Country music stays at 96.9, but under the WKLB-FM calls that move over from 105.7. The jock lineup on the new "Country 96.9" is still unclear, but so far this morning, your NERW has already heard WBCS veteran Carolyn Cruise and longtime fill-in guy Bill Heckbert. Greater Media saves its million dollars this way, as long as they keep 96.9 country through the end of the year (and with no competition, why not?) Still missing at 96.9 is a strong morning show; we'll see what pops up there.
Over at 105.7, the new calls are WROR-FM, and the new format is being officially described as "60s, 70s, and 80s." What it really sounds like, though, is another oldies station in town, with a smattering of 70s and 80s soft AC and without the 50s music on Boston's established oldies outlet, CBS's WODS (103.3). The key players here are morning veterans Loren (Owens) and Wally (Brine), who also picked up WBCS's Tom Doyle along the way. The strategy? Seems like Greater is trying to bracket its big AC, WMJX (106.7), while taking a bite out of Oldies 103 at the same time. It's nice to hear the WROR calls back in town; that's where a lot of this music was first heard in Boston, in the old 98.5 days.
And AM 1150 still carries the WROR(AM) calls; no word on what calls will remain here when KidStar debuts next month. This leaves one big unanswered question about what might have been: NERW has it on good authority that someone had one of the jingle companies cut a full set of "WMEX" jingles within the last few months...and then Greater gave up the WMEX calls to grab WROR and hold it. Very odd...