Local multimedia giant Mid-West Family Marketing & Media, owners of more than a dozen radio stations and online media products across Southwest Michigan and South Bend, announced several changes to their lineup this week.
The changes, according to company officials, are meant to consolidate stations with similar music formats, refine their respective station focuses, and find cost efficiencies.
Changes on the Dial
The changes Mid-West Family announced are largely two-fold. Some radio stations are changing location on the FM dial, and some stations are refining their format.
Shifts set to start in the first full week of March are as follows:
- Country music station, Y-Country, is moving from 97.5 FM to 99.9 FM and nationally recognized host Bobby Bones will be heard in the mornings from 6 am to 11 am.
- Alternative music station LIVE 99.9 FM will move to 98.3 FM in Michigan and 96.1 FM in Indiana. The Coast (adult contemporary music) currently at 98.3 FM will merge audience to join the programming heard on Sunny 101.5 FM.
- WSBT Sports is expanding its coverage and will be heard on 106.1 FM, 1400 AM, and 960 AM.
- Quality Rock radio station, The Lake, will be moving from 107.9 FM to 97.5 FM, leveraging a vastly larger broadcast signal.
“It’s a lot of change, and it’s probably overdue. This reflects the changing ways people consume music, the mobility of our audiences, and the evolution of music itself,” said Dave Doetsch, Chief Operating Officer for Mid-West Family Marketing & Media.
“We did a lot of homework and external market research before launching this — a pretty substantial change. I’m proud of our team that has prepared for this change, I’m really excited for advertisers who are going to find greater value for their dollars, and I’m excited to present all of this to the listeners. At the end of the day, they have choices in where and how they consume content and we’re putting our best foot forward to win their loyalty.”
Disclosure: Moody on the Market is one of the online products of Mid-West Family Marketing & Media.
