Alt returns to Nashville

Guessing that this is not an April Fool's joke, but this format was never my cup o' tea, anyway:

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/117181/alt-returning-nashville/

Unfortunately for me, I've heard more B97.5 than Alt today...maybe the transmitter needs to be tweaked?

Hey Tibbs! What happened here?

RadioFreeCedarCity said:

Unfortunately for me, I've heard more B97.5 than Alt today...maybe the transmitter needs to be tweaked?

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Looks like you are just outside their coverage area. But to be able to receive the Knoxville station from Lebanon? Wow!

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=W248BQ-FX

firepoint525 said:

Looks like you are just outside their coverage area. But to be able to receive the Knoxville station from Lebanon? Wow!

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=W248BQ-FX

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Seems like "FM E-skip season" starts earlier and earlier every year...here's what I've pulled besides 97.5 (this on RadioShack's last ever in-house produced AM/FM/SW handheld receiver):

WCYQ (Q100.3) - another one of Knoxville's 100,000 watt blowtorches
WIVK 107.7 - yet another heritage Knoxville 100,000 watt blowtorch
WOWC 105.3 - McMinnville's "WOW Country"
WOWF 102.5 - Crossville's "WOW Country"
WIHG (The Hog) 105.7 - Classic Hits from Crossville
WLIV 104.7 - Mom & Pop country station from Monterey
WJLE 101.7 - Mom & Pop country station from Smithville
WDEF (Sunny 92.3) - Chattanooga's heritage 100,000 watt blowtorch

And last but not least, WZYP 104.3 - Huntsville's answer to "The River" or "i106.7"

I didn't mention the Bowling Green stations I got cause I can pull them all year round.

When skip season really gets going, I can even pull Evansville, Indiana stations.

TheBigA said:

Hey Tibbs! What happened here?

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Not much!

Actually, there was quite a protest from the listening audience when Alt 98.3 flipped. Lightning 100 has continuously moved toward the "local music" format and there is/was a hole in the market. The signal is interesting. It looks good "on paper" but the signal is quite tough to actually pick up without static, even in many areas within the 440 Loop and downtown. I have not had a chance to ride the signal completely and I am not sure where the tower is. I will study Firepoint's info. They may have just had to go on to get synched up with Sounds baseball and will get the signal up to speed soon.

I will say this, BigA. I give iHeart credit on this. They have the potential to pull off a nice listenership with the perfect demo and local retail support with this. It is a downtown, Germantown, Gulch, East Nashville, 12thSouth/Hillsboro Village/Vandy, Nations format and signal. Plus, they seem to "have listened" to the market, which is smart. I know it is a tough format, but I am seriously glad that they have put Wells (Adams)and the team back on the station. I enjoyed listening to Alt 98.3. Welcome back!

See, I said something positive.

Tibbs4 said:

Actually, there was quite a protest from the listening audience when Alt 98.3 flipped. Lightning 100 has continuously moved toward the "local music" format and there is/was a hole in the market. The signal is interesting. It looks good "on paper" but the signal is quite tough to actually pick up without static, even in many areas within the 440 Loop and downtown. I have not had a chance to ride the signal completely and I am not sure where the tower is. I will study Firepoint's info. They may have just had to go on to get synched up with Sounds baseball and will get the signal up to speed soon.

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Seems like the Sounds have always had to contend with being on crappy signals, so this would be nothing new for them.

I will say this, BigA. I give iHeart credit on this. They have the potential to pull off a nice listenership with the perfect demo and local retail support with this. It is a downtown, Germantown, Gulch, East Nashville, 12thSouth/Hillsboro Village/Vandy, Nations format and signal. Plus, they seem to "have listened" to the market, which is smart. I know it is a tough format, but I am seriously glad that they have put Wells (Adams)and the team back on the station. I enjoyed listening to Alt 98.3. Welcome back!

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All those "trendy" areas, none of which I could ever afford to live in. Seems like they know their clientele quite well. And good on them for keeping their air staffers, although this is not a station that I would spend much time listening to, although I believe that I can pick up their signal from most parts of town that I frequent regularly.

Tibbs4 said:

Not much! I have not had a chance to ride the signal completely and I am not sure where the tower is.

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Tower is near the Jefferson Street Bridge: as you cross heading into downtown, it's the self-supporting tower to your right.

