WREW
| City of license | Fairfield, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Branding | The New 94.9 |
| Slogan | Cincinnati's Best Mix |
| Frequency | 94.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | 1962 (as WFOL-FM) |
| Format | Adult Hits/Rhythmic AC |
| ERP | 10,500 watts |
| HAAT | 322 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 73369 |
| Transmitter coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Callsign meaning | We're REWind (former branding) |
| Former callsigns | WSWD and WYGY (2009) WSWD (2006-2008) WPRV and WYGY (2006) WMOJ (1999-2006) WVAE (1995-1999) WOFX (1988-1995) WLLT (1983-1988) WYYS (1980-1983) WLLV-FM (1975-1980) WCNW-FM (1965-1975) WFOL-FM (1962-1965) |
| Owner | Hubbard Broadcasting (Cincinnati FCC License Sub, LLC) |
| Sister stations | WKRQ, WYGY, WUBE |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 94.9 Cincinnati's Best Mix |
WREW (94.9 FM, "Mix 94.9") is a radio station broadcasting an Adult Hits/Rhythmic AC format. Licensed to the suburb of Fairfield, Ohio, it serves the Cincinnati, Ohio metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. Its studios are located just northeast of Downtown Cincinnati and the transmitter site is in Finneytown, Ohio.
Contents
History
The station first began broadcasting in 1962 under the call sign WFOL-FM, licensed to Fairfield, Ohio, and aired a "beautiful music" format. They became WCNW-FM in 1965, sister to then Country-formatted WCNW (1560 AM). Beautiful music returned to the frequency in the mid 1970s as WLVV-FM "Love 95."
The frequency was sold off to Heftel Broadcasting in 1980, becoming WYYS-FM "Yes 95" with a Top 40-Rock format. The format changed within a year to soft rock under the same call letters and handle before becoming WLLT-FM "Lite 95" in 1983. In 1988, WOFX-FM "The Fox" replaced WLLT-FM, airing Classic rock. In 1995, the WOFX call letters and format moved to 92.5 FM, and WVAE-FM "The Wave" took over the 94.9 FM frequency, airing smooth jazz.
WMOJ
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In 1999, the station switched to a Rhythmic oldies format as "Mojo 94.9 FM" with the call sign WMOJ. That format remained on 94.9 FM until 2006, when Radio One, Inc. acquired the intellectual property and call letters of the station from Cumulus Media Partners, and moved it to 100.3 FM, where it remained until November 2012, when the format and call letters were dropped for Sports as WCFN (now WOSL). New owner Cumulus Media temporarily switched the 94.9 FM frequency to a simulcast of country-formatted WYGY as WPRV.
- Further information: 2006 Cincinnati radio station reorganization
"The Wolf"
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WYGY was located at 96.5 FM and branded as "The Star". From September 2 to October 31, 2006, Cumulus also simulcast the station on WPRV 94.9 FM. The call letters and format of WYGY, as well as the frequency of 94.9, were traded to Entercom Communications in exchange for WGRR.
WSWD
On Thursday, November 9, 2006 at 12 p.m. EST, 94.9 FM became "The Sound". Although the station used the WYGY call letters for the first month of the new format, the call letters and country format were moved to 97.3 FM. The WSWD call letters debuted in late November.
Entercom/Bonneville station trade
On January 18, 2007, Entercom announced plans to swap its entire Cincinnati radio cluster, including WSWD, together with three of its radio stations in Seattle, Washington, to Bonneville International in exchange for all three of Bonneville's FM stations in San Francisco, California and $1 million cash.[1] In May 2007, Bonneville officially took over control of the Cincinnati stations through a time brokerage agreement. On March 14, 2008, Bonneville officially closed on the stations.
"The Wolf" moves to 94.9 FM
On November 7, 2008 at 11:00 a.m., the formats and call signs of WSWD and WYGY switched frequencies, returning the country music format to the 94.9 FM frequency.[2]
"Rewind 94.9"
Another shakeup occurred on May 21, 2009, as Bonneville moved the Wolf back (yet again) to 97.3, and 94.9 became WREW, "Rewind 94.9."[3] The demise of WSWD was caused by new competition, as Cumulus Media changed the formats of two stations in Cincinnati -- WFTK from active rock to alternative rock and WNNF from hot adult contemporary to adult album alternative.
When WREW debuted, the station played a wide range of music from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, with a core focus on the 80s, as stated in their slogan, "Feel Good Favorites of the 80s and More". The station experienced huge success after its debut, as it is normally a Top 10 rated station in the Cincinnati Arbitron ratings.
On January 19, 2011, Bonneville International announced the sale of WREW and several other stations in various markets to Hubbard Broadcasting for $505 million.[4] The sale was completed on April 29, 2011.[5]
The station expanded the playlist on September 6, 2011, by re-introducing music from the 2000s and today to the playlist, while still playing retro hits.
"The New 94.9"
On October 1, 2013, WREW rebranded as "The New 94.9, Cincinnati's Best Mix".[6]
Former Logos
References
- ↑ Entercom trades radio stations
- ↑ Where's the Sound? Up the Dial
- ↑ Welcome To The '80s on FM 94.9
- ↑ http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2011/01/19/another-big-radio-deal-q102-b105-rewind-wolf-sold/
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/85269/a-new-mix-in-cincinnati/
