For the second time in a month, a radio station has disappeared off the FM airwaves in Atlanta in favor of a simulcast of an existing station.
Today, Clear Channel Radio dumped its two-and-a-half-year-old country Legend format at 96.7 for a simulcast of its 105.7/The Groove station, which focuses on dance and hip-hop music. So goodbye, Willie Nelson. Hello, Lady Gaga!
The Groove signal isn't bad. It's 20,000 watts and covers most of metro Atlanta but gets a bit weak south of downtown Atlanta. That's where 96.7 comes in. By simulcasting there, the Groove now has better coverage area toward Peachtree City.
The Groove's Facebook page announced it this way:
Atlanta's 105.7 The Groove Because YOU wanted it...because YOU asked for it...the party has gotten BIGGER! You can now listen to us on 96.7! So wherever you are...keep it locked to The Groove! That's right..THE ALL NEW 105.7 & 96.7 THE GROOVE!! Let's gooooo! Who's with us?!?!
The Groove coverage area map is here and you can compare it to 96.7's much weaker Southern-skewing signal here.
Here's the last hour of Legend 96.7, which drew a small but measurable audience, usually under a 1 share, according to Arbitron.
- George Strait - Baby Blue
- Waylon Jennings - Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line
- Tanya Tucker - Texas (When I Die)
- George Jones - He Stopped Lovin' Her Today
- Gene Watson- Fourteen Carat Mind
- Brooks & Dunn - My Maria
- Donna Fargo - Funny Face
- The Bellamy Brothers - Redneck Girl
- Steve Wariner - Your Memory
- Willie Nelson - Help Me Make It Through The Night
- Tim McGraw - Indian Outloaw
- Dave Dudley - Six Days on the Road
- John Conlee - Rose Colored Glasses
- Highway 101 - Somewhere Tonight
- Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December
- Linda Ronstadt - When Will I Be Loved
First song simulcast on 96.7
- Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started
The Legend Web page now directs people to sister station 94.9/The Bull.
Last month, WSB added a simulcast to its long-time AM station, creating AM 750 and now 95.5FM News/Talk WSB. Its 11-year-old hip-hop station 95.5/The Beat went away.
Clearly, the Groove is hoping to take advantage of the Beat's absence (though the Beat too was also very weak south of I-20.)
96.7 has had different formats over the years, including a hip-hop station Wild 96.7, soft rock station Lite 96.7, a simulcast of Viva 105.7 and a rock station 96.7/The Buzz.
The country classics format can still be heard on the HD-2 channel at 94.9 for folks who have HD Radio.
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