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WVFM got JACKED up!

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
Qs23
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WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by Qs23 » Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:24 am

It seems that 96.5 JACK FM is now simulcasting on 106.5...

Or, since all the imaging says 106.5 Jack FM, it's the other way around?

If so, what's 96.5 going to be? Is Z going to make a return?



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:46 am

Wow - that's a SHOCKER!!!

I like the move but feel bad for the air staff. This brings Variety Hits back to the Grand Rapids market for the first time in many years, albeit on a station whose TX site is 35 miles away.

https://jackfm965.com/ (Logo has been changed to reflect 106.5 FM)

Facebook page:
JACK FM HAS MOVED ! We will only be here at 96.5 until next Wednesday ! Turn your radio to 106.5.... Jack just took it over and wants to live on 106.5 fm so go where JACK wants to play.. 106.5 JACK FM "Playing WHERE we want"
GO TO 106.5 JACK FM NOW
GO TO 106.5 JACK FM NOW
GO TO 106.5 JACK FM NOW
We wont be on 96.5 starting next week so you might as well start listening on 106.5 FM
https://www.facebook.com/Jackfm965/

Predictions for 96.5 FM:
I think it'll most likely be used to rebroadcast 590 WKZO, perhaps on a full-time basis this time (last time that happened, 96.5 FM couldn't run Tigers baseball). Midwest has made a similar move in other markets recently. Don't be surprised if it's preceded by a week of stunting.

If that were to occur, it would not surprise me to see 106.9 FM stay as-is or to see the Sports format recently dumped from AM 1660 make a comeback.

Other possibilities:
- Adult Contemporary (hopefully with FM 106.5's former airstaff)
- CHR/Pop
- Active Rock a la Q106 (if that happens, I'll be pissed 106.5 wasn't used for that purpose!)
- Classic Country
- The lame "Cruisin" format found in Lansing, which would be direct competition for WQXC
- Urban AC



CJ
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by CJ » Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:55 am

Wow, would not have guessed Jack FM moves to 106.5. WVFM has always had an identity crisis. I recently heard “Savage Love” translation into Bryan Adam’s’ “Everything I do”. So now that I mention that, maybe they were closer to Jack FM than I thought :wink:

As for 96.5, I have lived in Kalamazoo for 20 years and I think they have tried every single possible format since I have been here with the exception of Sports. They still have Z96.5 on their sign in front of the studio on West Main. My guesses for the flip would be Classic Country (Duke FM), Sports (with ending it on 1660), or Top 40 (maybe they think there are some vulnerabilities with the long time afternoon host Benson moving from WKFR to morning with WRKR).



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 7:08 am

They should've never ditched the Classic Hits / Classic Rock format anchored by Bob & Tom. A combination of interference from Wisconsin and perhaps a not-so-good PD ran the station's ratings into the ground after two or three years of very respectable ratings.

The Country format that followed could've been successful, too, if given more time. Continuing Bob & Tom after the flip due to contractual considerations hamstrung that effort. The Country audience doesn't want to hear an obnoxious morning show with zero music in A.M. drive. As soon as that contract expired - the Country brand could've been relaunched, perhaps successfully. Instead, the station flipped to a quasi-simulcast of AM 590. The Tigers were red hot at the time. The whole point of the move would've been to give the Tigers a good FM signal locally, but as it turned out, the brain trust on West Main failed to perform proper due diligence on their Tigers baseball contract. So, FM 96.5 listeners were treated to the Cubs instead. A major let down, I'm sure, for folks who lived in the null of AM 590's nighttime signal.

The temporary TOH ID mentions "Grand Rapids" now, which might be a first in the history of 106.5.

Dry segues for the moment between nearly every single song.



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TheGadgetGuy
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by TheGadgetGuy » Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:46 am

WVFM's weekday airshifts were all voicetracked from out of market or syndicated (Kim Carson has been gone for at-least a couple of months now), therefore I don't think any jobs were lost as a direct result of this flip.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:18 pm

Did Glen Dillon leave? I don't keep tabs on that market like I once did.

