For six months & change, WROW AM/FM (Magic 590 AM/100.5 FM) had branded itself as "The Capital Region's Classic Hits". It was clear that they were looking at challenging WTRY, which has traded on a similar format for years.
As of this morning, WROW waved the white flag, and now is rebranding as "Your Good Time Music Station".
The playlist change took effect during The John Tesh Radio Show, as WROW was waving goodbye to 80's artists like The Outfield, Huey Lewis & The News, Kim Wilde, and Matthew Wilder, and reconnecting with artists that have been off their airwaves since late April, like Petula Clark, the Dave Clark Five, Dion, Elvis Presley, and Diana Ross & The Supremes. Other acts, like Journey & REO Speedwagon? Gone for now, though listeners can still request them.
And there are the acts that bridge the gap, like the Beach Boys, Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, though in the case of the latter, 70's hits like "Miss You" are being swapped out for 60's classics such as "You Can't Always Get What You Want". You'll still hear "Paint it Black", as that was from the late 60's.
As per usual, the ratings tell the story. Even with getting rid of locally produced public affairs programs promoting local businesses, and, as of this morning, ditching the 10 in a row blocks that had been a staple since 2023, WROW was still trailing WTRY. Iron man Ben Patten, you have to assume, was getting routed on middays by Little Ms. 80's herself, Albany native Martha Quinn, and her syndicated show. I have no access to ratings, so I have to speculate.
Now, let's see how long this lasts.
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