Radio One Blows Up Tom Joyner & K-SOUL for Classic Hip Hop Boom 94.5

Over the weekend Radio One launched a new Classic Hip Hop format in the Dallas Fort Worth area as Boom 94.5. The format change saw the end of the Classic Soul and R&B format of K-Soul 94.5 (KSOC). Also with the change was the surprising end of the Tom Joyner Morning Show. The Reach Media program that is in partnership with Radio One is based in Dallas. The move seemed to come as a shock to Tom Joyner himself as he broadcast from the show's studios in Texas.




Back in January Radio One had re-launched the “K-Soul 94.5” format in  after having branding it as Old School 94.5 for awhile. The station has a semi-heritage status in the DFW, so the format change comes as a bit of surprise but Radio One seems to on board with launching the Boom brand in other cities based on the great ratings in Houston. In that city the station went from a 0.9 to a 4.0 share in one month. There is also a Boom station in Philadelphia. Those are three major cities that have yet to offer a morning show to its listeners. Without a successful morning show these stations will not be profitable. Over the next couple of weeks look for Radio One to launch a nationally syndicated morning show on those stations with a familiar and well known name to Classic Hip Hop fans.  

In Dallas there is an interesting scenario that has come about. Another station in the city, Cumulus Media owned Hot 93.3 (KLIF) has launched a new "Classic Hip Hop for the Holidays" format just hours before Boom 94.5 hit the airwaves. Meanwhile for the Tom Joyner Morning Show fans in the DFW, he is promoting his show's app as a way to still listen to the show.