WBBL/Grand Rapids Flips To Country In 'Thunder' Simulcast

Now Country

After CUMULUS Sports WBBL-F/GRAND RAPIDS fired its staff on FRIDAY morning (1/4), the station flipped late FRIDAY to Country in a simulcast with sister WTNR (NASH 94.5)/HOLLAND-GRAND RAPIDS as THUNDER 94.5 AND 107.3, returning the THUNDER brand to WTNR that originally aired  from 2004-14.

Earlier, the news of WBBL's staff exits came in a tweet from morning host ERIC ZANE, saying that "everyone on WBBL got fired today." ZANE, suffering from the flu, posted a 15-minute Facebook Live video from his bed discussing the firings, the possibility of a podcast, and his one-year non-compete. CUMULUS/GRAND RAPIDS VP/Market Manager BRUCE LAW told crosstown FOX affiliate WXMI-TV (FOX 17) that BILL SIMONSON's afternoon "THE HUGE SHOW" will continue in syndication on 18 stations, but would be moving to another GRAND RAPIDS signal.

Later FRIDAY, the GRAND RAPIDS PRESS/MLIVE.COM reported that the regional MICHIGAN MEDIA NETWORK has announced that it would pick up syndication of SIMONSON's "HUGE SHOW" and air its sports programming on two AM and translator combos, including what is presently CUMULUS News-Talk WJRW-A-W291DJ/GRAND RAPIDS and CUMULUS News-Talk WKLQ-A and a translator to be named later in MUSKEGON. The stations will also carry MICHIGAN MEDIA NETWORKS' "SHEP, SHOWER 'N' SHAVE" morning show with MATT SHEPARD. SIMONSON's show will air beginning MONDAY on the two AM frequencies, with the FM translators to be added later. And CUMULUS has told ALL ACCESS that the two AMs will be rebranded as "THE TICKET" and will also carry FOX SPORTS RADIO's DAN PATRICK and CBS SPORTS RADIO's JIM ROME, both holdovers from the FM.

WBBL's most recent lineup had two local weekday shows, ZANE in mornings and the locally-based syndicated SIMONSON in afternoons, along with CBS SPORTS RADIO national programming and PATRICK.

Hi everyone. Sad news. Everyone on WBBL got fired today. Marcus, Bill, Lurch, Ben and me. We had no idea. Thanks for all the support. Here’s a link to my Facebook live talking about it. https://t.co/WEFI19M37W

— Eric Zane Show (@ericzaneshow) January 4, 2019

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