CMG Flips WPOI/Tampa To Urban AC ‘The Vibe’
• UPDATED: After a day of stunting with Mary J. Blige on a loop, Cox Media Group Tampa has flipped WPOI (Hot 101.5)from Top 40 to Urban AC as “101.5 The Vibe — Tampa Bay’s Only R&B,” featuring artists like Usher, Alicia Keys and yes… Mary J. Blige.
“We’re excited to launch 101.5 The Vibe and satisfy a significant format need in Tampa’s rapidly growing market,” said Rob Babin, EVP of CMG Radio. “We program our radio stations with local research and audience feedback, so they are tailored to each market. Launching this exciting brand will create a new opportunity for advertisers to connect with highly engaged consumers.”
With a similar mindset of growing audiences and engaging the community, CMG Radio recently switched the frequency of Urban AC Hot 99.5 FM (WOKV-HD2)/Jacksonville to 106.5 FM, extending the station’s signal, allowing it to reach and positively impact a larger audience in the Jacksonville market.
“This Tampa launch and Jacksonville frequency change demonstrate our commitment to the Urban AC format,” said Chris Eagan, VP of Audience & Operations for CMG Radio. “101.5 The Vibe is the latest addition to our portfolio of award-winning Urban AC stations in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Atlanta. I’m proud of the hard work our Tampa and Jacksonville teams put into these moves.”
The Vibe will feature the Reach Media-syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show in morning drive, starting Monday, Sept. 11.
For now, The Vibe will be overseen by CMG Director of Urban Content Elroy Smith and CMG Tampa OM John Brennan as the search for a PD gets underway.