If no jobs were lost due to the flip itself, that's good.



jesusjenny
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by jesusjenny » Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:30 pm

Is Kim Carson gone from the airwaves?



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:58 pm

She does a shift on Classic Rock, the Bear, in northern lower Michigan.



format this
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by format this » Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:16 pm

MWmetalhead wrote:Did Glen Dillon leave? I don't keep tabs on that market like I once did.

If no jobs were lost due to the flip itself, that's good.
Glen left for KFR many moons ago... somewhere around 2004-05. He works at WMU now and runs all print and voice media... including WIDR 89.1.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Note to WGN... bring back Steve Cochran ASAP.

EDIT: Steve Cochran IS BACK AT WGN!!!

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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:02 pm

Playlist:
wvfm.tunegenie.com

Looks to be 60 percent classic rock.

I'd say WRKR is the primary target but this playlist should also appeal to a decent chunk of the KFR audience, too. No other station in West Michigan plays such a music blend. Music flow sounds good. I like this station much better than 101.7 Mike FM in Lansing, which plays too much bubble gum pop music.



Michigan Media
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by Michigan Media » Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:15 pm

Wow, this is a shocker. I agree with MWmetalhead's prediction for 96.5. I would prefer to hear a music format on 96.5, but rebroadcasting WKZO is a fiscally prudent move as radio attempts to survive and emerge from the COVID downturn.

Detroit Tigers broadcasts on 96.5 should not be an issue this year because Midwest acquired rights to the Tigers in Battle Creek. The Tigers previously aired on Townsquare's WBCK 95.3, which has a significant signal overlap with 96.5.

In addition to the WKZO rebroadcast on 96.5, I think Midwest should rebroadcast 1660's Urban AC format on the 106.9 translator, which would provide better coverage to urban neighborhoods in Kalamazoo. Furthermore, the 95.5 translator could resume rebroadcasting 98.5 from Battle Creek.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:43 pm

Great info regarding the Tigers; was unaware of that!

I feel even more confident now that 96.5 FM will become a full time simulcast with AM 590.

I like your other suggestions, too, and had forgotten about 95.5's roots as a WNWN-FM rebroadcaster.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:12 pm

Fall book for WKZO was an absolute disaster despite news/talk stations across the nation seeing their best ratings in 10 years or even 20 years in many instances.

They lost to WKMI, WMUK and probably WVGR, too.

If MWC doesn't up its game with regard to WKZO very soon, it will fade into oblivion.

WKFR crushed WVFM and wiped the floor clean with them. Jack FM even at the 96.5 spot seems to be pulling at least some listening away from WRKR. Horrible book for Win 98.5 in Kalamazoo; I don't remember them ever performing that poorly!

I suspect the unlisted B93 was probably #2 overall. Starting with spring 2021, they and other out-of-market stations that purchase Nielsen in their home market will once again be listed.

This info certainly helps put today's change at 106.5 FM into better perspective.

http://www.stationratings.com/sr_rating ... market=251



thatonedude
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by thatonedude » Fri Feb 26, 2021 7:56 pm

Look at the top of 96.5's TuneGenie page...
http://wzox.tunegenie.com

I doubt this means anything -- it could just be Midwest fucking around -- but who knows...


take this job and shove it

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MWmetalhead
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Re: WVFM got JACKED up!

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Feb 27, 2021 7:15 am

Bold move (and perhaps a bad move) - if that's the direction 96.5 is headed. Keeps a hyper female targeted station in the cluster.

As option1 noted on the other topic thread, this move is probably occurring a decade too late. In the vast majority of cases, recent CHR/Pop launches have not fared well nationally. In many cases, heritage stations are also seeing their worst numbers in a generation (more true in PPM markets than diary markets). The format is in a bad music cycle right now.

Hopefully, the station won't be a half-assed sounding piece of shit with garbage programming in morning drive like the ill fated i92.9 in Lansing. If 96.5 offers up The Bert Show - the station as a CHR will be destined for failure.

On the other hand, if it offers up Mojo in the Morning from Detroit, it could succeed.



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