RadioInsight

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iHeartMedia Launches 92.9 The Bull Tucson

Posted: 06 Jan 2021 08:30 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...mat-wednesday/



After a stunt period that included nearly two months of Christmas music,
patriotic songs on Monday, TV theme songs on Tuesday, and a loop of Baby
Shark today, iHeartMedia ended the stunting on Hot AC My 92.9 KMIY Tucson
with a frequency swap.

The Country format of 97.1 The Bull KYWD Green Valley moved to the stronger
92.9 frequency as 92.9 The Bull. Relaunching with 10,000 songs in a row,
the station will reintroduce its airstaff on January 25 including The Bobby
Bones Show in mornings and a new local lineup that features Rubi from
10am-3pm, Chris OGorman from 3-7pm and Celina in evenings.

While not announced yet as both signals are simulcasting, it appears that
the My brand will move to 97.1 as the company has updated its digital
assets with the new branding.

KYWD ranked sixteenth in the Tucson market with a 1.1 share in the November
2020 Nielsen Audio ratings. KMIY was twelfth with a 2.6 share. The move of
the Bull targets Cumulus Medias third ranked 99.5 KIIM with its 6.2 share.

iHeartMedia Tucson announced today the debut of the new 92.9 The Bull,
Tucson’s New Country, effective immediately.

To celebrate the launch of 92.9 The Bull, the station will play 10,000
commercial-free songs in a row. Listeners can tune in to hear the latest
Country music hits from top artists including Luke Combs, Jason Aldean,
Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and more. 92.9 The Bull will also feature
the nationally syndicated morning show “The Bobby Bones Show� and “CMT
Radio Live + After MidNite with Cody Alan.�

“Tucson has long had a hole in the market for a new Country station that
covers the entire metro with a strong signal, and now 92.9 The Bull gives
that to Tucson,� said Steve Earnhart, iHeartMedia Southwest Area President.
“We’re kicking off 92.9 The Bull with 10,000 songs commercial-free, and we
couldnt be more excited to connect Tucson Country music fans with the
newest and hottest Country artists.�

Full Programming Lineup:

The Bobby Bones Show (beginning Monday, January 25) 5 a.m.
– 10 a.m.

Rubi 10
a.m.– 3 p.m.

Chris O’Gorman 3 p.m.
– 7 p.m.

Celina 7 p.m.
– 12 a.m.

After MidNite with Cody Alan (beginning Monday, January 25) 12 a.m.
– 5 a.m.

Original Report 1/4: After running Christmas music since November,
iHeartMedia Hot AC My 92.9 KMIY Tucson is now running a mix of songs with
America or USA in the title.

The station is promoting its new format will launch on Wednesday, January 6
at 9:29am. We reported on domain registrations made for KMIY in our 12/22
Domain Insight report.

Among the songs heard this morning on KMIY include Ray Charles America The
Beautiful, Carrie Underwood All-American Girl, Bruce Springsteen Born In
The USA, Brooks Dunn Only In America, and Everclear American Girl.



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Bud & Broadway Added At B97.9 Cape Girardeau

Posted: 06 Jan 2021 08:20 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...ape-girardeau/



Withers Broadcasting Country B97.9 KBXB Sikeston/Cape Girardeau MO has
added SuiteRadios Bud Broadway for mornings.

Funny works on the radio again.Â*Â*Houston-based SuiteRadio gets 2021 off on
the right boot and is delighted to share the good news that it’s Bud and
Broadway Show debuted mornings on KBXB Cape Girardeau, MO on Monday January
4th.

“It’s exciting to be a part of great solutions for broadcast radio right
now, and Bud and Broadway are about the funniest solution I’ve ever heard!
We’re thrilled to be adding KBXB to the Bud and Broadway family!� says
SuiteRadio President CEO Cruze.

Bud and Broadway add: “Missouri has been our home since 2015, and we’re
excited about bringing our show to The Cape area!�

The numbers do not lie. The Bud and Broadway Show is the fastest growing
syndicated show in the U.S. KBXB now joins the other 15 Bud and Broadway
affiliates including stations in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Myrtle Beach,
Fayetteville, Savannah and more!

