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Hagerstown

ratingsgeek said:
Nobody's mentioned the station that has made the biggest splash in Hagerstown in recent years, 92.1 Country Legends (WPPT). It's just a little 3,000 watter out in Upton, but they exploded on the scene a couple of years ago, getting up to #3 overall, IIRC. Just behind WIKZ (or did they slip past them into the #2 spot)? Regardless, it's been a huge hit 12+ although it is probably safe to say that it skews pretty damn old.

And speaking of old, I've always thought that 1240 WJEJ is just one of the best sounding small-market radio stations anywhere, with a truly outstanding air staff, top-notch local news/sports/weather and community involvement, and frankly a terrific audio chain. The only bone I'll pick with them is their music selection, which is targeted squarely at 85-year olds. Okay, maybe 80-year olds. Then again, since nobody else is targeting that bunch, JEJ has scored solid 12+ numbers. And for a 1,000 watt AM these days, that ain't bad.

FWIW, all the other AM stations in the Hagerstown-Chambersburg market (WARK, WHAG, WCHA, WCBG) are completely automated and are pretty much a waste of electricity. The big outfits that own these stations have absolutely no interest in them. It would be nice if they'd sell those sticks to local people or local colleges for use as community or educational operations.
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With WPPT abandoning classic country a few years back and with there still being an audience for that format out there, I think it's a shame that no AM has bothered to step up to the plate. I think this could have been an option for WWFD out of Frederick to try. Nothing against "The Gamut" (although I think it could use a few tweaks), but I don't think it's appropriate for a market like Frederick.

Now about WJEJ, while I'll agree that they seem to target the 'over the hill gang', they DO have a Facebook "fan page" with over 300 members! Considering that facility, I think it says volumes!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/281567149384/?fref=ts
 
Last time I whipped through Hagerstown I caught 95.9 and they sounded pretty damn Classic Country-ish. Didn't hear the recent stuff (2000's) like before. Much more 80's, 70's and 60's. Conway, Loretta, et cetera. If they get any older they'll risk ending up with a bunch of 65+ listeners, and that's probably what killed 92.1. Tricky.
 
95.9

amfmxm said:
Last time I whipped through Hagerstown I caught 95.9 and they sounded pretty damn Classic Country-ish. Didn't hear the recent stuff (2000's) like before. Much more 80's, 70's and 60's. Conway, Loretta, et cetera. If they get any older they'll risk ending up with a bunch of 65+ listeners, and that's probably what killed 92.1. Tricky.
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Now, in April 2014, 95.9 The Big DAWG play classic country and just added newer country hits from 2000-2005 recently? what now?
 
Some Hagerstown musings;

WJEJ will soon be on a FM translator. Both WJEJ and WHGT applied for translators at 104.3, but HGT settled for JEJ to have it.

WCBG 1380 also applied for a FM translator, 100.9 from High Rock. Will be a pretty good signal if they get it.

WHAG 1410 is on reduced power after a fire at their site, still just a forgotten simulcast of Chambersburg's Oldies 96.3.

WARK 1490/98.9 is now on WWEG HD-4, and has applied for another translator in Frederick at 106.3.
 
JEJ is getting into FM just in time. With their target demographic pushing 90, they'll need an FM signal to start mixing in newer music.... 50s oldies? Can we expect a format change at WARK? I can't imagine they're going keep 2nd and 3rd-rate syndicated talk on a signal that will now reach Frederick as well as Hagerstown. Or will they survive on sports alone like WWFD? Will Manning try stretching the bandwidth to the limit by launching an HD-5 on 106.9?? Will the Hawaiians ever sell WFMD so that it can spring for a translator itself? So many questions!
 
JBraddock said:
Can we expect a format change at WARK? I can't imagine they're going keep 2nd and 3rd-rate syndicated talk on a signal that will now reach Frederick as well as Hagerstown. Or will they survive on sports alone like WWFD?
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At the moment Manning is fighting with Baltimore's WWMX on even getting the translator, with WWMX citing a single listener of their's in western Frederick. Fun!

