WMTX-HD2/Thunder airing music from Big Classic Hits?

So it appears that Thunder is using music from iHeartRadio's "Big Classic Hits" channel now (and began doing so right at midnight this morning), but there aren't any liners running at all indicating this change. Is this an error?

Thunder (and Z105 Sarasota) was mirroring the "Classic Rock Channel" playlist.... however it appears you're correct, it's now mirroring the "Big Classic Hits" playlist. It's obvious today because the Two for Tuesday isn't occurring on Thunder. They must have tweaked it for some reason.

Lots of folks complaining about this on their Facebook page and no response. Calling the front desk (well, there's no number for Thunder) at 4002 W. Gandy does no good either.

They're still airing liners that they are classic rock, too.

Just heard Madonna's "Into The Groove" and Wham's "Careless Whisper".

Ronnie Lane is still on and he just referred to the station as "Thunder on both sides of the bay" instead of "Thunder Across the Bay" so I really wonder if this change is permanent. :\

Maybe someone knows someone at iHeart to confirm?

http://thundertampabay.iheart.com/onair/

Looks like the change is here to stay. What is iHeart thinking? There's already a similar format literally two steps lower on the dial!

Also, somebody on their Facebook page summarized the new format perfectly: "Q105 meets WDUV"

Great - now all they need to do is update the promos for Thunder that currently run on WDAE (or at least their stream)...

Just my two cents, as some may not necessarily agree with my ranting.

Bringing back the Thunder brand (with as close to the original format as they could) was probably one of the best things CC/IHM had done for the market's listeners in quite sometime. A familiar name and a classic rock sound that played a decent selection. It had the side benefits of almost zero commercials originating as a translator/HD-2, especially for the first year or so, and was speckled around the metro on enough translators you didn't really have to acknowledge it was a weak signal. You brought a format back that was missed in Tampa, even if not by the masses.

Three years ago you could still hear two different versions of Thunder on HD... 100.7 HD-2 originating the Thunder 105.9 we still "have", and 103.5 HD-2 aired a completely different "Thunder" before that, a good while before 100.7 did actually, until the Alt 100.3 -> Rumba changes took place. Now I can't tell if I'm listening to that WBF translator out of Bartow or WDUV, WRBQ, WXGL, or the old WWRM.

Well, I guess at least they can honestly tell a client "oh yes we have a Classic Hits station, actually your spot would be on a NETWORK of stations, yes..."

RIP Thunder, once again.

Byron

How about this.....

Flip the 3 translators to "100% Throwbacks" targeting Gen-X with 80's and 90's pop, rock, and rap. Call it "Tampa Bay's Power Pig" and create imaging that says something like, "The Three Little Pigs" and list the frequencies. Call it what that are.... then do something out of the box.... and something that would get the attention of 40 somethings that were around here in the early 90's. Heck.... run the automated Gen-X playlist from the iHeartRadio if you want. I just don't see the point of duplicating a playlist that's already being covered by 3-4 other full powered stations in the area. They're translators... and just like lower powered stations, you've gotta be different and make people WANT to tune in for something they're not getting anywhere else!

billalm said:

How about this.....

Flip the 3 translators to "100% Throwbacks" targeting Gen-X with 80's and 90's pop, rock, and rap. Call it "Tampa Bay's Power Pig" and create imaging that says something like, "The Three Little Pigs" and list the frequencies. Call it what that are.... then do something out of the box.... and something that would get the attention of 40 somethings that were around here in the early 90's. Heck.... run the automated Gen-X playlist from the iHeartRadio if you want. I just don't see the point of duplicating a playlist that's already being covered by 3-4 other full powered stations in the area. They're translators... and just like lower powered stations, you've gotta be different and make people WANT to tune in for something they're not getting anywhere else!

Click to expand...

I was going to say, no way will iHeart ever spend the money to make that ever happen. But then I read the part about using the automated Gen-X playlist from iHeartRadio and that's probably an idea they can get on board with!

We already have 93.3 FLZ, which was The Power Pig with a Top 40 format, and it still has the same format today.

What are you talking about? The majority of 93.3's listeners weren't even born when the Power Pig was on the air. 93.3FLZ is a CURRENT HIT music station. The Power Pig "triplecast" would be 80's and 90's throwback hits powered by either "Gen-X" or "Fly" from the iHeartRadio digital station lineup. Image it with the old liners and production. I doubt it would take much effort and I'm absolutely sure a few people still working at Gandy would be excited to do it. You wanna take on Q105? Adding pop to the Thunder playlist isn't how it's done. It's pop hits that appeal to Gen-X who KNOW and grew up with the Power Pig during the early 90's. Guaranteed winner for automated translators with little effort.

I'm also not seeing where this format would hurt any of the other formats currently being programmed within the Tampa Bay iHeart cluster.

Holy cow, the classic rock is back! And they're now branding it as "Tampa Bay's Non-Stop Classic Rock"