Rowdy Yates, Head Talent Wrangler at SuiteRadio offered, 2021 is going to
be a phenomenal year of growth for what is without a doubt the funniest
morning show in all of country radio. The same could be said for Classic
Hits and Classic Rock outlets as well. Funny works. Funny wins. Hear for
yourself!“ https://suiteradio.net/budandbroadway/Â*




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Two (More) Local Countdowns That Were Actually Local

Posted: 06 Jan 2021 07:11 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/ross/203777...ctually-local/



For many music and radio lovers, their geekdom started with American Top 40
or a local top 30, but there’s less satisfaction in hearing radio
countdowns these days. “All-Time Top 300�-type countdowns generally provide
few surprises and little localism. “The Top 100 of (Year)� is battered by
the scarcity of hits in recent years, especially in 2020. They’re usually
not so local either, partially because the local hit has been challenged
since the advent of MTV, much less Spotify and centrally programmed radio.

But listeners still love countdowns under the right circumstances. When
Triple-A WXPN Philadelphia came back after a six-year countdown hiatus with
its Top 2020 of All-Time in December, it was a national news story. You can
argue whether chart numbers mean anything after a certain point, but I’m
sure there were a few listeners debating “how can ‘Magic Bus’ by the Who
possibly be only No. 1432 when Vampire Weekend’s ‘Oxford Comma’ was No.
1413?�

Two Ross On Radio readers wanted to make sure I knew about the New Year’s
Eve and New Year’s Day countdowns at the stations they programmed. If
you’ve read this far, you’ll want to know, too.

In the early ‘80s, even after the advent of MTV, WCCK (K104) Erie, Pa., was
one of CHR’s most iconoclastic stations, with numerous local hits not heard
on any other Top 40, except its Burbach Broadcasting sister stations. I
drove through Erie in the early ‘80s and my chief memory is hearing “K104,
You Got It!� (which is how it said the call letters and positioner at every
break) playing “I’ll Find My Way Home� by Jon & Vangelis. But there were
many others, as the station’s own Top 100 of 1987 affirms.

On New Year’s Day, Erie AC WXKC (Classy 100) played its Top 100 of the
‘80s. The song that began the countdown was a K104 hit that is obscure
elsewhere. The song that topped the countdown was “One Simple Thing� by the
Stabilizers, anErie band whose song also became a secret weapon in Denver
and Minneapolis for years.Â*

Altogether, the Classy 100 countdown included a dozen-and-a-half “Erie
Exclusives,� not all local hits but some recognizable national hits that
were bigger yet in Erie. (There would have been an extra level of meta if
“That Thing You Do� by Erie’s fake one-hit Wonders had been there, but
unfortunately it was a ‘90s song meant to sound like a ‘60s song.)

WXKC PD Vinny Marino is a New Yorker, but he’s also a chart lover who used
K104 and WJET surveys to educate himself when he came to the market. You
can find Classy’s ‘80s countdown pinned to the top of its Facebook page.

Then there’s successful Country outlet KSUX (K-Sioux 105) Sioux City, Iowa.
PD Tony Michaels grew up on the countdowns at CHR KQKQ (Sweet 98) Omaha,
Neb. In a year when some stations found it easier to run a top 25, or no
countdown at all, KSUX indeed found 105 songs, helped by a Friday-night
new-music show that propelled a handful of album cuts and other songs that
were not national hits to regular rotation.Â*

There are songs on KSUX’s Top 105 that I thought should have been bigger
nationally. There are some album cuts that haven’t become singles yet, and
some that likely never will, because it takes some songs that are singles
up to a year to climb the chart. There are some that will likely be on most
other stations’ 2021 countdown. And the No. 1 song of the year is Luke
Combs’ “Six Feet Apart,� perfect both as one of the year’s best
COVID-19-themed songs and as exactly the sort of individual choice a chart
lover looks for. In a year where people needed both relatability and
diversion from their radio stations, the choice of something as arcane as a
year-end countdown managed to be both.Â*



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DJ Laz Joins Totally 93.9 Miami

Posted: 06 Jan 2021 07:04 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...ly-93-9-miami/



Longtime South Florida morning personality Lazaro DJ Laz Mendez is joining
iHeartMedia 90s Hits Totally 93.9 WMIA Miami as afternoon host.

