99x Is Gone

Don't know how much you all care, but ...

http://www.radioandrecords.com/

Huge changes began behind closed doors Friday (Jan. 11) at Cumulus/Atlanta, which witnessed the surprising exit of longtime WNNX (99X) PD/"Morning X" anchor Leslie Fram, her co-host Jenners and longtime 99X APD/midday talent Steve Craig, ahead of a pending frequency swap with top 40 sister WWWQ (Q100).

The swap, which will reportedly be announced Monday (Jan. 14), would upgrade Q100's 13kw signal at 100.5 to the far mightier 100kw stick at 99.7, which would immediately vault the station from toaster-oven to the blowtorch status that it has craved since it signed on in 2001 and succeed in leveling the playing field with 100kw Lincoln Financial top 40 rival WSTR (Star 94).

Through several sources, R&R has learned that the timeline leading up to the swap will look like this: On Monday, Jan. 21, Q100's morning "Bert Show" will begin simulcasting on both frequencies, but the formats will remain separate until Friday, Jan. 25 at 10 a.m., at which time Q100's top 40 format will move over to 99.7 and a revamped rock format will launch on 100.5. R&R has also learned that market vets the Regular Guys (Larry Wachs and Eric Von Haessler, formerly of WKLS) will replace Fram and company in mornings on 100.5. The longtime 99X alternative format will continue to breathe online at 99x.com, as well as on an HD-2 channel at 99.7.

In a related story, Q100 welcomes new APD/MD/afternoon talent Johnny O, inbound from PD/afternoons at WYOY/Jackson, Miss. Mr. O, who lands Jan. 28, will fill the shift formerly held by ex-Q100 PD Dylan Sprague.

Now, I'm saying this from the perspective of someone who has worked in radio and an overall fan of radio in general.

The owners of 99.7 got spooked in the early 90s after several soft arbitron books and stories from the industry that top40 radio was in decline and "alternative" was the new darling format. In fact, I recall an article in R&R sometime in '92 stating top40 radio stations were "dropping like flies." After experimenting with some success with an alternative format on their night show, Power99 Atlanta officially threw the switch on their new alternative format a few months later.

However, 99X never achieved the rating success Power99 did at it's height. Many radio professionals have predicted this flip for two years now.

Q100, IMO, is what top40 radio is supposed to be. When Star94 was the only game in town, they could get away with not programming half of the top 10 songs if they 'sounded too black.' When 95.5 The Beat hit the market (with a churban format originally) they filled that void but intentionally avoided rock-based and softer pop hit music. Q100 has bridged that gap with their "If it's a hit, we play it" approach. And now with the 100KW signal, they'll quickly become more of a player in Atlanta radio.

What does this do to their direct competition? Star94 is boxed in. They can't skew older without entering B98.5 territory. They've tried to skew younger recently but Q100 has them beat on hip-sounding air talent. 95.5 The Beat is left to compete with more credible urban and hip hop outlets in the market - a game they will lose. I wouldn't be surprised if either Star94 or The Beat either takes on the 'Movin'' format (dance/urban/club hits from the 70s, 80, and 90s) or a true "Churban" format (club and dance music without much hip hop.)

There's always the possibility Star94 might try to fill the classic rock void in Atlanta, but there's that persistent rumor DaveFM will soon flip back to their classic rock Z-93 roots.

I reached a point a few years back where I couldn't stomach 99X any more, so I'm glad to hear of their demise. I liked the music they played, but it just seemed that over the years their DJ's and show hosts became more and more conservative, and just nasty and hostile to those that did not agree with them politically. When the Abu Ghraib scandal broke, the hosts of Morning X just laughed it off and were like "What's the big deal, I've seen cheerleaders do pyramids like that!" and "They're terrorists, so they deserve what they get."

One morning a couple of years later when I was listening to Morning X on my drive to work, Leslie was sharing a quote from Sheryl Crow that was very critical of * and his foreign policies, especially in Iraq. The two male co-hosts (I don't remember their names) didn't even address what she had said or defend *'s policies in any way, they just immediately began slamming Sheryl Crow, and this went on for several minutes. When one of them said "Oh what does she know? She can't even find a man with two testicles!" (Crow was dating Lance Armstrong at the time), I turned my radio away from 99X permanently, and I haven't looked back.

I just found myself very turned off to that station in general, and to the Morning X program in particular. So I say good riddance. This is the best news for Atlanta radio since the Regular Guys were taken off of the air.


On edit: Corrected typo.

stations are beyond terrible. Star 94 and Q100 are mostly unlistenable. Dave FM is probably the most tolerable, but terribly boring. The Country station (which I am stuck listening to when I go to the neighborhood pool) is downright torture.

Basically, I never listen to the radio in Atlanta it is so awful**. 99X is a bit more interesting (and Organic X is very good).

** well, except WABE, the NPR station, but they only have news in the morning and afternoon, and classical the rest of the time.

I enjoyed WREK when I lived in Atlanta.

:hi:

:dem:

-Laelth

I wouldn't piss on any commercial Atlanta radio station if it were on fire.

Check out AM 1690 out of Avondale.Their playlist covers every music concievable.

...given that the current owners purchased a station that was an Air America affiliate and wiped out all the AAR content save for Al Franken, and then dropped that last bit of AAR programming when Franken left to run for the Senate.

Like it would've killed them to run Thom Hartman from noon-3pm and give Atlanta one stinkin' progressive show on the air. But nooooo...

Biggest plus? Organic X on Sunday mornings. Apparently this all happened in April, but I didn't know until I decided to check their website and see how their webcast was going.

I think with the lower profile position on the FM dial, they can play more interesting stuff (if alt rock is your thing, of course). Although, seriously, check out Organic X on Sundays as it is nice mellow stuff.

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/cribnotes/2009/04/17/99x-returns-to-atlanta-airwaves-on-979-fm/

Quote from their press release:

Loyal listeners will be instantly be familiar with the format and staff of the station. Atlanta native, BJ Kinard, anchors afternoon drive 3-7pm and also maintains Program Director duties. “This is the station that made me want to get into radio. It’s a very exciting time for me and 99X.” says Kinard. 99X station vet, Lewis, is the midday personality from 10am-3pm with Jillian as the night host 7pm to midnight. 99X is bringing back Organic X with Matt “Organic” Jones 7am to 1pm every Sunday.

Programs and features that will continue include “Xposure,” featuring new and breaking artists; “Live X”, live acoustic band performances in the 99X studio attended by listeners; “Freeloaders,” a rewards program for listeners; and “Unplugged in the Park”, a Sunday night concert series including Organic X artists. 99X is looking forward to bringing back all the annual benchmark events it has delivered to Atlanta listeners over the years.

Oh.my.God. They are playing the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now" at this moment. I think I have died and gone to heaven. This is an improved 99X.