Curtis Media Moves In NC: WZTK To Flip, WPTF Goes News, WKIX-A Goes Talk

Shuffles

CURTIS MEDIA GROUP is making major changes at its Talk WPTF-A and Oldies WKIX-A/RALEIGH-DURHAM and at Talk WZTK (FM TALK 101.1) and Talk WSJS-A/GREENSBORO-WINSTON SALEM.

Starting TUESDAY (3/13), WPTF is refocusing as a News station as NEWSRADIO 680 WPTF, going all news all day except for the syndicated DAVE RAMSEY show.  Meanwhile, sister WKIX-A will pick up some of the Talk programming from WPTF and rebrand as TALKRADIO 850 WPTF, with a lineup that will include the local BILL LUMAYE show, DIAL GLOBAL's NEAL BOORTZ and CLARK HOWARD, CUMULUS MEDIA NETWORKS' MARK LEVIN, and BRAD KRANTZ and BRITT WHITMIRE in afternoons, simulcast with WSJS, which is part of the changes in the TRIAD market.

In GREENSBORO-WINSTON SALEM, WZTK is dropping its Talk format for a format to be named later.  BRAD AND BRITT, the morning show at WZTK, is moving to WSJS with the simulcast on the new 850 WPTF in RALEIGH, and BOORTZ and HOWARD's shows are also moving to WSJS.

WPTF VP/GM DAVID STUCKEY said, "With the TRIANGLE's base of universities and tech companies, it's obvious we serve some of the most intelligent and discerning listeners in AMERICA," he said.  "NEWSRADIO 680 WPTF is where people will hear about the big events of the day, while TALKRADIO 850 WPTF is where they'll talk about those stories.... Unlike some media outlets, we're not going to force-feed the same political agenda ad nauseum.  We've seen ratings slippage on stations and channels with a hard-leaning approach, and more advertisers are telling us they want media platforms that are less toxic and more civil."

And BRAD AND BRITT are letting fans know about the move to afternoons to WSJS (3-6p) and 850 WPTF (3-5p) via a YOUTUBE video -- check it out by clicking here.

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