The NEW HOT R&B Station is HOT 103.7 FM in New Orleans

The New Orleans market now boasts a fourth Urban station. Entercom's Hot 103.7 will compete with iHeart Radio's Q93.3, 98.5 WYLD, and their most recent station "Throwbacks 96.3", which recently flipped in January.

The thinking here is that iHeart wanted to protect the other two stations ratings wise by launching a third. The hottest imaging in urban radio right now is throwbacks. Therefore they flipped an extremely low-rated dying sports station to throwback Hip Hop and R&B; iHeart wanted to beat Entercom to the punch format wise before they grabbed it.

However Entercom has gone in a completing different direction with HOT 103.7 by just featuring NEW R&B music exclusively (think Drake, Beyonce, Maxwell, Mary J. Blige, Usher, the Weeknd, and Rihanna). They're promoting themselves as "playing new R&B, not for older people" to listeners. They are the only station that is going with such a format in the country. Perhaps it can be called 'Hot Urban AC (Adult Contemporary).'

---

Entercom Debuts HOT 103.7 FM, New R&B Station in New Orleans


Station Launches with “Big Abe in the Morning” Show

Entercom has announced the launch of Hot 103.7 FM, a new R&B station in New Orleans airing the hottest R&B hits from the 1990’s, the 2000’s and today. The station will join Entercom New Orleans’s robust roster of stations, including WWL 870 AM/ 105.3 FM, B97 FM, Magic 101.9 FM and Bayou 95.7 FM. Following Entercom’s strategy of delivering best in class locally curated content, Hot 103.7 FM will be the only R&B station in New Orleans to host live and local programming in morning drive.

“We are focused on delivering the content and music that we know listeners in New Orleans are looking for,” said Chris Claus, vice president and market manager, Entercom New Orleans. “The combination of well-known and live local talent and the R&B hits that fans want to hear on 103.7 FM is a magical one that has not been on the dial in New Orleans.”

The station debuts with the kickoff of “Big Abe in the Morning”, hosted by Abraham “Big Abe” Johnson. Johnson is an on-air veteran in New Orleans and has previously worked as a producer and assistant program director in the market. In afternoon drive, Hot 103.7 FM will air Terrence “Terry Bello” Burton. Burton is a recognized on-air personality and hosted the nationally syndicated “Soul Lounge”. He will also serve as the station’s assistant program director and music director. Tom “Jammer” Naylor will serve as the program director for Hot 103.7 FM and will continue his role as the program director for B97 FM. Jay Dixon, urban radio veteran, will serve as a consultant to the station.