|
|
|
|
By Haley Burke
Staff Writer
|
|
Do you remember that radio station that your parents listened to? The radio station that
taught you the classics like, “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough”? This station rich in Motown classics has traded the Detroit sound, the Beatles,
the Supremes and the Beach Boys in for a new genre that consists of singers like Missy Elliott and Jermaine. Fox 97.1 has now changed into an urban hip-hop station that does
not appeal to the station’s usual listeners.
Fox 97 flourished since morning show stars Randy Cook and Spiff Carner took to the air
in 1989. The 1990’s were the station’s glory years—it was referred to as a “baby boomer haven” and would sell out the Georgia Dome for the annual Ultimate Oldies Concert.
Cook and Carner would make many appearances in the Atlanta metro area and sponsor events. Everyday listeners would wake up to Randy and Spiff’s morning show and
participate by calling in to chat about local lighthearted events happening within Atlanta.
Ever since the new owner, Cox Radio Incorporated, bought Fox in 1999 the station’s
ratings have slowly declined. They finished 15th in the last Abitron ratings. Cox is the third
largest radio broadcasting corporations in the Untied States and employs over 2,300 people. Fox had to drop the Ultimate Oldies Concert and put Cook and Carner on
overtime in an effort to save money. They started a “Save Our Oldies” campaign in hopes
of rescuing the station. These moves started an increase in ratings that did not last long. Once the ratings dropped back down and remained low, Cox Radio Incorporated decided
to pull the plug on Fox 97.
They fired the Cook and Carner duo and all other employees in preparation for a new look
for the station 97.1. It seems that all links to Fox 97 have disappeared. When fans try to
log onto their web site, all they are able to find is a melancholy note, which reads, “Thank
you to the many loyal listeners of Fox 97.1. Your support has meant a lot to us over the years. We’ll remember the good times and great oldies forever, but now it’s time for a
change. Stay tuned for more!”
Now “good times and great oldies” Fox 97 has transformed into 97.1 Jamz, which is one
of the seven stations that tries target black audiences. There is a definite change in the
music business with the addition of Jamz. The station tries to attract 25 to 34-year-old African Americans that enjoy a mix of old-school hip-hop. Cox Radio Incorporated
claims to provide a variety of music for listeners through the stations that they own, but
now with the removal of oldies, their stations in the Atlanta area consist of three adult contemporary stations (98.5 FM, 97.1 FM, 104.1FM), contemporary FM hit
radio/rhythmic (95.5 FM) and one news talk station (750 AM). Instead of adding more
variety, it seems that they have decreased the amount of diversity so that they appeal to a limited spectrum of listeners. |
|
