Phoenix’s country-music radio, 102.5 KNIX, is changing its DJs in 2017. The morning show will begin January 9th, and the station will have a brand new logo and a change in the music that is played. A favorite radio personality, Tim Hattrick, will return to KNIX joining Brooke Hoover and Ben Campbell, with the show airing Mondays to Saturdays from 5 in the morning until 10 a.m.
The country music that will air over the airwaves will have a vintage country feel along with present day favorites.
The vice president for the West Division of iHeartMedia, Steve Geofferies, spoke to the changes: “We’re bringing back those country songs that country fans have loved but haven’t been played in a few years. There’s all kinds of different places to get new country, but there’s only one place now to get stuff from the ‘80s and ‘90s along with new country.”
With the changes to the station, there have been mixed emotions to the new plans. The former host, Matt McAllister, posted that he was let go by the station via Twitter. Also, being let go was Joe Wallace, the producer, leaving some followers outraged by the changes.
Geofferies also spoke to the elephant in the room: “There’s never a great time. But with any business, you re-evaluate what you’re doing to put yourself in a better spot to be more relevant to your audience. Along the way, unfortunately, there’s always hard decisions to make.”
Still, the focus is pushing forward with the new plan. The KNIX brand wants to be known for being different than its competitors. They want to play country music for everybody and every generation, with its “main goal” of having listeners that range from 25 to 54 years of age.
KNIX is looking forward to the new season of radio for the listeners in the Valley.
