In a surprising twist that has just about everybody scratching their heads, longtime hard-rock radio station 101.7 FM The Fox has officially been pulled off the air.
According to a source close to the station, employees of the Fox found out about the change in a meeting at 11am today. Immediately afterward, the station went off the air at noon.
The replacement station, “Hot 101.7, Sonoma County’s Hit Music Station,” is currently playing Top 40 hits (as I type this, it’s Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok”). If listeners notice any resemblance to another local Top 40 station, it’s no coincidence. Maverick Media, the Fox’s parent company, recently conducted an audit through a third-party surveying company and found that among those polled, Top 40 is more appealing in this region than hard rock.
Said another source: “They hired this company that finds out what music works, and what music isn’t working, and they felt like in order to keep a competitive edge in the market, they needed to strong-arm the only station that didn’t have any competition.”
That station, Y 100.9, airs on a weaker signal in Sonoma County, and the Maverick Media executives at the meeting seemed confident that Hot 101.7 will be able to overpower the smaller station “out of business,” the source said. (Y 100.9 is owned by Sinclair Communications, which also owns 95.9 the KRSH and 96.7 BOB-FM.)
Hot 101.7’s new site declares: “We asked Sonoma County what they wanted from their favorite radio station. You told us you wanted a HOT station that played hit music with LOTS of music.” (As I type now, it’s the Black Eyed Peas, “Just Can’t Get Enough.”)
Public response so far has been predictably negative, with the new station’s Facebook page filled with “fans” who are making their voice clear: “What the HELL!!!!” writes a typical fan. “No more freaking pop stations!!! I want the old FOX back. Gimme my rock back. I am beyond sick to my stomach. UGH!!!!!!” Elsewhere on the station’s Facebook page, fans complain about having their posts removed by the administrator.
A page for “Fight Hot 101.7” has cropped up just today, along with an even bigger page called “Bring Back the Fox,” and a public protest is planned for Friday, March 25, at 4pm.
Without a doubt, this marks the end of an era for Sonoma County radio. For over 20 years, the Fox has been a Sonoma County standby, serving up classic hard rock like AC/DC and Metallica to more recent music from System of a Down, Disturbed and Velvet Revolver. About a month ago, longtime program director Scott Less left 101.7 the Fox for the Pacific Northwest, but apparently, even prior to Less’ departure, a “skeleton crew” had been running things with barely any financial support from Maverick Media.
Based in Connecticut, Maverick Media are the same people who thought it would be a good idea to fire Steve Jaxon, one of the greatest DJs in Sonoma County, and who aren’t available for comment (their website has been perpetually “under construction” for well over a year). Located over 3,000 miles from the station’s Fox Plaza, they’ve seemed perpetually out of touch with what Sonoma County actually wants, and have now killed the station that gave the building its name. (Right now, they’re playing Britney Spears, “Womanizer.”)
The employees of the Fox have been told that they’ll be able to keep their jobs, but in what capacity exactly is unclear. Currently, Hot 101.7 is broadcasting with no human DJs at all, playing canned tracks on a piped-in feed from corporate headquarters. Sad.
.101.7 The Fox is Off the Air — What Happened?
74 COMMENTS
LEAVE A REPLY
strange thing is, the same thing happened up in portland oregon a couple of weeks ago:
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110316/NEWS/103160405/Hard-rock-station-KUFO-shut-down
it was totally out of the blue for local listeners. being an ex-portlandian, many of my friends on facebook are living up there. One day they would be complaining about it being not ‘hard’ enough, and the next day they were lamenting that it had been totally replaced by talk radio without warning.
I am not proposing there is a direct connection, but i wonder if there was a common ‘third party’ influence? I mean, does anyone smell the possibility of a proverbial rat? Is there a radio consultancy group going around telling media organization to put an end to this raucous heavy metal music in favor of more vanilla broadcasting. I know what your saying ‘this could never happen in america’, but who knows, maybe? maybe the land of the free and the brave is being replaced by greed to get paid? or worse yet, the weak and afraid?
Fu*k Maverick Media for thinkin they know what a Nor*Cal wants! … They’re back east, they have NO fuckin clue.
This was the only station I listened to for about as long as I can remember. Hope that fans can bring Fox back. Sad sad day.
Give me rock back!!! My radio is shut off till I get the fox back
hell the fox needs to rock again!!!!!!!
What “maverick media” doesn’t (and never did) understand, is that they destroyed one of the best radio stations in history! They took over a station that was about the music, and created a local community of musicians, music lovers, and fans of music, and spit in the face of that community…again! They systematically tore down everything that was special to the listeners!
I’ve listen to The Fox, since it’s inception! And back then, it was a bold statement and a love for heavy rock that drove it. Over the years, they developed “their sound”, just like a band does. They were, and are, one of us!
The question is: what does it take for a corporation to remember it’s roots…how it got their in the first place? Maverick Media played a foul hand once again! But do they realize: they’re not in Wisconsin anymore? This is northern California! And we know what we want!!! We want our rock, and we want it hard!!! And obviously the company hired to do the survey (if there really was one), didn’t give a shit about the truth!!! They just delivered their “report” and collected their money!
Heres the Number for Maverick Media may not be the number were all looking for but its bound to get a response
(203) 227-2800
Enjoy
WTF! GIVE ME MY FOX BACK. 101.7 THE FOX WILL ROCK AGAIN.
Put the Fox back on you will lose all customers in Sonoma County will not listen this bullshit your putting on now I want my hard rock station back your going to lose more money out of this than you think dumb shits. I can not believe you would do this without asking the people in Sonoma County and not just here other Counties listen to this station too so your going to FUCK everyone in this well guess what its going nationwide protest stop listening to all radio until you put Fox back on with our hard rock damn it.
i know what you mean i want to protest and make bumper stickers and flyer’s and shit i grew up listening to the fox this is fucking bullshit!
