‘Classic’ hits the radio fan

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By David Burke | Monday, March 12, 2007 1:44 PM CDT | () comments

I was quickly corrected a few weeks ago during a news conference at Cumulus Broadcasting in Davenport when I referred to the format of the “reborn” WXLP-FM (96.9) — returning to its old “97X” moniker — as “classic rock.”

WXLP — which officially makes the switch from “97 Rock” on Monday, when that station moves to 104.9 FM — is calling itself “classic hits.” It will start without on-air personalities, until Dwyer & Michaels return to local radio in July.

Meanwhile, across town, KCQQ-FM 106.5, owned by Clear Channel Communications’ Quad-City Radio Group, has quietly changed its tagline from “classic hits” to “classic rock.”

What’s the diff? The classic rock format has a little harder edge, featuring the likes of Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Kiss and Rush. (That’s a typical hour, according to the “Q106.5” Web site.)

A classic hits format, on the other hand, has a playlist that includes such acts as Supertramp, Heart, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh and Bob Dylan (and that was taken from the Web site of KKRQ-FM “100.7, The Fox,” Cedar Rapids-Iowa City).

There’s some overlap in artists and songs among the two formats, even in judging from the lists for random hours that I saw, but you get the general picture.

With formats all determined and everyone in their place, it looks like the Quad-City radio market is stable and settled down again.

At least for a while.

Talent scouts

This is your invitation once again to join 14 very talented people — and me — at the Isle of Capri Conference Center, Bettendorf, on Thursday night for the annual A Night on Broadway With Your Quad-City Media to benefit the Girl Scouts of the Mississippi Valley. It’s the one night we put broadcast and newspaper competition aside and perform together for a good cause.

It begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., then dinner and the show. Our newbies this year are Chris Williams from KWQC-TV and Tami Seitz from radio station KMXG-FM (96.1), or “Mix 96.”

Tickets are $50, and you can still get them by calling (309) 788-0833.