iHeartMedia has moved its hip-hop station 96.7/The Beat to the superior 105.3 signal.
The 105.3 signal emanates out of Peachtree City and covers the heart of the city of Atlanta. It’s a far stronger signal than 96.7, which is out of Fayetteville and starts losing power when it reaches downtown.
The Beat — not be mistaken for the former Cox station 95.5/The Beat (1999-2010) — was created four years agoin part to give a home to iHeartMedia’s popular syndicated New York morning team the Breakfast Club. That show features Charlemagne tha God, DJ Envy and Angela Yee.
The station’s ratings at 96.7 have been modest, typically with shares fare below 1. In March, it generated a 0.4 share, good for 29th among reporting Nielsen stations.
The 105.3 signal had previously been the home to Latin Hits Z105.3, but iHeart last month moved that show to 105.7, supplanting the rock station Alt 105.7. The 105.7 signal skews north.
In March, Z105.3 pulled in a 0.9 at that signal.
Hip hop is the most crowded genre in Atlanta. There are five stations with the format right now. The other four are V-103, Hot 107.9, Streetz 94.5 and OG 97.9, all of which have far bigger ratings than the Beat.
To get more attention, the Beat is going to be commercial free after 10 a.m. for a time.
"We're excited for the opportunity to rebuild the Beat from the ground up," said Dan Hunt, program director, in a press release. "Atlanta's music lovers will get to listen to the most prolific voices in hip hop radio today."
The line-up will also include Ashley Young middays, DJ Scream from 3 to 7 p.m. and Zach Boog at nights.
iHeartMedia did not say what it will do with its 96.7 signal, which is simulcasting the Beat for now.
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