SYRACUSE -- It's no longer "News/Talk 106.9 and 570 WSYR." Although the Clear Channel-owned station still runs the news/talk format, news anchors and traffic reporters now end their reports "...on Newsradio 570 WSYR, now on 106.9 FM." A new logo on WSYR's website and social media feeds reflects the new phrasing.
Upon hearing this phrasing, your editor wondered, "why would they say 'now' on 106.9FM?" It almost sounds like Clear Channel is promoting the FM simulcast as if it is something new, even though it started more than two years ago.
Could it be that, despite the station's high ranking in the local ratings, it was somehow determined that listeners aren't "catching on" to the FM simulcast? Even though the FM simulcast isn't new, are there many listeners who would think it's new, if it was promoted differently?
To find out, we contacted newly-appointed WSYR program director Aaron Trimmer on Friday. Realizing we were contacting Trimmer right at the end of the work week, we told him we'd wait until today for his response, but he never replied. (As always, if he responds later, we'll be happy to update the story at that time.)
The new logo seems to be a bit of a reversal of the past two years, during which the FM frequency got top billing. When the simulcast first started, it seemed as if WSYR had killed-off nearly all references to its AM heritage, with a logo that only included the 106.9 frequency. For whatever reason, that didn't last too long; the logo and on-air branding were soon updated to include the 570 frequency, though 106.9 was still larger in the logo and mentioned first in on-air references.
Without a response from Trimmer, we can't pinpoint the exact date talent started using the new on-air branding, but the new logo was posted to WSYR's Facebook Page on January 11.
Your thoughts? Post a comment below!
It's just a sign that another PD has come on board with a new set of corporate instructions. *Yawn*. (Not your article, just the news itself!)
Hard to believe anyone could not know they were on FM too.
As long as this is the goofiest thing the new guy does I guess I can live with it.
Perhaps 106.9 is headed for a format change. Who knows?
I noticed this the other day and wondered what was up. Then, the more I thought about it, the more sense it makes.
I have at least 3 friends who listen to WSYR in the car on AM. Whenever I ride with them, I mention they can hear it on FM, we change the channel and they agree it sounds better on FM. Then, the next time I ride with them, usually at least a month later, the radio is back on 570. Did they travel outside the much smaller FM coverage area and switch back. Maybe. More likely, they tuned to a music station for a time and when they wanted to hear WSYR again they instinctively hit the AM button. Old habits die hard. So, WSYR will probably have to continue to "remind" people that they are on FM for another 5-10 years.
I meant to post this comment on the general thread. I did not mean to reply to the comment about the possible format change.