WZUU and WQXC have been sold!

[MWmetalhead]

So far on WZUU since I tuned in via online stream:
Stone Temple Pilots
Ozzy
Nirvana
Kiss
Guns 'n Roses
Ghost
Tom Petty (Don't Come Around Here No More - not a fan of this song choice)

They're in commercial break now.

WZUU website is still using the very old style sheet that hasn't been changed significantly in probably 15 years. Hoping it gets updated to the MWC style sheet soon, which looks nice.

By the way, WZUU played a TON of nu metal for the year or two it was active rock. This was around 2001. Plenty of Disturbed, Mudvayne, Godsmack, Tool, and Drowning Pool in that short lived era of the station.

I wonder if Terry Stevens of Q106 fame will now be programming WZUU? Would be awesome if his five hour Saturday Nightmare show were to be added to the ZUU! . (Q106 plus two other MWC rock stations already carry it.)

Bob & Tom remain on WZUU.

Edit - song set after the commercial break:
Creed
Three Days Grace
Def Leppard
Brother Cane (very impressive! Haven't heard that artist on the radio in a very long time)
The Doors
RHCP (Scar Tissue)
Judas Priest (Breakin' the Law)
Pearl Jam (Animal, perhaps my favorite Pearl Jam song)

I'm only hearing straight ahead rock; no artists yet that would fall squarely in the "alternative" lane. I don't really consider the Seattle grunge artists pure alternative artists anymore, even though that's the format that gave them radio airplay first.

The dead pan voiceovers sound lame. I hope those are temporary. Didn't 96.5 do something similar right before the plug was pulled on its classic rock format years ago?

In totality, the playlist is a significant upgrade from the prior one. The station now can best be described as a gold-based mainstream rock station. This is what WRKR used to be.

Other than that Tom Petty song, I like how the song-to-song flow has sounded.

[Michigan Media]

Will be interesting to see if any changes are made to 96.5. Might a simulcast with 98.5 be in the cards?

I hope so. 96.5 garnered a lackluster 1.8 in the Fall 2024 12+ ratings. I would like to see a Kalamazoo-focused AC format, but Country would also make sense.

By the way, WZUU played a TON of nu metal for the year or two it was active rock. This was around 2001. Plenty of Disturbed, Mudvayne, Godsmack, Tool, and Drowning Pool in that short lived era of the station.

You are correct. My memories of WZUU date back to the mid-2000s when they switched frequencies and moved closer to Kalamazoo. At that time, their playlist contained heavy doses of glam metal and hairbands . In recent years, WZUU adopted a more traditional classic rock playlist.

The dead pan voiceovers sound lame. I hope those are temporary.

I totally agree. They sound very out of place.

[KalamazooClown]

Having listened on and off all afternoon, I've yet to hear any promos for Alice's Attic. Given the playlist changes, I'm guessing it will be dropped as it certainly doesn't fit anymore. One of the few syndicated programs I enjoyed.
I am enjoying the new playlist, wouldn't mind a few alt songs thrown in.

[MWmetalhead]

If you are willing to stream, WCSX in Detroit airs Alice Cooper weeknights starting at 10PM.

[KalamazooClown]

I wasn't aware he was on WCSX. During a trip to Wisconsin during the holidays I caught him on 97.1 WDRV. I was surprised a market that size would have a syndicated night show, but he does put out a decent product. Also heard him on WAPL Appleton/Green Bay.

[KalamazooClown]

WQXC is nearly unlistenable OTA. Sounded horrible on my car radio, sounds just as bad at home on the Mac MX-113. Previously WQXC had a very pleasant sound with great separation. I hope they get this figured out. The stream currently sounds 10X better than what is coming OTA.

