Surprise format change in Alpena

[TC Talks]

Republicans lost, hot talk is passé

[ChrisWL1980]

If you recall, they killed off Alpena's only AM station (1450 WATZ) to put this format on FM. Guess even on FM, they can't sell it.
With the call letters already incorporating a Z, I wonder if they duplicate the Z93 format on 105.7 to hurt WHSB and potentially boost WATZ-FM. Longtime listeners may recall WATZ-FM was a CHR station known as Z93 in the '80s (they were on 93.5 then) before going country.

[Realist]

I'll predict a flip to Mainstream AC.

Might have an issue trying to compete with powerhouse Hot AC Bay 108 there

[ChrisWL1980]

Either way, it's going to be something to try to hurt 107-7 The Bay to prop up WATZ-FM. It won't necessarily have to beat WHSB, just take away a few rating points. Mainstream AC might work in also targeting The Wave and Hits FM, which both play quite a bit of '80s and '90s. My rationale for predicting CHR was primarily in terms of thinking they'd want to match up their Alpena cluster with what they have in Traverse City, at least in terms of FM formats. I suppose an "ATZ Gold" classic country format is possible too though that runs the risk of cannibalizing ATZ-FM (there's less of a risk for that in TC since TCM Gold is on AM only).

[ChrisWL1980]

The Wave now uses Local Radio Networks' Classic Hits format. It's the same service 97.7 WTGV in the Thumb area uses. They're pretty much centered in the '80s, but I've heard '90s songs there such as "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal and "Every Heartbeat" by Amy Grant. They're definitely not the '50s-'70s Oldies format they originally were two decades ago.

[organman95]

The Wave now uses Local Radio Networks' Classic Hits format. It's the same service 97.7 WTGV in the Thumb area uses. They're pretty much centered in the '80s, but I've heard '90s songs there such as "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal and "Every Heartbeat" by Amy Grant. They're definitely not the '50s-'70s Oldies format they originally were two decades ago.

That's a shame. When I was growing up, The Wave was the only station with a 50s-70s format that could be picked up in Cheboygan

[ChrisWL1980]

The Wave now uses Local Radio Networks' Classic Hits format. It's the same service 97.7 WTGV in the Thumb area uses. They're pretty much centered in the '80s, but I've heard '90s songs there such as "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal and "Every Heartbeat" by Amy Grant. They're definitely not the '50s-'70s Oldies format they originally were two decades ago.

That's a shame. When I was growing up, The Wave was the only station with a 50s-70s format that could be picked up in Cheboygan

Cheboygan does have 97.7 WCHY, which airs the "Super Hits" service also from Local Radio Networks and is fairly decent music wise. I was in the Sault about a month ago and caught them playing "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" by Elvis. It's not nearly as deep as The Wave was when it was locally automated, but it's kept an oldies format active for at least part of the area. 18 hours a day, anyway; mornings until 12 noon are the far-right talk programming that used to air on 94.5 WYPV.

[organman95]

Interesting. WCHY didn't exist when I was growing up.

[ChrisWL1980]

97.7 in Cheboygan went on the air about a decade ago. It previously had Soft AC and Country formats.

[organman95]

I do remember hearing it's relatively brief time as "The Bear" before Black Diamond bought the stations

[ChrisWL1980]

Midwestern has confirmed that the new format, whatever it is, will debut on January 2 and will be a music format.

According to RadioInsight: "The station is running promos that it will be switching to a 'live & local' music format on Monday, January 2. A sweeper states that listeners will 'recognize the music right away and there may even be some songs you haven’t heard in some time.'"

That would seem to rule out CHR as an option. I'm thinking it's going to be some type of AC format (possibly a Soft AC?) or maybe a "gold" version of 'ATZ.