Following the retirement of the John Boy & Billy program, WKOY (“Classic Rock 100.9 The Eagle”) in Bluefield, VA-Princeton, WV has initiated a contest allowing the audience to select the station’s next morning drive team. Operated by First Media Services, the station collaborated with Jon Holiday of Radio Consulting Services to develop a competition that empowers the local community to make the final programming decision.
Bob Spencer, co-owner of First Media Services, explained that the goal was to avoid making a unilateral choice in a conference room. Instead, the station is airing content from three syndicated contenders: The Bob & Tom Show from Westwood One, The Todd N Tyler Empire from benztown, and Woody & Wilcox from G Networks. The audience will evaluate these options and vote for the program they want to hear on weekday mornings.
Holiday noted that replacing a long-running show creates a significant void in listener connection. He argued that the most effective strategy is to give the audience a direct say in who fills that space. Spencer emphasized that this approach fits the company’s philosophy of serving the community, stating that inviting listener participation generates energy and shows respect for the audience.
The competition is currently active, with the station featuring segments from each show. Spencer described the initiative as a way to reinforce that the station belongs to its listeners. The winning program is scheduled to be announced shortly.