WXYT, WKRK to simulcast?
Industry web site reports shift at 3 p.m. today

October 1, 2007
BY JOHN SMYNTEK
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Editor's note: Story updated at 12 :43 P.M.

Two CBS-owned radio stations will merge and simulcast sports talk according to the radio web site AllAccess.com.

WXYT-AM (1270) and WKRK-FM (97.1) will become WXYT-AM and FM, based on an FCC filing for a call letter change filed last week by WKRK. WKRK's format was more general "live talk" during the day with syndicated sports talk evenings, followed by big talk names Bill O'Reilly, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Tom Leykis overnight.

Such a consolidation has been rumored ever since the stations started simulcasting play-by-play coverage of the Tigers and Red Wings, starting with last hockey season. WXYT's AM signal has coverage gaps, especially at night and as the Tigers onfield fortunes improved. WKRK is the flagship for Lions. It was not immediately known if the Lions game would now be carried on 1270 AM.

Inquiries to station and corporate brass went unanswered Monday morning.

It was not known which shows from which station would survive.
All Access reported that the fate of WKRK's most popular show ---the 3-7 p.m. Deminski & Doyle talk fest, was unclear.

They aired a repeat Friday and a spate of unsubstantiated internet reports had the duo either cleaning out their office or agreeing to be part of the new combine.