At 3PM 8/30, Entercom launched a new Hot AC radio format in Seattle. The New HOT 103.7-The Rhythm of Seattle, replaces AAA The Mountain (KMTT-FM) after 22 years. The New HOT 103.7 will be a unique, clearly defined station targeting modern Seattle women. It will play today’s hits with throwbacks from well-known artists from the 2000s and 1990s.
“Our new Hot AC, with its rhythmic format, will be everything our competitors are not, giving Seattle women a new radio choice,” said Jack Hutchison, Vice-President/Market Manager at Entercom Seattle. “These are exciting times for Entercom Seattle and for our advertisers. The New HOT 103.7 will provide a unique way to reach Seattle’s modern women, targeting those who have moved beyond the 18-year-old mindset and grown out of the younger CHR sound as well as the sleepy format of older AC stations.”
Entercom Seattle VP/Programming and Operations, Dave Richards, has announced that current KKWF PD, former longtime PD of 106.1 KISS FM and former VP/CHR for CBS Radio nationwide, Mike Preston, will lead The New HOT 103.7. “It’s a logical choice. Mike is a brilliant programmer and knows this music and Seattle better than anyone,” said Richards.
“We are building The New HOT 103.7 to compete and win. We will launch with 10,000 songs in a row to build our brand and grow our audience, and we will back up our launch with an aggressive media campaign starting in September,” said newly installed Program Director Mike Preston.
They will continue to dedicate an HD2 Radio channel to the original Mountain, and will continue live streaming.
This is increadibly disappointing. I DON’T care for ANY of these Entercom music entertainment stations. What the hell happened? Someone must have written a really big check or threatened someone’s family. Geared toward women – give me a BREAK!!!
I used to listen to KMTT all day long, I enjoyed the mix of new music and established hits. I listened to HOT 103.7 for 25 minutes and hated it. All rap and I don’t like rap. You obviously don’t listen to your audience.
Phil, you are correct. Clearly Entercom doesn’t listen to their audience. It’s a typical move for a corp that doesn’t care about market research, but rather about how to make more money. Nowhere in the quotes do they discuss the quality of the music, because quality doesn’t matter, advertising does. They don’t know anything about the music, only that it most likely ‘targets’ women so they can ‘compete’ and ‘win.’
The same thing happened when Sandusky started “Movin’92.5.” It was a “new choice.” Even a basic search on the Seattle market shows 4 Hot AC stations and 2 hip hop stations. But I don’t think they wanted to say they were the new 7th choice.
Just wait a few weeks for the new, hip morning team that will re-hash the previous night’s American Idol episode and talk about celebrities. Again, ‘everything the competitors are not.”
And don’t forget the affect on the current air staff and employees, who are wondering if their next paycheck is their last. Entercom has a history of treating employees like their listeners; a means to an end… as long as that end includes more ad revenue.
I consider myself a modern Seattle woman and I do NOT like this new format… seems like one more station dumbed down. Please bring back the Mountain!
This is a huge, huge, huge, very huge upset!! I cannot believe it has come to this! This new format does not fit with anything Seattle has to do with!!
I could go on and on but I’m sure I am not the only one who feels this way.
I used to listen to the Mountain, and I started listening 22 years ago, when they first hit the air. That’s where I would go to hear all the ‘new’ music. That’s where I first heard ‘Los Lonely Boys’, ‘Toad the Wet Sprocket’, etc. What has happened? Where is the new ADULT music? I was super disappointed when they changed to ‘classic rock’; another KZOK. Now its targeting Seattle women? I haven’t listened yet, but if its “all rap”, I guarantee I wont. Another good station bites the dust. Well at least we still have Jack… 🙁
This sucks!!! The Mountain was my favorite radio station and the new station sounds like lots of other stations out there. I cant believe they shut it down.
I didn’t listen to this station before so I can’t speak to how I would feel with the change as I am sure it would be disappointing to those listeners. But I can say for someone who has been stuck listening to a couple of the other stations this is a refreshing change. There are alot of people who are excited about this new station and the mix it has of old school and newer songs. For those that do listen to rap this station would not be classified as playing all rap. It is a mixture of old school and R & B, Pop classics.
Its sucks. The music sucks. And you suck. Bring back the old mountain. I hope this new music format fails.
Bring back The Mountain!!! This new station is terrible…
I love the new station!! Finally all the old throwbacks that I love and some of today’s great beats too.
Look not everyone in seattle is indie or country or rock a lot of people like the hot beats and rap from the 1990s and early 2000s if you dont like it dont listen to it because this channel was well NEEDED.
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