99X at 98.9 becomes 98.9/The Bone, grabs Project 9-6-1’s hard rock mantle
99X at 98.9, owned by Atlanta-based Cumulus Media, is grabbing the active rock mantle from Project 9-6-1, which switched to top 40 Wednesday evening.
“We are the saviors of rock,” proclaimed John Dickey, head of Cumulus programming. “We ran Clear Channel out of format. We are going to save rock for all Atlantans.” He noted that they picked up the Regular Guys after 96rock dumped them. “Clear Channel tried to kill off rock. We’re going to save it.”
The station made the switch at noon Saturday with references to Green Day, Offspring, Linkin Park and Godsmack. The first song was Volbeat’s “Warrior’s Call,” followed by the Foo Fighters “Rope.”
Atlanta-based Cumulus, the second largest radio company in the country behind Clear Channel, has reserved 989thebone.com,which is just a black screen right now. The company has a rock station called the Bone in San Francisco. Someone found a Facebook page for 98.9 the Bone, too, with the logo above right.
(As for Clear Channel’s move to top 40 with Power 96.1, he said, “They have to get through Star and Q100. I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. Ryan Seacrest isn’t going to save the day for them. What a mess they’ve dug themselves into.” An effort to reach the new market manager at Clear Channel Matt Scarano failed to render a response.)
For fans of Metallica, Alice in Chains, P.O.D. and Shinedown, this is somewhat good news.
The downside: the signal at 98.9 is relatively weak, a far cry from what 96.1 can project, so it’s not going to be helpful to many harder rock lovers who live outside the Perimeter.
The official change is at noon Saturday with a new name. Right now, the station is airing a sampling of songs that are going to be on the playlist.
Fans of 99X’s alternative rock format are going to be disappointed, of course, especially since Dave FM, 99X’s closest cousin, is also dying off in a few weeks for sports talk.
99X’s ratings on such a weak signal were very modest so Cumulus probably figured the signal could pick up more listeners with active rock. It’s a fairly safe bet without a lot of downside.
As a personal fan of Triple A and alternative rock, I’m glad I have Sirius/XM and of course, umpteenth music options on my iPhone to boot.
Historically, 99X was a powerhouse in the 1990s but alternative rock lost its mojo in the 2000s and by early 2008, the station was left online only. In April, 2009, when a translator signal at 97.9 became available, Cumulus placed it back on the FM airwaves. The station in 2011 moved to the very weak 99.1, then to the slightly better signal at 98.9.
I have no clue if 99X will come back in any form. Sister station Rock 100.5 could potentially shift its music mix to attract the now lost Dave/99X listeners. Or not. We shall see soon.
Join my Facebook fan page and Twitter.
By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
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133 comments Add your comment
Mike
September 1st, 2012
10:44 am
How about some good Blues, I would love to hear some Joe Bonamassa on the air…..
Zanna
September 1st, 2012
11:24 am
Looks like the only radio station I’ll be listening to now is WRAS 88.5 FM. These huge corporations are severely out of touch with what people really want to listen to.
Mark Farner
September 1st, 2012
11:24 am
I hope they dig into the vault. There’s some stuff we never hear anymore that is incredibly current. Blue Cheer, 13th Floor Elevators, Grand Funk Railroad, Cream, Rare Earth, Deep Purple (and it doesn’t have to just be “Smoke on the Water”). Sure, some of this might not fit the “active rock” category, but it’s the heavy end of “classic rock.” Blue Cheer is considered the first heavy metal band. Give that dog a bone.
steven head
September 1st, 2012
11:25 am
I very mad about what had happen to project 96.1 this station has been on the air since 1974 and it was the only station i listened to and the only station in my book who played nothing but rock of all types and had the best host this is truly a sad time in ga to change this station in to a hiphop station I can tell you i will not listen to power961 i will encourage any one i know to not listen
Tom
September 1st, 2012
11:27 am
Bring back ‘Ross & Wilson’!!
steven head
September 1st, 2012
11:31 am
I can say for 98.9 you have you work cut out for you I hope the music you play as good as how the project done it thanks for taking the project rock mantle
Kel
September 1st, 2012
11:36 am
The Bone??? Why do they have to refer to themselves as an inanimate object? Why not, 98.9 / The Mower Blade? Of if body parts are essential, 98.9 / The Appendix? What does it mean to be, “The Bone”?
Rowdy
September 1st, 2012
12:40 pm
Listen to this guitar driven Atlanta band! NO pop here. Music like it should be! If you agree, sign and make a comment omn their Guest Page.
http://www.notquitedevils.com
ANDREA H. KIDD
September 1st, 2012
2:18 pm
Enter your comments here
CA
September 1st, 2012
2:21 pm
Sirius, Sirius, Sirius! XM,XM,XM! There are reasons satellite is growing. Check subscriber numbers. It’s also nice to drive around the country and not lose a signal.
