Is Infinity Broadcasting using the impending departure of franchise personality Howard Stern and the groundswell popularity of FM Talk to roll-out a host of "Free FM" talk stations, some of which are Infinity properties that already are Talk and others that also currently air Stern's morning show?
Acting on a tip, FMQB conducted an Internet domain check on the following Web addresses to verify ownership and all came back as registered by Infinity directly or simply TUCOWS, INC, a name that also appeared on the direct Infinity registrations:
923freefm.com (presumably for WXRK/New York Sterns flagship station)
925freefm.com (presumably for KDJM/Denver currently Rhythmic Oldies)
971freefm.com (presumably for KLSX/Los Angeles- an existing FM Talker)
freemfm971.com (presumably for WKRK/Detroit FM Talk)
1037freefm.com (presumably for KPLN/San Diego current Stern station/Classic Rock)
1053freefm.com (presumably for KLLI/Dallas FM Talk)
1059freefm.com (presumably for WCKG/Chicago FM Talk)
1067freefm.com (presumably for WJFK/Washington FM Talk)
freefm1067.com (presumably for KLTH/Portland AC)
1069freefm.com for KIFR/San Francisco (formerly KEAR-FM/San Francisco, which Inifinty recently acquired and is set to take over soon)
In addition, just last week, on October 13, Infinity registered 941freefm.com, presumably for WYSP/Philadelphia, which has Stern on in the mornings and is Active Rock the rest of the day and is also the flagship station for Philadelphia Eagles football. Also recently registered by TUCOWS, INC. (on October 10) was the interesting domain name: radiomutiny.com.
Could the picture also now becoming clearer for the names rumored to be "replacements" for Howard Stern -- names such as David Lee Roth, Adam Corrola and Mancow?
FMQB contacted Infinity Broadcasting spokesperson Karen Mateo, who responded, "We decline to comment on rumor and speculation."
In other Infinity news, the company today announced the first affiliates for Jay Severin's new talk show: WPHT-AM/Philadelphia, WJFK-FM/Washington, D.C., KRLD-AM/Dallas, and KMOX-AM/ST. Louis.
Severin is a former MSNBC political advisor, who has appeared frequently on numerous NBC News programs, and also was a featured columnist for MSNBC.com.
