K-Rock Switching Format?

Goodbye hard rock. Hello Top 40. In a market that already has two other top 40 format laden stations, 95.5 WPLJ and 100.3 Z100, CBS radio is switching the venerable K-Rock, 92.3, the hard rock/heavy metal station, to this new format.

The mostly classic rock station will change its moniker to Now FM (92.3) and start playing music from acts like Beyonce, Kanye West, Pink, and Justin Timberlake.

Missing in the new lineup are radio bad boys Opie and Anthony, whose morning show was dropped by CBS in the format overhaul.

It's the station's third identity change since Howard Stern left for satellite radio three years ago. CBS first tried a talk format then switched back to rock.

“For the first time in nearly 30 years, New York now has a choice for hit music,” said Dom Theodore, Vice President of Contemporary Hit Radio Programming, CBS RADIO. “With 92.3 NOW FM we’re breaking the mold of the traditional radio station and creating a pure multi-media companion for today’s music fans.”

The NY metro region already has a paucity of hard rock stations, limited to classic rock on 104.3 and hard rock/heavy metal on 105.5.

Keep in mind that the station format has already changed twice in the past couple of years, each time losing listeners. I don't expect the third time to be a charm either. It's going to be a mess.

Rock music lovers are going to be out of luck.