iHeart's Funkytown

I've listened to this 'station' on the app. At just before the top of the hour, there is a REALLY FAST legal ID being said, but i can't understand it. The only thing I can make out is that it's an HD channel. But that's about it.

Does anyone know what terrestrial station is the home of this station? And I'm curious, why would iHeart need to actually make this a broadcast station format? Couldn't it just be an app thing? What's the advantage? (I've never heard any spots on it.)

Thanks

It’s a Detroit station. Thinking it’s WJLB's HD2.

AMRocks said:

And I'm curious, why would iHeart need to actually make this a broadcast station format? Couldn't it just be an app thing? What's the advantage? (I've never heard any spots on it.)

Thanks

Click to expand...

I may not be exactly right with the technicalities, but here's a basic explanation (subject to correction by other posters):

If the station is broadcast over-the-air, it has a lower royalty $ figure to pay than if it is a strictly online-only stream.

Many (but not all) of the iHeart themed channels have an HD sub-channel broadcast.

Such is the reason why Disney originally kept 1110 AM in Los Angeles to broadcast Radio Disney - to keep their toes in broadcast radio in order to pay lower royalties.

However, this changed recently with the debut of the Radio Disney Country format on 1110 AM L.A.
The original Radio Disney format is now leased on several HD sub-channels around the country, meeting the requirement for over-the-air status.

Keep in mind that Pandora attempted to buy a radio station in the Upper Midwest a few years ago, hoping to be considered a "broadcaster" and thus having to pay lower royalties.

I discovered that when I listen to Pride Radio on my iHeartRadio app. The stream originates from Y94 Syracuse's HD2 channel. Due to how fast the top-of-the-hour ID was spoken, I interpreted it as "WIYY-HD2 Syracuse", but it's actually "WYYY-HD2 Syracuse". WIYY is the call sign for 98 Rock in Baltimore, albeit not owned by iHeartMedia.