Friday, November 10, 2006
Madison Air America affiliate will switch to sportsThe Business Journal of Milwaukee
Madison's Air America affiliate will drop the liberal talk radio network's programming at the end of the year and replace it with Fox Sports.
WXXM-FM (92.1) posted a statement on the change in formats on its Web site Friday from Jeff Tyler, who is the vice president and Madison market manager for owner Clear Channel Radio. Clear Channel owns six Madison-area stations and is based in San Antonio.
Tyler made no reference to Air America or its performance in the Madison market. Instead, he said Clear Channel is looking to extend its brand for sports programming in Madison, where its stations carry the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, NASCAR and high school sports championships.
"Our programming decisions are based entirely on audience research and our knowledge of the communities we serve," Tyler said.
The station has been known as "The Mic" since October 2004, when it became a charter affiliate of Air America, which filed for bankruptcy reorganization last month. The station will take a new nickname, "Fox Sports Radio 92.1."
Clear Channel determined that listeners want more coverage of local high school and collegiate sports, Madison Mallards baseball and more live sports programming, Tyler said.
"The addition of Fox Sports radio . . . will allow us to carry more of what sports fans in the Madison area want, more programming that highlights the local sports scene and more top sports programs live," Tyler said.
Craig Karmazin's WTLX-FM (100.5) is currently the Fox Sports radio affiliate in the Madison area. Karmazin owns ESPN radio affiliate WAUK-AM (1510) in Milwaukee.
Contact the Editor Need Assistance? More Latest News |
