After weeks of stunting with a Hot AC/News mix, Merlin Media flipped WEMP/New York (the former Emmis Rocker WRXP) on Friday to an all-News format, with a formal launch of the station today as "FM News 101.9."

According to an announcement from Merlin, "the station has committed to highly engaging content that will serve the real-life information needs of on-the-go adults and working parents whenever they tune in to New York’s FM News 101.9. Listeners will be captivated by credible and relatable news, along with easy-to-understand traffic reports and accurate weather. Complementing that core content will be information on subjects such as health, family, career, money, entertainment, and more. FM News 101.9 will be interactive across platforms with personalized online and mobile content that promotes audience participation through social media, digital video, and other outlets."

"As music moves to the mobile device, now is the time to put spoken word on the band most people use. Our content will target the people who already use FM radio, but will focus on interesting, real-time information," said Randy Michaels, CEO of Merlin Media. "Our one-to-many broadcasts will be supplemented by personalized, one-to-one interactive content so that instead of commercials that interrupt a tired music playlist, we offer our marketing partners multiplatform solutions that build brands and move product in the best possible environment." 

"Spoken word, since the beginning of radio, has consistently been the top billing format in the world. The one-on-one relationship with the radio is an active, impactful, natural and entirely compelling experience," said Walter Sabo, Merlin Media COO. "FM News 101.9 is offering a format that’s truly one-of-a-kind, and by broadcasting on the FM band, we’ll reach a large demographic that’s hungry for this type of content." 

"No one gets their news from a singular source in today’s fragmented media world. In developing our strategy for FM News 101.9, we really wanted to create a unique environment that presents inspiring, relatable, pleasant and fun content that comes to you just as it would from a friend," said Liz Aiello, VP of Programming, Merlin Media. "That’s how our listeners want to share and consume news and information because that’s how it actually happens in our daily lives."