Few existing CHR stations can trace their lineage back to the 1950s – or, with the format's current state, can boast steady audience growth in 2023. Both are the case for Cox Media Group's WAPE (95.1) Jacksonville, FL, grabbing the spotlight in this edition of Inside Radio's By The Numbers.
WAPE blasted the hits on the AM side as “The Mighty 690” from 1959 to 1980, featuring legendary air talent along the way such as Jay Thomas and Doug “The Greaseman” Tracht, before relaunching its contemporary music format on FM in 1986. These days, with Nielsen showing a March-to-May persons 6+ 3.1-3.5-3.6 trend – pushing it into the market's top 10 –and Mar.-Apr. average quarter-hour persons 6+ up 13%, with daily cume up by a year-to-date 18,000 high overall and 9,000 for P1s, the station still known as “The Big Ape” clearly isn't monkeying around. I Vape
“This is absolutely a plan going back months,” WAPE Director of Branding and Programming Jud Huessler says, with the focus of that plan February's debut of morning hosts Dex Mitchell and Barbie T. Whitmire, who moved from SummitMedia rhythmic CHR “Hot 98.1” WHZT Greenville, SC. “The station took a huge step forward with their launch. We’ve seen great improvement in morning drive, month over month, since their debut.”
For the duo, it's been a non-stop ride since the mayor of Jacksonville proclaimed it “Dex & Barbie T Day” while joining the two on air their first day. “As expected with the launch of a new morning show, we made a lot of noise,” Huessler says. “They’ve been all over town hosting events, learning Jacksonville, and most importantly meeting listeners.”
Along with Dex & Barbie T's “mystery case” game that awarded nearly $10,000 in prizes, WAPE went full throttle with promotions all day long in April, with Kiana middays and Justin Cousart in afternoons. That included a “spring fling flyaway” to Nashville and offering tickets to Taylor Swift's sold-out shows by asking listeners to listen for the “Tay Tay Double Play.” The station was a media partner at the St. Augustine Food & Wine Festival, and also took part in Cinco De Mayo, with listeners registering during the last week of April to take a swing at the Big Ape piñata to win prizes at the festival.
“We've truly re-centered the station,” Huessler says, marveling at WAPE's performance so far this year. “We’re proud to be live and local, and I think it shows in the product we put on the air every day. WAPE is a Jacksonville institution, synonymous with great local content, contests and hit music. When Jacksonville listens to WAPE, they know they can expect only the best music, personalities they love, and the pulse of what Jacksonville is talking about.”
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