‘Movin’ station turns into ‘The Tide’

“The Tide” has rolled in to Myrtle Beach’s radio landscape.

Fidelity Broadcasting’s WYEZ-FM 94.5 has shifted its name – to “The Tide” from “Movin” – and format – to adult contemporary from rhythmic oldies.

Wally B., continuing as morning host 6 a.m.-noon Mondays-Fridays and WYEZ’s program director, said Fidelity’s ownership – whose sister station is WEZV-FM “Easy” 105.9, simulcast on WGTN-FM 100.7 in Georgetown –approached him about changing the format.

He said with the conclusion that after about seven years, “Movin” had “reached all it could reach,” the switch was made to “The Tide,” to attract some younger listeners.

Rather than go with a contemporary hit radio format, which appeals to younger adults, “The Tide” will aim for “a happy medium,” Wally B. said, but without rap and “being too edgy.”

The new station touts the slogan, “Today’s Best & Yesterday’s Favorites.” Wally B. said besides current hits, the playlist will reach back decades as far back as the 1960s, when such groups as the Tempations, Miracles and Supremes had their “monster hits” and “cherry pick” some other standards from the 1970s through the ’90s.

Carrying on a community public service from Movin, Wally B. said The Tide will keep a heavy accent on regular announcements all day on weekdays for local charities’ and civic groups’ events. The Tide’s other air personality, Nick Summers, works noon-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.

Wally B. said he continually monitors the Grand Strand radio market, and he researched other adult contemporary stations across the country as homework to christen The Tide.

He said with Fidelity being a “mom and pop” enterprise locally owned, that might have extended Movin’s longevity, instead of the treads for format changes that typically happen more frequently in an industry culture with so much corporate ownership.

Filling Miller time slot

With Dennis Miller retiring from his nationally broadcast radio show from California, Joule Broadcasting LLC, the trustee with the signal simulcast on WJXY-FM 93.9 and WXJY-FM 93.7, in Horry and Georgetown counties, respectively, has moved to the Midwest to pick up Miller’s syndicated successor at Westwood One.

Jonathon “Johnny B” Brandmeier, a Marconi Award winner in Chicago, went national with his show in March. Hear Brandmeier locally in the noon-3 p.m. slot Mondays-Fridays on WJXY/WXJY, in between Mike Gallagher, 9 a.m.-noon from New York, and Phil Valentine, 3-6 p.m from Nashville, Tenn.

Listeners will hear that Brandmeier, like Miller, employs his own edgy approach to radio, with a variety of topics and guests, and with unpredictability.

More details on Brandmeier: www.brandmeiershow.com.

This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 10:41 AM with the headline "‘Movin’ station turns into ‘The Tide’."