ANDREA H. KIDD
September 1st, 2012
2:22 pm
WTF????
Stephanie
September 1st, 2012
2:38 pm
I’m sorry you guys are losing your station, too! I hate to think that Cumulus is screwing you guys over the same way Clear Channel screwed over Project 9-6-1 fans.
If any of you feel like joining our fight to get our own station back (so we can leave yours alone), please check out http://www.facebook.com/SaveOurProject.
RC
September 1st, 2012
2:43 pm
I got rid of Sirius because their billing is so screwed up. They were always messing up on my bill. But I actually think I will go back to them. Atlanta radio is bottom of the barrel. All the stations that I like are getting axed. I will miss Dave FM and Mara. I hope she stays in ATL but can’t see her at The River or at 100.5. Don’t see her playing tired old songs at The River and don’t see her playing Bon Jovi at Rock 100.5. Sad days for radio in this city!!!
Billy
September 1st, 2012
2:56 pm
Rock is dead, has been for many years. All we’re doing now is reruns of past rock. The musical chairs exercise that has been going on for years has moved all of us to CDs and beyond. The next Dodge Charger I get will have XMSirrius on it. Tired of the BS. When I was a kid, you had Z93 for mainstream rock, 96Rock for heavy rock, and 94Q for jazz flavors with Australian Craig Ashwood. Long live the past, it’s gone for good. The self righteous grunge crap that came along started the ball rolling, and except for a time in the late 90s, early 2000s, (Thanks, Rob Thomas), rap helped nail the coffin shut. Steve Miller, I didn’t think much of you in the late 70s, but compared to what’s out their now, you’re almost a g-d…
steve
September 1st, 2012
3:06 pm
jimmy baron is the only one who can save us now.
aps
September 1st, 2012
4:06 pm
Radio in Atlanta has sucked for decades. Too many commercials with the same songs repeated. All you have to do is travel to any other city in the US to see how bad Atlanta radio really is.
Sluggo
September 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
These corporate radio folks and the idiot consultants have ruined the business. The radio business is like McDonalds. A hamburger in Miami tastes just like a hamburger in Spokane. There’s no individuality. Here in Atlanta, they’ve made so many changes I have no idea what music is played on what station or dial position. I just have to scan if I am in the mood to listen. Most of the time I just pop in the cd of choice.
mike "hussein" smith
September 1st, 2012
4:35 pm
You folks are living in a hick town. Columbia, SC, has better radio stations.
Chad
September 1st, 2012
4:50 pm
99x was the only good station in Atlanta for YEARS and now it’s gone too. IDC about 96.1 I like Dave But to get rid of Alternative radio in a city like Atlanta is HORRIBLE!!
Jimmy B.
September 1st, 2012
4:59 pm
Hey everyone, with all the flips can’t someone find a place for me? Come on, I’m still here.
Ghoti
September 1st, 2012
5:03 pm
For a market this size, Atlanta radio absolutely sucks. Why can’t we get a decent rock station or an Adult Alternative station? Sirius/XM, here I come.
Rock and Roll
September 1st, 2012
5:42 pm
I’m 57 but I still love it loud@ Give me Slayer and Ted Nugent or give me death!
Jill
September 1st, 2012
5:45 pm
What, did everyone that ever listened to the AAA format in Atlanta just suddenly die off or something? Who are we supposed to listen to? 99X, while only a shadow of its former self, was still worth listening to, and Dave had me when they picked up Steve. So we lose both stations at the same time? Guess I’ll be sticking to my mp3 player from now on, but how will I find new music if I’m not willing to pay for a satellite subscription (which I’m not)?
atl
September 1st, 2012
5:57 pm
First of all I can’t believe they took off the only rock/live rock station 9-6-1-project, I thought I had on the wrong station wednesday when I got in the car. Atlanta don’t need another top 40 or hip-hop station please! Now that 98.9 has taken over where 96.1 the project left off.. I can listen to some real music..like the foo fighters, avenege sevenfold, five finger death punch,etc…I didn’t know what I was going to do…that is the only type of music I like and listen too….I will try this new staton 98.9
Your Name Here
September 1st, 2012
8:14 pm
Clear Channel killed off Project 9-6-1 for Powerless 96.1 and 98.9 has no signal to speak of, so OTA radio in Atlanta has officially died. Time to fall back on Ye Olde mp3 player, Sirius/XM and iheartradio.com.
sleeved
September 1st, 2012
8:54 pm
Atlanta, a city devoid of culture. Absent of jazz. Name a museum of substance. Food overcooked, sticky and sweet. Its time for the subculture to rise up and stand out. It will happen. The duopoly that is FM may have tried to extinguish what seemingly is the last flame. Now there is a cause. Bring it guys and gals that are cool. Time to reinvent. There is space now to do better than what 99x was trying to do. Who wants in?
