioning both stations as, "X". Should I send my consulting-bill to Clear Channel or the Aloha Station Trust? It gets so confusing these days. Give the ink on that, "LMA" time to dry before you go looking for it in the public file, though. CC is way over thieir limit in this market and we wouldn't want to call-attention to a station that CC isn't, ahem, operating and controlling.

[Mike]

...positioning both stations as, "X". Should I send my consulting-bill to Clear Channel or the Aloha Station Trust? It gets so confusing these days. Give the ink on that, "LMA" time to dry before you go looking for it in the public file, though. CC is way over thieir limit in this market and we wouldn't want to call-attention to a station that CC isn't, ahem, operating and controlling.

Given that CC has been over the limit for 10 years, who cares? It's not like the FCC has even a clue, nor the courts.

Remember ConCord?

Not that this is limited to radio, we STILL have an illegal TV duopoly, in SINclair's ownership of WCHS 8 and WVAH 11...

The 107.1 signal most mirrors WIRO... It will serve Ironton, Flatwoods, and Ashland. It was never intended to do otherwise. Ken Auble's vision of local service doesn't much fit with corporate broadcasting.

[Mike]

...positioning both stations as, "X". Should I send my consulting-bill to Clear Channel or the Aloha Station Trust? It gets so confusing these days. Give the ink on that, "LMA" time to dry before you go looking for it in the public file, though. CC is way over thieir limit in this market and we wouldn't want to call-attention to a station that CC isn't, ahem, operating and controlling.

Actually they position 107 as "K". (since it's still WBKS)

When they say anything about it, which is at the top of hour ID.

I still think they'd get better ratings if they paired it with WIRO as "WIRO AM and FM) and ran traditional oldies... Which NO ONE programs anymore in a market that screams for it. B97 is now that "70's and 80's station". My parents hate it, except that they do like the 80's for no other reason than remembering my own childhood!

It's a travesty that CC has control of so many heritage call letters (WIRO, WKEE, WAMX, WTCR) and they don't do crap with them.

[Mr. Jones]

RadioInsight says WBKS is now WLRX, with a Lima, OH CC station (now WLWD) taking the WBKS calls.

[Mike]

RadioInsight says WBKS is now WLRX, with a Lima, OH CC station (now WLWD) taking the WBKS calls.

So a generic call that ends in X.

I still don't think this simulcast is going to do anything for WAMX and it's sad and tired emo-whiner rock format. Of course, I believe modern rock radio is as dead and buried as is modern rock. When I do listen to FM (which is very rare post-Sirius) I simulate the classic (ie: non emo-whiner) rock format I desire by changing stations amongst WCMI, WKLC, and WAMX, ie: listen to a classic track, switch when I hear a song "sung" by a lead whiner that is backed up by a guitarist playing generic riffs who can't invent a solo.

The only positive this is going to be for CC is that KEE will likely regain the #1 spot because it will no longer have any competition. Self inflicted competition. Which is about the only way a radio station programmed by a moron who HAS NO CLUE HOW TO USE THE SHIFT KEY can possibly be #1. Not that the music helps. Or the morning show that sounds even worse than Bob and Sheri. Or it's complete lack of personality.