Allentown Wakes Up To Big Changes
• Busy day around the Cumulus radio ranch in Allentown, PA, as the company announces a bunch of programming enhancements, starting with the launch of a new morning show on WCTO (CAT Country 96) — the CAT Morning Crew with Sam and Hannah features major market vet Hannah Byrom, who comes home and plugs in next to current Cat Country morning personality Sam Malone.
Ms. Byrom (pictured) was most recently doing weekends at Entercom’s WNSH (New York’s Country 94.7)/New York. Before that, she was morning co-host at Beasley Country WKLB/Boston. Byrom previously did middays at WPST/Trenton, NJ, weekends at the late WPLJ/New York and mornings and middays at Alpha Media Top 40 KBFF (Live 95.5)/Portland, OR. Earlier in her career she worked at WAZO/Wilmington, NC.
• But wait! There’s more! Along with a new morning show, CAT Country 96 also expands its footprint into the scenic Poconos with the addition of a new frequency, 107.1, which was most recently the home of Alternative WWYY (Spin Radio 107,1), a Class A licensed to Stroudsburg, PA and serving the Poconos and the Lehigh Valley. And while the engineering staff is already tinkering with stuff, sister WEEX/WTKZ (Fox Sports 1230-1320) also adds an FM boost with addition of translator W234AX @ 94.7. The frequency had been simulcasting the now defunct 107.1 Spin Radio.
Jerry Padden, Operations Manager of Cumulus Allentown-Bethlehem, said, “This is a very exciting day for all of us! Though Hannah has worked on some great stations across the country, she’s a Jersey girl. Sam was born and bred here in the Lehigh Valley, so doing mornings in their hometowns is a dream come true for both Sam and Hannah. AND, to have CAT Country 96 on 107.1 in the Poconos makes us the biggest station over Eastern Pennsylvania and Western New Jersey! That’s great news for listeners and advertisers who want to extend their reach.”
Byrom said, “I’m so excited to join the station that I grew up listening to and that got me into Country music. Getting to wake up the Lehigh Valley and create memories and bonds with the listeners here like I had growing up in Phillipsburg is going to be so special. Let’s get it!”