Kappy
September 1st, 2012
9:10 pm
Mike “Hussein” Smith, you are totally right. WXRY in Columbia is like Dave/99x (RIP) got together and had a perfect child. Thank God I can still stream that station on my phone. How sad that a metro less than a quarter the size of Atlanta can have better variety than the crap they play here.
Todayswimpymusic
September 1st, 2012
9:16 pm
How funny my parents used to complain my music (clash, Led Zep, AC/DC) was too loud. Now I Complain my kids music is too wussy. Of course I am correct, todays music is for girls and wimps.
yeti
September 1st, 2012
9:50 pm
Enter your comments here
DS
September 1st, 2012
10:08 pm
Guess I will have to re-adjust my FM settings, and be thankful for my XM. Also means that about half my FM settings will be for WSB, WGST, NPR, and of course XM, especially since country makes me GAG and therefore is NOT in the line up.
James
September 1st, 2012
10:17 pm
What a horrible, horrible time for radio in Atlanta. I’m not that upset over Project 96.1 changing formats because they kind of did it to themselves by playing the same outdated songs over and over. Don’t get me wrong, I like GnR, Metallica, Nirvana, and all the great rock bands from the 90s, and before but I don’t need their songs in heavy rotation. I want to hear new, more recent stuff.
Losing daveFM is going to suck but I thought “at least I still have 99x” then I turned on the radio to hear this travesty! Not cool! Not cool at all! Guess I need to go find my old iPod radio tuner because there will be no more quality alternative rock stations once daveFM goes. It’s a sad, sad time on the Atl airwaves now. Is this part of the whole 2012 (end of the world) thing?
Steven
September 2nd, 2012
1:57 am
Hey Mr. “Q100 is the worst top 40 station ever”, I’m not sure if you know about this, but Power plays the SAME EXACT MUSIC as both Star 94 and Q100. Heck, most of that same music is ALSO heard on Wild and B 98.5. Radio needs to be alot more diverse, and Clear Channel did not help the cause by taken Project off the air. If anything, they just made it worse.
RaleighDawg
September 2nd, 2012
11:10 am
You need to check you blog filter Rodney…as well as the ‘Report this comment’ functionality. I tried reporting via this link and receive a “this comment does not seem to exist” (or words to that effect) reply…
Dave
September 2nd, 2012
1:07 pm
@ RaleighDawg, I should have worded my comments more carefully; my last statement carries a bad tone and for that I apologize. Over the last ten years, Atlanta’s culture has changed dramatically, both inside and outside the perimeter. 96 Rock was estabilished in 1974 I believe; it evolved into Project 96.1, and has now evolved into something of surplus for Atlanta. There’s no easy way to express the opinion of an average white guy rocker who just lost his #1 preset. We can dance around the issue; but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s corporate greed catering to an evolved populus. In any case, I meant no disrespect.
Laura
September 2nd, 2012
9:22 pm
I want my project 961 back!! I can’t even get this new station in villa rica.
Cherrie D.
September 2nd, 2012
9:50 pm
96 is the only ATL station I can get in that wasn’t 40 pop/hop, country or religion. What good is it if you’re OTP ? I can get one crap Chatt.station if the wind blows the right way and 98.9 doesn’t come in..Clearchannel and Cumulus screwed everybody… Just bring the Project back !
Jen
September 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
99x was far and away the best station in Atlanta. I just left the station on and knew that a) I was going to hear good songs and b) I wasn’t going to hear the same fifteen songs every hour. I am seriously angry right now and am just going to play my iPod from now on. I can download the five songs I’d hear on Q100 and Star94 and not bother with those. And like hell am I listen to this new ratings grab by Cumulus. “We’re going to save rock.” Complete BS.
William
September 2nd, 2012
10:40 pm
What the hell is going on in Atlanta? So basically there is no station whatsoever worth listening to. You kill 99X and now about to kill Dave fm. WTF!!!!!!!!! Why are you trying to force the entire city to listen to hip hop????? I guess there’s always 97.1 the river where you can hear Hotel California for the billionth time. BRING 99X BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clear Channel on a mission..
September 2nd, 2012
10:48 pm
Worth noting, Clear Channel owns iHeartRadio. Prior to iHeartRadio, they invested in XM Radio, throwing their weight around pretty heavily from what I’ve read. Didn’t sound like a good relationship from what I’ve read. And now, they have iHeartRadio.
Also, Atlanta isn’t the first city where they’ve screwed loyal alternative and hard rock fans. I found this nugget..
