Jumping off The Shark: Winners and losers in WQAM takeover of indie-rock station 104.3-FM
Station owner Audacy said the abrupt change — which came Thursday afternoon as The Shark was playing Alice In Chains' 'Man in the Box' — was in response to listener demands.
The Shark, based in Miramar, was the least popular of Audacy's five music stations, ranking No. 20 among all metro-Miami radio stations in Nielsen rankings released in July. WQAM was No. 27.
The new WQAM outlet, with call letters WQAM-FM subject to FCC approval, offers a simulcast of programming heard on the original 560 AM station via a stronger, 100,000-watt FM signal, a boon to local sports fans long irritated by balky AM reception.
WQAM is home to Miami Heat, Florida Panthers and Miami Hurricanes games, along with sports talk (Miami Dolphins-heavy) on 'The Joe Rose Show,' 'Tobin & Leroy' and 'Hochman, Crowder & Solana.' Dolphins' radio broadcasts can be heard on iHeartRadio's BIG 105.9-FM and Fox Sports WINZ 940-AM (and WIOD 610-AM when there is a conflict with the Miami Marlins).
A statement from Audacy regional president Claudia Menegus said South Florida sports fans' 'unrivaled passion' was deserving of 'a destination that matches their energy.'
Michael McCullough, chief marketing officer of the Miami Heat, said the expanded FM signal 'will bring even more fans, listeners, and a younger, more diverse audience' to Heat broadcasts.
The move came about three weeks before the Miami Hurricanes open their season with a nationally televised game against Notre Dame at Hard Rock Stadium on Aug. 31. The Dolphins begin their season on Sept. 7 at the Indianapolis Colts.
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While sports fans rejoice over a stronger radio signal for games and related banter, alternative-music lovers have lost another provider of songs by the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana and Green Day. Some may turn to BIG 105.9-FM, where music from these bands can be found in a playlist dominated by classic rock hits.
Another over-the-air alternative is WKPX 88.5-FM, a noncommercial, educational radio station operated by Broward County Public Schools. It features a diverse mix of music — Pixies, Pearl Jam, Pet Shop Boys — but at 3,000 watts is difficult to get once you cross the Broward County line.
An Instagram post from one fan of The Shark said: 'For many of us, it wasn't just a station — it was a rare place to listen to alternative music we couldn't find anywhere else. The lack of notice or communication has left us loyal listeners feeling blindsided and unheard.'
Of course, most fans of alternative music get their fix by streaming songs on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other sources.
It remains to be seen what effect the death of South Florida's major alternative-music radio station will have on touring decisions of musicians heard on The Shark. Already geographically challenging, is the region now philosophically undesirable, too?
This move comes less than a year after Audacy quietly canceled the 2024 Riptide Music Festival, the two-day, indie-music gathering it had organized since 2016 on Fort Lauderdale beach.
The 2023 Riptide Music Festival that took place that December featured a strong lineup that included headliners The Black Keys and Jelly Roll, joined by Dirty Heads, Sublime with Rome, Awolnation, Silversun Pickups and others.
The cancellation of Riptide 2024 came as Audacy was emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a process completed in January. No word yet from Audacy on any plans to resurrect Riptide, but it would seem even more unlikely with the demise of The Shark, which promoted Riptide heavily.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on IG: @BenCrandell.
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