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Smooth launch at 93.9-FM

David Lindquist
by David Lindquist

Posted: Jan 02, 2008 in Music

Tags: Music, radio, John Tesh

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Hit songs with a smooth texture are the new specialty at FM radio frequency 93.9, where conservative talk was heard in 2007 and Christian music had a home from 2004 to 2006.

"Warm 93.9" plans to play the softer side of acts such as the Police, John Mellencamp and Gwen Stefani in hopes of attracting female listeners at work -- the same audience coveted by competing pop stations WYXB-FM (105.7), WNTR-FM (107.9) and WKLU-FM (101.9).

"One of the most attractive demographic targets now is women 25 to 54," said Chris Wheat, market manager for Warm 93.9 and sister stations WFMS-FM (95.5) and WJJK-FM (104.5). "It's certainly an advertiser-friendly format."

The new format debuted at 9:39 a.m. today, with 1983 Police hit "Every Breath You Take" airing first.

Warm 93.9, which will retain the call letters WWFT for the immediate future, will air the syndicated "John Tesh Radio Show" from 7 p.m. to midnight on weeknights.

Wheat said the station also plans to hire on-air staff.

Before broadcasting Christmas music in recent weeks, WWFT was the place to hear conservative commentators Sean Hannity, Michael Savage and Laura Ingraham. Placing No. 20 in Arbitron rankings and drawing an audience of 1,600 listeners per average 15-minute segment ushered an end to "FM Talk" at 93.9, Wheat said.

Franklin, Ind.-based WFDM-FM (95.9) subsequently picked up Hannity, Savage and Ingraham.

WIBC-FM (93.1) unveiled its news and talk format last week.

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Cumuclueless

After all the drama, this is the best they could do? How many variations of the same songs do we need? The Police, Mellencamp, et al are played on just about every station in the market! All they do is try to spin their delivery of the same old crap-ola. Give us more credit than that. We were hoping for something new and exciting. Instead, we'll just bypass this one on the dial as we always have.

Cumuclueless on Jan 02, '08 at 02:00 PM
Channing

I can't wait for them to temporarily switch to all-Christmas music next December as they prepare to spin the "Wheel of Formats" once again.

Channing on Jan 02, '08 at 02:24 PM
laura99in

I was wondering what they were going to do with the xmas station. I really miss the 80's station :(

laura99in on Jan 02, '08 at 02:40 PM
munchy10

Not a single station in Indy plays an 80's - 90's format. I travel frequently and all other areas have that format. If they wanted to fill a niche that would have been it. Oh well let's see what they bring in next year. I'm voting for all Chipmunks all the time.

munchy10 on Jan 02, '08 at 03:06 PM
XLI

FM Talk 93.9 was my station of choice with WIBC and WNDE in a close battle for second place. This announcement means that I'll continue to split my work day between WIBC and WNDE. The signal on 95.9 is so weak that I don't waste my time trying to pick it up, and there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I would even consider listening to the new 93.9.

XLI on Jan 02, '08 at 03:10 PM
southsideguy

I was very much enjoying the FM talk station....this is disappointing.

Now I've got WIBC (which is fine, but I liked Hannity and Savage and Ramsey too!)

southsideguy on Jan 02, '08 at 03:50 PM
chewbeckah

I listen to WKLU at work. I liked them even more before they started calling themselves an Oldies station; its funny because the music didn't really change, they just started calling it oldies instead of classic rock... I guess this means I'm getting kindof "oldie" myself...

Anyway, my point, I promise I have one. I've heard this commercial for this Tax Resolution Services every 20 minutes all day, and I'll listen to any station that doesn't have that obnoxious guy talking about how to negotiate with the IRS...