“On May 16 2012 Clear Channel bought the oldest alternative rock station on the East Coast, WFNX. All but four of the staff members have been fired. They will not continue with the current programming and plan to replace it with Spanish programming or country music.[54] This has sparked unhappiness in the Boston community, inspiring hundreds of posts, and a petition on change.org”
Jen
September 2nd, 2012
11:17 pm
Also, supporters of both Project 9-6-1 and 99x should feel free to sign this petition (if 96.1 comes back, maybe 99x will be forced to turn back to alternative):
http://www.change.org/petitions/atlanta-radio-station-bring-back-96-1-bring-back-project-961
Errrrr
September 3rd, 2012
2:18 am
I feel like Atlanta just got boned with this switch!
Myron Falwell
September 3rd, 2012
2:30 am
I’m sorry, Jen, but neither Clear Channel or Cumulus will pay attention to any online petitions. Project won’t return at all.
Myron Falwell
September 3rd, 2012
2:42 am
“On May 16 2012 Clear Channel bought the oldest alternative rock station on the East Coast, WFNX. All but four of the staff members have been fired. They will not continue with the current programming and plan to replace it with Spanish programming or country music.[54] This has sparked unhappiness in the Boston community, inspiring hundreds of posts, and a petition on change.org”
Okay. Time to set the record straight.
WFNX was owned by the leading alternative weekly in Boston, the Phoenix – ergo, the WFNX call letters. Had an okay signal based in suburban Lynn. The Phoenix cashed out and sold the signal to Clear Channel, who then tried to spread a rumor that CC’s then-2nd-tier talk station would replace WFNX upon takeover. As it turned out, 101.7 took a jockless adult hits format, and that talk station quickly flipped to all-comedy.
The Phoenix kept the rights to the call letters, and “uses” them for their jockless online radio station at wfnx.com. Many of the station’s former deejays were hired by The Boston Global, who launched an internet station of their own at RadioBDC.com.
WFNX was far from the only modern/alternative outlet in Boston. They still have “radio 92.9″ WBOS (alt-rock) and “92.5 The River” WXRV (AAA).
Myron Falwell
September 3rd, 2012
2:47 am
Unlike XM, which Clear Channel only invested in after its’ launch, iHeartRadio was their creation. They’ve also aligned with multiple broadcast chains (Cumulus, Greater Media, Cox, Salem, Emmis, Federated, etc.). The Cumulus iHeartRadio alliance was in exchange for Clear Channel stations promoting Cumulus’ SweetJack.com creation.
99X Atlanta Is No More; The Bone Debuts
September 3rd, 2012
3:24 am
[...] Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Rodney Ho quotes Cumulus’ John Dickey: We are the saviors the rock. We ran Clear Channel out of format. We are going to save rock for all [...]
Clear Channel on a mission..
September 3rd, 2012
9:08 am
@ Myron Falwell,
I’m not sure what record you’re setting straight. You expanded that The Phoenix went to online radio, and that the dj’s went to work somewhere else (thankfully). Clear Channel took 101.7 which plays a “Variety Hits format,” anything from Aerosmith, to Bon Jovi, to Madonna. Simple ending to the story: Boston lost an iconic alternative rock FM station and Clear Channel was a factor.
In regards to your iHeartRadio comment, not sure, seems like you’re trying to argue a point. Sure it’s their own creation, that wasn’t contested. My reference to iHeartRadio was intended to paint a picture that appears accurate from all viewing angles.. Clear Channel is dismantling rock and alternative rock stations in Atlanta and other cities, while promoting their internet radio “creation” iHeartRadio. Go figure.
@ everyone,
Rock is NOT dead!! There are so many great songs and bands from the 90’s up. Take Chevelle’s Hat’s off to the Bull; that song reeks of classic sound made modern. Rock on Atlanta (somehow)..
dirtleg
September 3rd, 2012
9:23 am
Will u at least up the signal strength doesn’t pick up in griffin
Ganners
September 3rd, 2012
2:59 pm
Axel from 99X tweeted earlier today he will be on the radio at 3pm tomorrow…no idea what station or format.
Ghostnerd
September 3rd, 2012
3:21 pm
What? 99x gone again?! How could this happen? Every band in the county wants to do a Live X. They brought back Music Midtown after everyone said it would never happen again and now they won’t even be around to see it? Alt is NOT dead, it’s bigger than ever! Just because they don’t get played on one of the 4 top 40 stations doesn’t mean they aren’t big. I guess i have to go satellite now. I couldn’t really justify the price before but, if it somehow cuts into John Dickey’s profits, I’ll pay it twice.
Radio is the new tape player
September 4th, 2012
6:50 am
Spotify ! Get it now!