OMW hears that at noon today, as expected and rumored, Clear Channel Columbus will flip stunting WMRN-FM/106.7 Dublin "Television 106.7" to a modern/adult rock format as "Radio 106.7".
The station's new website, listed as "Under Construction", bears the logo shown here.We hear from multiple sources - basically, everyone in Columbus short of Jim Tressel - that "Radio 106.7" will be as expected, a lightly-presented music-intensive station featuring modern, classic alternative and adult alternative rock aimed at 25-44 year old listeners.
Our sources have given us a list of core artists for the new station, including older familiar groups like U2, the Dave Matthews Band, Nickleback, Pearl Jam, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the like.
But we also hear that "Radio 106.7" will tout a deep playlist, and promises to play at least some new and established local rock artists out of Central Ohio.
OMW hears that "Radio 106.7" will not add air personalities until after the first of the year, and even then, will keep their on-air talk to a minimum. The station will also tout a low commercial load, and no liners.
The model for this format is presumably Clear Channel sister station WMVX/94.1 in Cincinnati, which adopted their adult-leaning rock format as "Radio 94.1" a while back. But it also reminds us of a station up in our colleague Scott Fybush's territory - Buffalo NY market rimshot WLKK/107.7 "The Lake".
It'll be interesting if the station tries to be "too cool for the room", or is more accessible than the Buffalo market's "Lake", which plays watery sound effects and called its air personalities "Lake Guides".
Those "Guides" were taken off the water, er, "The Lake", last month in an Entercom staff purge, and WLKK is now mainly automated. (An OMW hat tip to the aforementioned Mr. Fybush for his item in NorthEast Radio Watch.)
So, we'll see how "Radio 106.7" handles the on-air talent part of the equation.
Tbe next remaining shoe to drop - we don't know what call letters the new station will adopt.
The WMRN-FM calls will surely be bounced back to the station's former home city of Marion, and land on the current WDIF/94.3 - which flipped from AC "Mix 94.3" to the old WMRN-FM "Buckeye Country" format after 106.9 left town there.
Of course, as you'd expect in even the oddest stunt, OMW has gotten a few comments from those who enjoy the "TV theme song" stunt format. While it's an interesting oddity, there's not a lot of depth to it, and even the most enthusiastic listener would tire of it after more than a few days...
7 comments:
CC's 106.7 in Columbus clearly was NOT modeled after 94.1 in Cincinnati, although they are kin in a way. 94.1 is a Hot-AC-leaning offshoot version of the adult-oriented Alternative approach CC had already started using at WRFF in Philadelphia and a few other stations. 106.7 seems to be based off of the latter, without the distinctively Hot AC twist incorporated into 94.1.
I loved the TV themes! When I would get bored with the same old stuff on all the other stations I'd click to 106.7 and stay there forever. I'll miss the theme songs. I had the station set, now its just another down the middle rock station. I doubt if it will remain on my pre-set channel mix.
My wife is undergoing withdrawals from the TV themes. Columbus Radio is so boring. Even the gold standard of WTVN 610 is so bland. BC in the morning, is tired. Corby is lazy. Throw out a topic and let the callers do the work. Only good thing on his show is Big Bass Brothers. Love going to Cleveland and catching WTAM at least they try.
I found out about the TV themed music station from a coworker and loved it. It was a great alternative to the same-old stations all along the dial, playing the same-old music. No offense to the intended music format, but now that it's changed, I won't be tuning in.
Newark's public radio frequency, WCBE 106.7, has been taken over by a Clear Channel Communications station from Columbus. Clear Channel is a huge airwave corporation that monopolizes radio broadcasting in the U.S (there are 7 other Clear Channel stations currently broadcasting in Columbus alone). CCC apparently has the legal right to commandeer the 106.7 frequency simply because this frequency does not represent a "primary" transmission locale--i.e., it only relays the transmission of a station situated in Columbus, and is not an originary broadcast site of its own. The new station broadcasts with enough power to be heard clearly in Newark, thus to efface the old WCBE 106.7.
The Columbus representative for Clear Channel Communications, I've learned, is Greg Savoldi, and he may be reached at: gregsavoldi@clearchannel.com .
If you are at all concerned about the silencing of an important small town resource for music, global news, knowledge, representation of often marginalized voices, and more, you might begin by writing to Savoldi and expressing alarm over the aesthetic and informational gap left in our town by this corporate move.
I usually listen to 106.3 a gospel station and happened to select 106.7 by accident. I loved the concept of listening to tv theme songs. It was so fun to fiqure out the tv song, it was like a game. It brought back alot of memories! I thought wow this would be a great game for the family to play during christmas. Very disappointed
on the change:(
I work at the CC Marion market and have mixed feelings about the frequency move. I was saddened to see 106.9 taken away from here. But I must admit I really LOVE the new format on 106.7. Heard a few alternative classics that I hadn't heard in a long time. Plus I like the fact that 106.7 has a clear signal hear in Marion whereas I can't even pick up CD 101 here. 106.7 reminds me of Channel Z. KUDOS! to JohnBoy Crenshaw on an EXCELLENT call
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