Following Harold Camping’s failed end of the world prediction, Family Stations began to sell off its commercial band FM stations to stay afloat. First Maryland, then Philadelphia, leaving only New York remaining. Finally in October 2012, 94.7 WFME was sold to Cumulus for $45 Million.
On Friday, January 11, 2013 WFME signed-off and quickly gave way to a simulcast of new sister station 95.5 WPLJ. That would last for a week as the stations began a social media campaign to build awareness for the new acquisition by asking listeners to submit their suggestions for a new format. That finally led to this stunt loop running into the launch of the permanent format on Monday, January 21.
The stunt loop features WPLJ morning hosts Scott Shannon and Todd Pettengill introducing the temporary programming which features such formats as Classic Country, New Jersey artists, All Michael Jackson, Smooth Jazz, current hits interspersed with classic 77 WABC airchecks, and All Weird Al Yankovic.
Parts of the stunt are recycled from other format change stunt loops Cumulus has done in recent years including this one at WNNF Cincinnati in 2011.
You can hear the launch of 94.7 Nash-FM on FormatChange.com.
I noticed they had an all-2009 format, unless they forgot to update their CHR offerings.
Part of the package has been recycled from previous format change stunts used by Cumulus over the past few years. The CHR mix is really now 4 year old songs.
The Michael Jackson segment is a primer on how to do GREAT production! As a whole, this is highly enjoyable. Whatever the final format turns out to be is likely to be a letdown. Same old same old!