MUSIC NEWS- The former rock station (KROCK) that radio exec Randy Michaels took over last year to create New York's only all-news FM station has come full circle. Tuesday morning Merlin Media gave up on its FM News 101.9 experiment, and began (thankfully) airing alternative rock.
The station is now New Rock 101.9. A sister Merlin Media station, WIQI-FM in Chicago, also moved to rock from talk on Tuesday, ending Mr. Michaels' ambitions to create a network of news radio stations.
"Effective immediately, alternative is back on the air in New York as New Rock 101.9, and adult hits are on the air in Chicago as i101," Mr. Michaels said, in a statement. "It was a difficult decision to make, but after a year of minimal audience engagement, coupled with the format's inherent expense, I felt it was time to make a change."
The format change was accompanied by an unspecified number of layoffs of news-related personnel, according to two radio insiders familiar with the station.
As we once heard, LONG LIVE ROCK !
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