The 99X Website has published the name of the new morning show with Axel: "The Everything Alternative 99X Morning Show...With Axel, Jimmy & Leslie." This precipitated an interesting discussion on Radio-Info.com. Media buyer Roddy Freeman speculates:
The fact that Cumulus seems so interested in getting the morning show right suggests they plan on keeping the format, at least long enough to learn if a new morning show could save 99X in its current incarnation.
Another poster, "troone," offers additional analysis:
[99X] had a gigantic book in early 2001 and then like all the other rock formats, they settled into a 2 share mode, while flirting with a 3 in 12+ every so often. A lot of that was greater ethnic sampling in the Arbitron formula, which hurt a few of the white stations. Some of it was the fade of alternative music.
As one of the better posters on this board put it a few months ago: a rock station is boxed in somewhat by the competition and the reality of having to carve up a smaller audience. There are simply more people who "settle" on Elton John on Mariah Carey in their car than on Cake or Weezer.
I dont necessarily think 99x has become a "worse" station over the last four years. I do think they caught lightning in a bottle for a short period of time and now are having to - unfairly - answer for why it didnt continue.
At least they dont VT [voice track] like 94.9, 96, 98.5, and most of the black stations.