If it does go through who knows, I never would've guessed country on their other translator duo. Maybe tweak the format to all sports talk? I dunno ...
 
JBraddock said:
JEJ is getting into FM just in time. With their target demographic pushing 90, they'll need an FM signal to start mixing in newer music.... 50s oldies?
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I've wonder the same thing about WJEJ, they can't hang onto the current format forever, there won't be anyone left to listen to it. Maybe a shift to 50s through 70s music would be good for them, with the same local content that they have now. WRGG up in Greencastle does a good job of this across the border from Hagerstown, but being an LPFM, doesn't have that much coverage, especially with only 29 watts (they're above the 30 meter HAAT limit for an LP so have to cut back power).
 
Maybe not so much Hagerstown, but WARK's 106.3 translator is on the air near Frederick. On the one hand you can now hear Orioles games, on the other hand how much does Frederick care about a Hagerstown news/talk station?
 
WHAG is back at full power, I dropped by there in June on an invite from their engineer the morning they set up their new phasor, I saw that the license mod for the new DA parameters was filed the other day. I don't believe I've seen anything on here about Manning's 2 translators that are relaying WWEG's HDs, 102.1 and 100.5, 100.5 sounds like it is trying to give 95.9 a run for their money, and 102.1 I believe is probably competing with 96.7 and possibly 95.1, maybe 97.5 too. Haven't seen any movement on the translator for WJEJ, I can see their tower from my work and there hasn't been any work on getting the antenna up for it that I can see.
 
kb3ouk said:
I don't believe I've seen anything on here about Manning's 2 translators that are relaying WWEG's HDs, 102.1 and 100.5, 100.5 sounds like it is trying to give 95.9 a run for their money, and 102.1 I believe is probably competing with 96.7 and possibly 95.1, maybe 97.5 too.
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I did a thread here on More FM 102.1 when it launched, a few replies. I think it was competing more against the late WLTF and WIKZ. 96.7 is rhythmic-leaning CHR, their competition would be more WKMZ (current 97.5) and WNUZ (92.1 Hits FM).

100.5 probably takes a little bite from 95.9, but I feel Manning's main focus is on their 93.5 translator in Frederick. It's the only country 'oldies' station in that market, also carries some Frederick Keys games (who in Hagerstown cares much about that?).
 
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Speaking of 96.7 WDLD the station has rebranded itself from "Wild 96.7" to "Live 96.7". Same rhythmic CHR format.
 
From that article;

" ... The 'Hub City' has been without their own radio station for far too long," remarked Live 96.7 Content Director Mike Shriver.

Any meaning to this beyond ignoring WJEJ, and other stations, exist?
 
DXingRadio said:
From that article;

" ... The 'Hub City' has been without their own radio station for far too long," remarked Live 96.7 Content Director Mike Shriver.

Any meaning to this beyond ignoring WJEJ, and other stations, exist?
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But really they're just a Hagerstown station in license only, everything is being run out of Alpha's studio up in Chambersburg. And, up until now, they had been nothing more than just music and advertising on full auto, nothing else.
 
WCBG's 100.9 translator has been on a few weeks now, seems to cover pretty good within the limits of its highly directional pattern. The antenna is up for WJEJ's translator, i noticed that on my way past there today, so that one should be on the air soon.
 
kb3ouk said:
WCBG's 100.9 translator has been on a few weeks now, seems to cover pretty good within the limits of its highly directional pattern. The antenna is up for WJEJ's translator, i noticed that on my way past there today, so that one should be on the air soon.
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New FM signal, new format. Sports WCBG has flipped to WLIN "The Line" with a talk/sports format, going with CBS Sports Radio and conservative talkers like Chris Plante and Ben Shapiro.

http://thelinenews.com/
 
Which is the same thought I had when i had first heard it. Makes me wonder if it might've been slightly intentional.
 
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