[MWmetalhead]

WZUU music set beginning at 7:39 this morning:

Godsmack - Awake (coincidentally, this was the first song played when the station flipped briefly to Active Rock some 24 years ago)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Three Steps (live version)
Nirvana - Lithium
Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Incubus - Drive
Dirty Deeds - AC/DC
Closer - Nine Inch Nails
Back in the Saddle - Aerosmith
The Devil's Bleeding Crown - Volbeat
Kickstart my Heart - Motley Crue
Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple

New sister station 106.5 Jack FM plays a lot of rock product - mostly crossover hits - but there is not much song overlap with 92.5:

https://wvfm.tunegenie.com/

[ChrisWL1980]

At some point, the Kalamazoo and BC markets should be merged into one. The same companies own nearly all the signals in both cities, and multiple brands sell advertising in both communities.

I was just thinking the exact same thing last night. I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened already. Block FM and now Cool broadcast the same programming to both markets (WBCK is the only commercial Battle Creek signal that doesn't have a simulcast in in K'zoo, and it wouldn't surprise me to see them linked up with 1360 WKMI).

As far as Cool's "revised" playlist, they definitely skew more toward classic rock now. The "AC" vestiges of what WFAT was playing before, including most if not all '80s music and softer '70s pop like The Carpenters and Olivia Newton-John, have been dropped. The sound reminds me of sister station WLMI but with a little more pop and soul (i.e. Motown) mixed in. I wouldn't call it a "corporate" mix (there's a couple of "oh wow" songs in rotation) but it's definitely a tight playlist with "California Dreamin'" playing three times a day. Still a more interesting listen than WBFX.

[format this]

Mis-post. Sorry.

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[Realist]

Just saw this on radioinsight.com - Midwest has now combined “Cool 101” with “The Fat One”

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2943 ... with-wfat/

[MWmetalhead]

The WFAT calls should be returned to 96.5 in Portage, where they properly belong!

[Michigan Media]

A few observations after one week:

On the negative side, Midwest needs help in the digital/online space. WZUU and WQXC are still using the dated web site designs and antiquated audio streaming services that were established under Forum's ownership. Also, the Fat One branding is still active on 1027wfat.com a week after it was dropped in favor of the Cool FM branding.

On the positive side, kudos to Midwest for retaining the on-air staff at WZUU (two people) and WQXC (three people). Before the acquisition, I could only count one live and local weekday personality that was based out of Midwest's Kalamazoo location (WKZO mornings). The other stations are fully automated (WVFM), voice tracked (WZOX) or piped in from Westwood One (WTOU).

I am enjoying the playlist changes on WZUU. For the Alice Cooper fans, his syndicated show is still airing in the evening time slot. As was stated by ChrisWL1980, the Cool FM playlist has a distinct classic rock lean. From what I have heard, the playlist is very focused on the late 1960s to 1970s.

[format this]

Michigan Media nailed it with one exception… WMU sports (WVFM, WKZO, WZOX) and Kalamazoo Wings broadcasts (WKZO). Part-time radio work still exists.


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[MWmetalhead]

I fully expect the web sites to be updated to the very good MWC standard template in the coming weeks.

[ftballfan]

A few observations after one week:

On the negative side, Midwest needs help in the digital/online space. WZUU and WQXC are still using the dated web site designs and antiquated audio streaming services that were established under Forum's ownership. Also, the Fat One branding is still active on 1027wfat.com a week after it was dropped in favor of the Cool FM branding.

On the positive side, kudos to Midwest for retaining the on-air staff at WZUU (two people) and WQXC (three people). Before the acquisition, I could only count one live and local weekday personality that was based out of Midwest's Kalamazoo location (WKZO mornings). The other stations are fully automated (WVFM), voice tracked (WZOX) or piped in from Westwood One (WTOU).

I am enjoying the playlist changes on WZUU. For the Alice Cooper fans, his syndicated show is still airing in the evening time slot. As was stated by ChrisWL1980, the Cool FM playlist has a distinct classic rock lean. From what I have heard, the playlist is very focused on the late 1960s to 1970s.

Where does WNWN have its studios? If they are in Kzoo, there are at least a couple more live bodies in those studios.