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Things change ... and things stay the same.
In 1983, little WOXY-FM in Oxford became known as 97X The Future of Rock and Roll, and the radio waves around Cincinnati and Dayton were never the same. In the 20 years since, we've brought you some of the best new Alternative, indie and Modern Rock.
We're a little stunned ourselves to announce the sale of WOXY to First Broadcasting Investment Partners of Dallas. The FCC approval process takes about three months, so the switch should occur sometime around May 1st. So that's a big change...
But! Our plans are to continue 97X The Future of Rock and Roll right here at woxy.com, including our internet broadcast. Over the next 90 days we'll be looking for sponsors or investors who will enable us to make this site and stream better than ever. We may be the first terrestrial radio station ever to make the full-time jump to the Internet!
Obviously our Tri-State area listeners will need to make the jump to the Internet with us. Moving away from our over-the-airwaves broadcast will be a little weird for us, too. 97X has brought us overwhelming joy - along with a fair share of tough times - but we're glad the soul and ethos of 97X will still live on.
Even though this is not really farewell, we want to say thank you from our hearts to you our listeners, without whom, obviously, there would have been no 20+ years. It has been our honor and privilege. What a long strange trip it's been.
We are also deeply grateful to the loyal advertisers who have steadfastly supported 97X and The Music.
See you in the Future.
Doug, Linda, Bake, Susan, Mike, Sledge, Barb, Shiv, Kathie, Phil, Jennifer, Bryan Jay and the entire 97X Family
SOME ANSWERS
We'll be adding to this, but here's a start at answering some frequently asked questions.
Why?
This is Linda Balogh … my husband Doug and I have been the owners of WOXY Radio for nearly 23 years. When we bought the station, I was 35 and Doug was 39. We built it together with a special group of scrappy and talented people. Now we're 57 and 61 … and ever since the Telecom Act of 1996 unleashed the massive consolidation in radio, it's been harder and harder for single-station independents like us to compete against the behemoths. So when this offer came along, we decided it was time to take it. We don't feel we've "sold out," we really don't. We have elderly parents to take care of, and our own retirement to think about. So, it was time.
On the other hand, we have also built this wonderful and rapidly growing website and internet broadcast, and it's a wonderful entrepreneurial opportunity for the 20- and 30- and 40-somethings we work with … so we are going to help them find the funding to keep that going and growing. We will stay involved to a degree - and continue to own part of it - but we do intend to walk off into the sunset (that would be in Santa Fe) and enjoy the fruits of our labors.
Hope this helps clarify the decision. We're not some big faceless corporation - we're two real live people (with feelings, by the way!).
Sincerely, LB
Is 97X going away?
No. "97X The Future of Rock and Roll" was not sold. The local broadcast license at 97.7 FM was sold but we still have the music and everything else that makes 97X what it is. And that's why we're going to be able to continue this as an internet-only radio station at woxy.com... same music, same format, live DJs and independently owned. 97X The Future of Rock and Roll is not going away... in three months, you just won't be able to tune us in on your FM radio at 97.7 anymore.
Will everybody there lose their jobs?
Some people will, some people won't. We don't need as many people to do the internet thing as we did to do the regular radio thing. Some of them are looking at this as the time to do new and different things with their lives … for the ones who still want to do radio, we're going to do everything we can to help them find the next big gig.
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