:rolleyes::):-D

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Doesn't concern me.

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Citadel pulls plug on Z-Rock, cuts jobs
By ALAN K. STOUT
alanks@leader.net

WILKES-BARRE - Format changes by one of
the largest radio companies in Northeastern
Pennsylvania have resulted in the elimination
of one station along with several jobs.
Citadel Communications' biggest move is the
elimination of "The New Z-Rock," which
carried classic hard rock and was broadcast
on 97.9-FM and 95.7-FM. The 97.9-FM
frequency now will carry "97.9-X," formerly
"New Rock 93.7-FM - The X," one of Citadel's
most popular stations. The 95.7-FM frequency
is now an all-talk format.

Jules Riley, Citadel operations manager, said
giving the popular "New Rock 93.7 - The X"
more wattage was one of the main reasons
for the change.

"Due to the strength of 'The X,' we wanted to
get it out to more people, and 97.9-FM offers a
bigger stick for that," said Riley, who added
the station also will remain on 93.7-FM until
some transmitter work is completed. "The
New Z-Rock never met the company's
expectations."

"It was a little narrower musically than we
originally thought it was going to be," Riley
said. "It wasn't having the impact it needed to
have."

Steven Griffin, Citadel general manager, said
the restructuring resulted in more than 10
people being let go at the company, including
DJs "Spanky" and "Traci" from "93.7-X." He
stressed that consolidation was the only
reason for the personnel changes.

"There were some really good people that we
had to make some very tough decisions with,"
Griffin said. "Positions were not eliminated
because of performance."

The changes also have resulted in a format
change at 95.7-FM, which had simulcast The
New Z-Rock. That frequency is now known as
"Z-TALK - The Talk That Rocks Station." The
lineup will include nationally syndicated
programs such as "Bob & Tom In The
Morning," "Don & Mike" during midday, "Opie &
Anthony" in the afternoons, Phil Hendrie from
7 to 10 p.m. and Tom Leykis from 10 p.m. to
midnight. "Loveline" will be heard from
midnight to 2 a.m., and "America Overnight"
will be broadcast from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

"Z-TALK" also will play some classic rock on
the weekends and in between some of the
programs. It also will carry Pittsburgh Steelers
football.

Another change has taken place at WARM
(590-AM), which has returned from doo-wop
oldies to a news-talk format. Local talk-show
host Rob Neyhard will be on from 6 a.m. to 10
a.m. National host Sean Hannity will be
carried from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Dr. Joy
Brown will be on from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. It will
continue to carry Philadelphia Phillies
baseball.

As for "97.9-X," the on-air team will be
"Freddie" in the morning, "Jules" during
mid-day, "Sausage" during drive time and
"Nikki" at night. The music will remain almost
all modern-rock, with a few tunes by classic
hard-rock bands such as AC/DC, Guns 'N
Roses and Metallica mixed in.

"There's some very slight changes, just to
clean it up a little bit," Riley said. "I think we're
now able to highlight a very strong product,
that - due to the tower it was on - was not
getting the audience that it could."

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