On Tuesday morning (3/6), with a quick glance of the Form 314 filings that had been made with the FCC, came a set of call letters that sent the RBR+TVBR Editorial Tiki Hut and Marathon Training Center into overdrive.
A big Chicago FM was being sold. The new owners were, without question, going to change the station’s format and longtime branding. Trade publications galore went bonkers, offering commentary about the death of an iconic radio station.
Sadly, this station — WLUP-FM 97.9, branded as “The Loop” — died many years ago. It was a victim, like many other stations before it, of the one thing the radio industry doesn’t seem to get right: brand value.
Wait … that’s not true. The company buying WLUP is perhaps one of the best broadcasters when it comes to brand expectation, brand longevity, and brand strength.
