B101-FM Philadelphia Changes Name to MoreFM(TM)

PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - Dec 10, 2013) - Legendary AC Radio station WBEB (B101.1 FM, Philadelphia) today announced that it will change its name from B101 to MoreFM™ later this month. The station is not making any programming changes, but is updating its name to more accurately reflect its 'More Music, Less Talk' mantra. The name change comes during a period of sustained dominance, with WBEB being the most listened to station in the market for an unprecedented 88 consecutive ratings books. This is the latest bold move from a proven radio innovator who remains the only stand-alone, major market FM station in the country -- winning radio's highest honor, the Marconi Award, eight times in the past decade.

The move is a result of extensive research studies that are the trademark of the station's longtime owner and philanthropist, Jerry Lee. Research showed that despite ongoing evolution of the station's audience and playlists, the B101 name still has a strong association with some artists that have not been played on the station for many years. The update from B101 to MoreFM™ is designed to better align the station's name with its programming and help more closely match listener perception with the station's current reality. A similar move helped spur the station's leadership position 20 years ago. 

"We made a nearly identical decision in 1993 when we kept the same programming but switched our name from EZ-101 to B101 to update our image," said Lee. "That one worked out pretty well, increasing our audience 40 percent over the next three years and ultimately helping establish us as a dominant #1, particularly with Women 25-54. We're confident this name change will set the foundation for the next 20 years of growth."

The name MoreFM™ surfaced as an obvious choice during the research says General Manager Blaise Howard.

"As we went through the process it became clear that what our listeners expect from us and what sets us apart from competitors is our commitment to playing more of the music they love with less of the talk they don't," said Howard. "With the MoreFM™ name, we are embracing our strength and reflecting the listening experience that matters most to our audience."

MoreFM™ will continue to play the same great Adult Contemporary songs it has been playing. The station has the most extensive music testing program in the industry. It will continue testing all of its music to ensure that the station is delivering the music its listeners want to hear.

The station will promote the name change throughout the holiday season, making it official on Thursday, December 26^th.

About WBEB
WBEB 101.1 FM is an adult contemporary radio station broadcasting in the Philadelphia market. Founded in 1963 by David Kurtz and Jerry Lee, WBEB is credited with many industry firsts and has enjoyed consistent Top 10 ratings for decades. The station is currently owned and operated by Jerry Lee. It remains the only stand-alone, major market FM radio station in the country.