SYRACUSE -- The stunting that started late last night on 105.1FM is over. Say hello to new country station "Wolf 105-1." The station's launch at 4pm Friday ends the unofficial "market exclusive" enjoyed over the last few years by Clear Channel's B104.7 (WBBS).
The stunting began last night at 10pm, when the Radio Disney format which occupied 105.1FM for the past two weeks made way for an endless loop of Duran Duran's 80s hit "Hungry Like the Wolf," immediately setting off speculation of the new station's name. An insider tipster told CNYRadio.com this stunting would lead up to "THE switch" for the station, after months of rumors and speculations about possible changes.
Starting at 12:25pm, Duran Duran was set aside for another fake format called "Hairband 105.1," featuring songs like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Welcome to the Jungle." The variety of hairband titles continued until the country format launched at 4:00.
Some might say the new format on 105.1 is ironic in some ways: the new station competes directly with a former sister station. Before Foxfur owned the stick, it belonged to WBBS owner Clear Channel. The station offered Hot AC as "Nova" from 2006-2009, and before that, "New Rock 105 The Dog" from 2003-2006. Even more ironically, for the first two years after Clear Channel bought the station in 2001 (from Craig Fox, if there hasn't been enough of this circularity for you yet), it was a simulcast of B104.7.
WBBS has been the only country music station in Syracuse since Galaxy sold Sandy Creek's WSCP a few years ago to Educational Media Foundation, which (as it does everywhere it snaps up new stations) promptly replaced the classic country format with religious music.
We haven't had a chance yet to confirm details like a web address, jock lineup or anything else. We're not even sure if the WOLF-FM call letters have been (or will be) reassigned to the station. We continue to work the story and we'll post updates as soon as possible.