Hey, Tibbs, are Wells and the others going to be on both Alt 97.5 and the Rock? It appears that way at this time. I'm guessing that they all pulled double-duty in the past, as well.

I think Chris can speak to that more than I can, as I just look at the pretty new red stripe (not the beer) on the outside of the iHeart structure on happenin' and historic Music Row from next door. I believe Wells does mornings on The Rock and I swear maybe afternoons and then a shift on the ALL NEW* Alt 97.5. Not sue if the others on Alt are local or not, but I do think they are all returning from the previous Alt.

Tibbs4 said:

I think Chris can speak to that more than I can, as I just look at the pretty new red stripe (not the beer) on the outside of the iHeart structure on happenin' and historic Music Row from next door. I believe Wells does mornings on The Rock and I swear maybe afternoons and then a shift on the ALL NEW* Alt 97.5. Not sue if the others on Alt are local or not, but I do think they are all returning from the previous Alt.

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I typically hear Wells in the afternoon on The Rock, with Temple in the mornings between the JB&B breaks. Don't call Alt "all-new;" you don't want to give them the kiss of death, do you?

firepoint525 said:

I typically hear Wells in the afternoon on The Rock, with Temple in the mornings between the JB&B breaks. Don't call Alt "all-new;" you don't want to give them the kiss of death, do you?

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Scottsville, Kentucky's 99.3 WVLE has been using "All New" in their liners for almost 20 years now...Why? Who knows...

"New" is how 93-Q is described in Houston. That new format was in place and had been by the time I reached Houston is 1993. So, we should be closing in on a quarter of a century for the so called 'New' 93-Q.

RadioFreeCedarCity said:

Scottsville, Kentucky's 99.3 WVLE has been using "All New" in their liners for almost 20 years now...Why? Who knows...

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b-turner said:

"New" is how 93-Q is described in Houston. That new format was in place and had been by the time I reached Houston is 1993. So, we should be closing in on a quarter of a century for the so called 'New' 93-Q.

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History may be full of stations that called themselves "new" forever and ever amen. Doesn't make 'em "new," however.

That said, I listened to 97.5 this morning from west Nashville. Wells and his co-host sounded great. And no mention of "new"! Also picked them up from here at home in Pegram.

I was reading some other posts (AZ boards) about contour maps and actual signals. I have to say, 97.5's signal falls off amazingly fast in a three-four mile radius of the tower, downtown. Now that the tree leaves are coming out, I expect more signal issues. 93.3 has had similar issues since it signed on. Maybe Chris knows if the signal is at full strength? I still have to say, the station is sounding great in the "right parts of town" where the right listeners would listen. I have heard it mentioned in listener circles several times last week.

Listened to Alt 97.5 out of Nashville for a few hours. Very iheart radio typical for an alt station. Very hit based with a older bend. Not aggressive with new music at all but very aggressive with 90s and recurrents.

Lightning 100 is an incredibly interesting station because they push the AAA format to more of an indie format. They have trended more local though and have abandoned some of the bigger alt hits which Alt 97.5 is trying to capitalize on. Lightning 100 could best be described as an AAA/Alternative/Indie hybrid that has recently leaned more local indie.

102.9 The Buzz is who really screwed this up. Being that they are not owned by the watered down Cloud or IheartRadio, The Buzz could take the KPNT St. Louis route and do a alternative/active rock hybrid that leans in more of either direction depending on the trends. It would be the block for either a pure active or alternative station from moving into the Nashville market.

acheron1982 said:

102.9 The Buzz is who really screwed this up.

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How can you say they screwed it up when they're getting great ratings?

While I would not say The Buzz is screwed up, I would say the signal for Alt 97.5 certainly is all but horrific. Maybe Chris Romer can add his info to this, but the good ole contour maps ain't close to reflecting what little signal strength this tin can currently has, even within a few miles of the tower. If this is as good as it gets, I am not sure it was worth the trouble.

Hey Tibbs! This just in....

"Country Radio Hall of Famer Gerry House "is back" May 26 at 7am on iHeartMedia Classic Country "The Big Legend 98.3" W252CM and WSIXHD2/Nashville. No one has commented officially, so exactly what that means is open for speculation."

So Tibbs, start speculating for me.