Frequency to Watch: FM 103.9

Many rock music fans, including myself, were disappointed when 94.7 flipped to country music.  They had been using the call letters WRXP, which were used on 101.9 FM when they had an alt rock format.  This led some to believe that the alt rock format was returning to 94.7, but that was not to be.

So, why did Cumulus acquire the WRXP call letters in the first place?  As it turns out, they may have something else up their sleeves:

Now that Cumulus has launched Country “Nash-FM” on 94.7 WRXP Newark and the WNSH calls are en-route from their temporary home in Minnesota, it appears that there was a reason that the company brought the WRXP call letters out of mothballs after all.

Following registrations of eleven domains on Monday, Cumulus looks to be preparing a flip of suburban AC 103.9 WFAS-FM Bronxville to the WRXP calls and an Alternative or other Rock based format. The company registered 1039WRXP.com, WRXPFM.com, and WRXP1039.com (as well as .net and .org versions of) along with WRXP.net and .org on January 21.

Could it be possible? That WRXP will be rocking once again in the New York area? Keep your fingers crossed… oh, and while you’re doing that, let me tell you about 103.9‘s signal issues.

Third time’s the charm?  Minus the extra “1″? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

94.7 already has issues when it comes to listening within Suffolk county.  103.9 has similar issues.  It bumps up right against 103.9 WRCN, a long-time rock station on the east end.  In Nassau county, WRCN is less of an issue, and the Bronxville 103.9 may come in louder/stronger.  Give it a try the next time you’re in your car, and feel free to report your results.  I know I will

Country Returns

After stunting with a “wheel of formats” all weekend, 94.7 unveiled their new format this morning:

A loud cheer from Country music fans was heard at 9:47a this morning, as their format returned to the #1 market on CUMULUS WRXP/NEW YORK as 94.7 NASH-FM “America’s Country Station.”

For country music fans, this is a good thing.  Country left the New York City airwaves in 1996 when 103.5 flipped to the New KTU.  Shortly thereafter, 107.1 in Briarcliffe Manor flipped to country as Y-107.  Other stations located at 107.1 FM joined in this simulcast (on Long Island, North Jersey, and Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley) and ultimately created a quadcast.  This would not last long, as in 2002, all four stations would flip to a Spanish format.

Long Island country fans can now add 94.7 FM to their car radio presets, but might find it difficult to hold on to the signal as they drive out east.  Fortunately, there are other options.  96.1 WJVC (“My Country 96.1″) recently celebrated two years of playing country music with a concert.  They provide decent coverage of Suffolk county, where Nash-FM has a hard time reaching.  WALK-FM 97.5 HD2 is another choice, for the lucky HD radio owners.  Finally, there’s 92.5 WWYZ (“Country 92-5″) in Hartford, CT, which has been playing country since 1988.  While not based on Long Island, the signal does have a fair reach across the sound.

I don’t see Cumulus hanging on to the WRXP call letters for very long, as they’ve been previously associated with a rock format (twice).  Cumulus already has WNSH in Minnesota, so they can be moved here.

94.7: Future in the Clouds

Cumulus clouds (Photo credit: atheism)

It’s happening:

Let the speculation begin! The newest radio station in New York City, officially licensed to Newark, is now part of the Cumulus family. WFME 94.7 FM is the former New York home of Family Radio.

On Friday afternoon, Cumulus flipped the switched on its newest commodity, and thus opened the floodgates to rumor. For those rumor mongers, the call letters, at least for now, are the curious–WRXP.

Curious, indeed.  WRXP showed up on 101.9 FM twice, and both times it was alternative rock.  Will the new rock format resurface a third time?  I’m kind of hoping it will, but I’ve got some issues with the station’s signal.

Hope Radio has a translator in Hauppauge at 94.9 FM, which causes interference in that area.  Further east, 94.7 WLIX-LP just walks all over WRXP in Ridge and surrounding areas.  Add the fact that WRXP’s tower is in West Orange, NJ, rather than on the Empire State Building, just adds to my reception difficulties.  This is why Family Radio was (and is) broadcasting on 88.9 WFRS in Smithtown.  It looks like the only way I’ll be able to hear WRXP with any clarity is through the IHeartRadio app, that is when they get around to putting the stream on the app.

Picking Up The Pieces

You’ll need a device like this to listen to newrock1019.com (Radio Icon in iPod – Photo credit: Zacky Ma)

These past few weeks have been interesting, to say the least.  We’ve been hit with a hurricane, early snowfall, not to mention island wide power outages and never-ending gas lines.  Today, the gas lines are almost nonexistent, and power has been restored to most of the Island, but we’re still in recovery mode.

Back on November 2, WFAN took over the 101.9 FM frequency.  This ended the alternative rock format… at least on terrestrial radio.  WRXP is now available as an online-only station.  So, if 101.9 was planning on going to go online-only, why were they playing ads for 94.3 The Shark?  I’ll admit to tuning into The Shark once in a while, but it’s not the same as RXP online stream.  Plus I can’t get the stream in my car, anyway.

Meanwhile, we’re all waiting to see what 94.7 WFME will turn into at the end of the year…

Radio advertising on radio?

By now you know that WRXP will be flipping to sports in November.  94.3 The Shark is seizing this opportunity by advertising on 101.9 FM, telling listeners to flip to 94.3 when 101.9 flips to sports.  It’s unusual for radio to be advertising on radio in this way, although it’s not unprecedented.

A little over 20 years ago, Z-100 used to advertise on what was then known as HB-107 (now WLIR), encouraging any city dwellers/workers that their station will be waiting for them when they came back on Monday morning.  In 2012, with many stations owned by one entity, the idea of cross-station promotion is not a novel one, and makes sense when it comes to corporate synergy.  For example, WCBS-FM may promote upcoming Jets games on sister station WFAN.

For now, RXP is owned by Merlin Media, but after all the paperwork is done it will be owned by CBS.  The Shark is owned by Connoisseur.  Perhaps Merlin feels it has nothing to lose by promoting a competitor.  But it’s not just any competitor, it’s one that’s outside the city.  One that covers just part of Long Island (never mind Brooklyn and Queens), and one whose format may lean alternative but still plays Led Zeppelin and AC/DC.  Fans of the current 101.9 probably will not be satisfied with what 94.3 is offering, if they can pick up the signal.  And it’s anybody’s guess what Cumulus will do with 94.7 in December, perhaps they will be reading this petition.

Eventually, we’ll find out if The Shark’s advertising has paid off.  My guess?  Not by much.

Will you listen to 94.3 The Shark after 101.9 flips to sports?  Or is there another station on-air or online where you will get your alternative music?