DJ Laz is best known for the 22 years he spent at Rhythmic CHR Power 96
WPOW from 1990 until 2012. After a brief stint at SBS KXOL Los Angeles
waiting out a noncompete, SBS launched DJ 106.7 WRMA with his show in
mornings from July 2012 through November 2013. He then joined Cox CHR Hits
97.3 WFLC for mornings from August 2014 through November 2019.

With the addition of DJ Laz, Michelle Fay will move from afternoons to
nights. Mack In The Morning With Letty B remains in mornings from 6-10 am
and GiGi Diaz in middays.

iHeartMedia-Miami announced that DJ Laz will be the weekday afternoon host
from 3-7 pm on WMIA (Totally 93.9 – All 90s, All The Time), effective
Monday January 11. Laz will keep commuters moving with 90 minutes of
commercial-free 90s music from 5-6:30 pm.

“DJ Laz is deeply rooted in Miami’s music scene and its rich culture and
heritage,� said Brian Olson, President of iHeartMedia-Miami. “It’s a
pleasure to welcome DJ Laz and his passionate audience to iHeartRadio and
Totally 93.9. His afternoon drive show is sure to become a familiar home
for 90s music fans.�

“We are thrilled to bring Miami’s legendary DJ Laz to our hot new all 90s
format,� said Rob Miller, SVPP of iHeartMedia-Miami. “DJ Laz is synonymous
with the 90s. Then and now, there is nobody more in tune with the music and
vibe of our community than Laz. I can’t wait to hear his energy and
interaction with our listeners every afternoon on Totally 93.9.�

“2020 reminded us to really appreciate all you have, especially health,
family and real friends,� said DJ Laz. “I knew I loved my city, but I
realized how much I missed being a part of my listeners daily lives. I can
play for people all over the world, but it’s just not the same as in my
hometown. So excited to launch my new afternoon show on Totally 93.9 – get
ready Miami for some fun on your drive home.�

Lazaro Mendez, better known by his stage name DJ Laz is a Cuban-American
rapper and DJ from Miami. A prominent name in Latin bass music,
rapper/producer, DJ Laz started his musical career at age 15. Laz has been
mixing and entertaining audiences all over South Florida since the mid-’80s
and has collaborated with Pitbull, Flo Rida, Will Smith, Luther Campbell, 2
Live Crew and Gloria Estefan.

The Totally 93.9 new programming lineup will feature Mack In The Morning
With Letty B from 6-10 am, GiGi Diaz from 10 am to 3 pm, DJ Laz from 3-7 pm
and Michelle Fay from 7 pm to midnight.



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Andy Gresh To Depart WPRO/WEAN

Posted: 06 Jan 2021 04:30 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...art-wpro-wean/



Andy Gresh has announced he will depart Cumulus News/Talk 630 WPRO
Providence/99.7 WEAN Wakefield-Peacedale RI at the end of this week.

Gresh has hosted a 6-9pm Sports show at WPRO/WEAN since April 2017. He
previously has co-hosted afternoons at News/Talk 1080 WTIC Hartford, was
the original midday co-host at “98.5 The Sports Hub� WBZ-FM Boston upon its
launch in 2010, spent ten years in mornings at now-defunct Sports “790 The
Score� WSKO Providence, and has had stints at WFAN New York, ESPN Radio,
and Sirius/XM. Gresh also was part of the New England Patriots radio
network coverage from 2005 through 2014 and currently hosts a weekend show
on CBS Sports Radio.

GoLocalProv.com reports that former Providence Journal college basketball
reporter Kevin McNamara will host a one hour show in the 6pm hour, while an
unnamed syndicated show will be added from 7-9pm starting Monday.

For those who missed the BIG SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT.

I am leaving @wpro after Fridays Gresh Show.

Im onto free agency.

Ill have lots to say on Friday about the whole experience here and talk to
listeners.

- Andy Gresh (@TheRealGresh) January 5, 2021