It starts with a brief official announcement on the website of Findlay-based classic rocker WFPX/107.7 North Baltimore OH "107.7 The Fox":"Catch us on the dial at 106.3 on Monday!"
That's all it says.
106.3 in the region is currently oldies WBUK/106.3 Ottawa OH "The Big Buck", which pumps out mostly satellite-fed oldies...and is headquartered at Clear Channel in Lima."The Fox" targets Findlay from its location just east of that western Ohio city, and "The Big Buck" is a class A rimshot that touches both Findlay and Lima on the fringes of its signal coming out of a tower between those cities.
Clear Channel Findlay/Tiffin recently advertised to hire a program director for a new adult contemporary outlet in their cluster.
Add that with this new website an OMW reader in the region pointed out for "My 107.7" - a virtual clone of the "look and feel" of sister Canton market AC outlet WHOF/101.7 North Canton "My 101.7" - and the pieces seem to fit together for changes as soon as Monday.We'd expect the new "My 107.7" AC format to displace "The Fox" classic rock format on that frequency. A brief click of the site's "Listen Live" link would seem to confirm that...it brings up an error message tagged with the WPFX call letters.
In turn, the above announcement would place "The Fox" on 106.3 Ottawa, and unless Clear Channel Lima is making more changes to keep the oldies format going down there, "The Big Buck" would appear to be heading out.
None of this is confirmed by sources in the Findlay or Lima regions, by the way, aside from the above announcement of "The Fox's" format being heard on 106.3 on Monday.
That announcement is brief, and for all we know, "The Fox" will simulcast until the presumed AC format on 107.7 is ready. The wording on the WPFX website doesn't make it clear.
All of these stations are still in the Clear Channel fold, with the various changes to the company seemingly on hold.
The plan to take CC private in the hands of two private equity funds hasn't closed yet, and the once-proposed mass sale of small market stations ran into problems as well.
CC has managed to sell off some groups (Ashtabula, etc.), but with "GoodRadio" out of the picture as a large buyer of many of CC's small market clusters, the effort to sell the remaining groups targeted in Ohio and other states is going slowly. Some of these stations (including WBUK) were tabbed to go into the "Aloha Station Trust", but that hasn't happened yet, either.
So, for now, all of this is still in Clear Channel's court.
But, a question...if, for example, sales split the Lima and Findlay/Tiffin clusters to different companies...what happens, then? We'll just have to wait and see...
7 comments:
Just heard on the Fox 107.7 stream that they are moving down the dial to 106.3 at Midnight tomorrow night.
WBUK 106.3 and WPFX 107.7 have made their format switches. Each station is streaming their new formats but the websites still need to be updated.
I have been listening to The Fox since I began working in Findlay in 2002. I fell in love with the "Big Kahuna" and would have never considered listening to any other station....until now. I am very disappointed with the change in music format that began happening even before the move from 107.7 to 106.3. What was the purpose of changing something that has been working?? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind. I honestly believe you have broken what did not need fixed to begin with. By the way, nothing against this new DJ Babbo, but his voice and personality just don't work. You may think that all the "shake ups" and changes were for the good of your company but what about the faithful listener??!! The only good you have left are the Kahuna and Brandy but now you have set them up to fail. Kahuna and Brady....if you lose your jobs like "Big Dave" and "Bubba" let me know where you go because I will follow. Sounds like greed wins out again!! Too bad.
I grew up in the 60's. When buk omn line. It was like being there again. When would hear particular song good memories would come back.
The companies that advertised were expecting to reach a certain age group. When I would with group of friends. We would singing along with the music. THIS NOW ALL GONE.
I grew up in the 60's and I loved the BIG BUCK oldies station. It brought back good memories. Now we baby boomers have no radio ststion to listen to. I am very disappointed to lose this ststion.Karen VanHorn
Bring back the oldies I've been listening to them from day one when the BIG BUCK started on 107.5 in Lima BRING THEM BACK TODAY!!!!!
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