KMPS/Seattle Flips To AC, KVRQ Goes Country

KVRQ/Seattle: Gone Country

ENTERCOM Country KMPS/SEATTLE's flip to CHRISTMAS music lasted just over two weeks, as the station flipped to AC today (12/4), branding as "THE NEW 94.1 THE SOUND" and launching with "10,000 in a row, guaranteed."

Concurrently, HUBBARD has flipped crosstown Rock station KVRQ to Country as "COUNTRY 98.9" with a slogan, "Nobody Plays More Country." Nothing official on staffing and programming, but ALL ACCESS hears RON HARRELL is interim PD and SCOTT RODDY of HUBBARD Country sister WIL/ST. LOUIS and PATTY MARSHALL of the company's WUBE/CINCINNATI are also involved. More details on staffing as they become available; stream KVRQ here. KVRQ had been a Rocker for nearly two years, flipping from Hot AC in early 2016 (NET NEWS 3/16/16).

“We at HUBBARD RADIO/SEATTLE are looking forward to winning the Country war in SEATTLE," HUBBARD RADIO/SEATTLE VP/Market Manager MARC KAYE said. "With a live and local HUBBARD RADIO mantra, it’s going to be a whole lot of fun building one of AMERICA’s great Country radio stations. Now we are ramping up on staff hires including a PD.”

A Country brand in the SEATTLE market since 1975, KMPS went all CHRISTMAS on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17th, the same day ENTERCOM officially took ownership of CBS RADIO, completing a process that started in FEBRUARY (NET NEWS 2/2). That move sparked speculation as to the fate of KMPS as a Country outlet moving forward. So far, there's no word on the future of KMPS staffers, or PD KENNY JAY, who joined the station on 2016 after programming CBS RADIO KMNB/MINNEAPOLIS (NET NEWS 1/14/16).

The KMPS FACEBOOK page has been redesigned to reflect the new format; while searching for KMPS online, ALL ACCESS also found the address redirected to ENTERCOM/SEATTLE Country clustermate KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF).

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