I like a variety of music throughout the work day, and I often forget my iPod at home. I will listen to any station that doesn't feature the same obnoxious commercial over and over and over. If this tax commercial plays one more time, I'm checking out 93.9 this very day.

chewbeckah on Jan 02, '08 at 03:59 PM
vandrv04

Boo... I was hoping they would bring back 93.0The Song. Miss it terribly!

vandrv04 on Jan 02, '08 at 04:21 PM
HotPeter

BOOOOOO!!!!! I remember this station, it's WENS circa 1992! Come on Cumulus! You need to go after Clear Channel and x-103. That station is so ripe for a beatdown! PD still thinks it's 1995!!! Chris Wheat, you missed your chance to take a chunk out of your old employer! Indy needs an Active Rock station. Well there is always next year when 93.9 get another format change. What's that I hear??? XM and Sirius subscriptions on the rise in Indianapolis. YEP

HotPeter on Jan 02, '08 at 04:49 PM
mfrank1039

This is absolute bulls&*t. How many stations like this do we need?? They will play the exact same music as 105.7 and 107.9. We still have no Smooth Jazz. I can't believe a major city this size and no jazz station. I was going to subscribe to sirius satelite radio but I had decided to wait to see if they were going to put smooth jazz back on the air that used to be on 100.9. I guess I will go ahead and subscribe.

mfrank1039 on Jan 02, '08 at 05:46 PM
benjamindy

Smooth Jazz.. really? I could get down with a REAL jazz station, but none of that honkey stuff.

NPR4LIFE

benjamindy on Jan 02, '08 at 06:03 PM
timothybward

They laid off some of the on-air staff (if not all) because they wanted it all automated. Not only that but they decided to go with really lame music! BADASS!

timothybward on Jan 02, '08 at 06:25 PM
RadioPlayer

Well fact is, Chris Wheat and all the other radioheads in Indy are not doing this as a hobby! There is money to be made from YOU the listener in the form of you supporting their advertisers. And as long as you do so, they would certainly, but curiously...give you the harmonious sounds of ABSOLUTE SILENCE on your radio dial.

In this case, all the women with ALL the money happen to be listening to B105, or the Track. This is an 93.9 attempt to crash that party...and the Contemporary Christian party...The FM Talk party...and the Holiday Music party...so forth and so on. Will they be successful? As they say on the airwaves, "Stay Tuned...".

Also, one sure sign of the Apocalyspe...hearing KISS on B105. Sure it was their "love song" called BETH. But 10 years ago, that would NOT have been done!

RadioPlayer on Jan 02, '08 at 06:29 PM
laura99in

I'm so ready to purchase XM Radio or something. I asked my husband for it for xmas last year and he got me an ipod. Something about how he refuses to pay a monthly fee, blah blah. But yet he'll let me buy cd after cd to put on my ipod? Makes no sense to me, especially since I can have a 1000 songs on my ipod and be bored with them after a couple weeks. Regular radio makes me want to rip my ears off with all the constant overplay of the same 10 songs. I'm a constant channel surfer. Do I have ADHD? haha

laura99in on Jan 02, '08 at 08:09 PM
BMack

John Tesh? Oh how I've missed that guy. And by missed I mean hated.

BMack on Jan 02, '08 at 08:21 PM
hollyann

This new format is boring and does nothing to stand out in our market. The format doesn't offer necessary differentiation to achieve above average profits nor does it immediately scream long-term sustainability. I'm the demo and I won't be listening.

hollyann on Jan 02, '08 at 08:48 PM
doglady

I can't believe that there is currently no radio station for me; W25-54, which USED to be the major demo for advertisers!! B105 puts me to sleep, I'm tired of the same 25 country hits, and I just can't stand the constant over-modulated bass beat on most of the other stations. When are they going to come up with a station that has some jazz, some good John Mayer/Ben Folds/Ingrid Michaelson/Jack Johnson/Mellencamp/etc. vocals? I'm sticking to Pandora...they're missing Women 25-54 in a big way in this market!!

doglady on Jan 07, '08 at 09:48 AM
punkrocknight

WXNT and NPR are the only things on in indy for me... other then that Sirius 29!

punkrocknight on Jan 07, '08 at 09:52 AM
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