Goodbye Nickelback, hello Rascal Flatts.
Sometime in the next week, UF’s radio frequency, 103.7, will move to a country music format, replacing the mainstream-rock format it has aired since the 1980s.
“From an industry standpoint, country is a very successful mass-appeal format in the Gainesville/Ocala area,” said Randy Wright, executive director of media properties at UF.
The new station will be called Country 103.7 — The Gator, and while it will still be broadcasting all Gator athletics, it will not feature the syndicated show Lex and Terry, which has been a Rock 104 staple for years.
The change was made for several reasons, Wright said, but monetary issues were at the forefront.
In an e-mail to faculty and staff at the College of Journalism and Communications, Wright said that country music is the most popular music format in the U.S., while “Active Rock“ holds the No. 15 spot. The e-mail also said the biggest growth in the country music audience is among 18-24 year olds.
However, Rock 104 isn’t being replaced. Instead, the station will move to a new home online and will be known as Rock104.com.
Wright said he was excited about the change because Rock104.com will not only give the university an avenue to allow its students to dabble in new media, but it also frees the station from financial pressures.
Among changes he said may be coming are the incorporation of more independent and local music, as well as live disc jockeys.
“You’re taking financial pressure off the product, and the focus becomes the product itself,” he said.
Wright said he is open to input from students about what kind of content they would like to hear as the station undergoes its transformation. Later this week, he will be creating an e-mail address where students can send suggestions.
“There’s nothing negative about this at all,” Wright said. “We’re actually investing in Rock 104. We’re investing in that format. We’re moving it onto a platform young adults are embracing and using every single day.”