I just don’t understand how these polls were administered? I don’t recall hearing of such polls.
Why did Scott Less leave the Fox???
We are actually a much bigger group on Facebook than the other one you posted in the article. No ill will towards them tho
we have over 750 signatures on our petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?foxrocks
I want my rock music back what the hell i hope we fans can bring back what was the only thing on the radio that was true music!!!!!!!!!!!
The change is the result of Changing Demographics in Sonoma County. The recent release of Census data has many companies and organizations trying to figure out how to reach the larger Latino population in Sonoma County. The loss of the rock station is unfortunate, but it is a sign of the times.
MAVRICK NEEDS 2 BURN IN HELL….. WHAT THEY DID IS SICK !!!!!
What the hell is this bullshit? That building wudnt exist if not 4 THE FOX. How much has THE FOX contributed 2 The Last Day Salon, Flamingo Hotel(tats n blues), and of course that event at the fairgrounds 2day….ya that one. This is truely a sad day. I WILL BE AT THE PROTEST FRIDAY @4PM SMACK DAMN IN FRONT OF THE FOX PLAZA. SHOW SUM SUPPORT!!!
omfg, come on there is more to sonoma that hip hop crap, some of us are metal heads, give us back our fox!
maby the world might end in 2012….
I remember getting this poll call a while back. I told them I listened to the Fox 99% of the time and the other 1% was the River. They kept asking what else… It felt like they were hoping I’d say something like what they are playing now.
It’s 2011. Why are you still listening to the radio?
WTF!!! i turned The Fox on yesterday and katey perry was sing hot and cold!?? WTF!! thats not rock, I WANT MY ROCK BACK!!!! i don’t want to listen to rhianna, if i wanted to i’d go to another station, I WANT TO LISTEN TO ROCK!! what other station is there? i went to The Fox’s website and its gone, did they even announce that this was going to happen? were else am i suppose to listen to new releases?! it’s being taken over by pop and other sh*t! I listen to Rock, I freaking live in Sonoma County and there was no effing poll that i know of. i’m not listening to THAT kind of music on my favorite station until they BRING BACK 101.7 The Fox!!!!!!!!!!
They polled the people who listed to this kind of crap. I suppose its Opeth for my ride to work until fox comes back online.
Where are the local bands going to be played? Who is going to put on the awesome shows for local bands to play? Are our local bands just going to be stuck in their garages now instead of having the chance to be on the radio? WTF?
BRING BACK THE FOX!!!
What bands need to do is bring back rock. You want glam rock? Hard rock? Metal heads? Hair bands? Then make it popular again with the young kids. Otherwise, these people are going to keep on churning out hip hop brats.
What a horrible way to end a good week. Out of the fuckin blue we go from twenty years of AC/DC,Pantera, and Marilyn Manson to fuckin Britney spears? Lady Gaga? Hot 101.7? wtf. We better rally for the station we’ve supported and loved ,represented for so many years.I’d love to punch whoever is personally responsible in the fukin head.Fuck the Black Eyed Peas – I want Bullet for my Valentine and Smile Empty Soul. I’m just beside myself
Santa Rosa’s metropolitan statistical area has a population of 486,630, making it the 12th largest in California and the 105th largest in the United States. A city this big NEEDS a rock station. Bring back The Fox!!!!!
http://www.petitiononline.com/foxrocks/petition.html
On behalf of all the hard rock listeners, FUCK YOU Maverick Media. corporate bastards
The only thing that kept me from listening to my ipod in the car was the FOX. I will not ever support Maverick media’s top 40 crappy station!!!!!!!!!!!!Bring back the fox and Nick and Drew!
this is bullshit. bring back the rock of sonoma county.mavrick media has no true feelings or concerns for loyal fans. BITCHES.
Well, isn’t a surprise that surveys won’t be in your favor when you’re a station that plays nothing but the most generic, and old, rock and metal out there. It goes without saying you need to play the classics to remember your roots, but you need to showcase what’s current in heavy music, and bands like Disturbed, System of a Down, and Velvot Revolver (as so listed) are barely the way to go. There’s plenty of better heavy rock and metal out there, but since the fox never played it there was no demand, and an hour of the same Metallica songs we’ve already heard doesn’t quite make up for it. So why is everyone surprised that it failed?
Saying that, The HAWT is everything that is wrong in music today. It is part of an engine that is lowering the standard of our entertainment. They must be stopped.
Wow!! Do I need to say more than what has already been said. This totally sucks!! I want the fox back!! I guess I’m going to have to buck up and pay for satellite radio???
LAME!!!!
Bring back the FOX!!!!!!! I miss it so bad. Nothing on the radio is the same. There are no hard rock stations in Sonoma County now. Bring back the FOX!
I’ve listened to 101.7 THE FOX Since they started here in sonoma county. When at work or driving,in my garage tinkering or smoking a bowl during the sanitarium at 9 I always looked to see what was on. Very sad day!!! The ROCK DIED!!!
wow my heart is broke please give apart of my life back give me 101.7 the fox back in my heart
Well looks like a fine time to get that satellite radio and give up on terrestrial radio. No warning. Makes me sick. Is the River Still around?
It’s all about money. Maverick thinks it will sell more advertising by going with “top 40”. I say we call the advertisers who sponser this crap and say we are not buying your products. I’m going to call Maverick and tell them this is what we are doing until they bring us back our FOX. Also bring back Scott Less and Jeff Blazy. Hit them in the wallet my rock brothers and sisters.
I am so upset that 101.7 is no longer The Fox! Now there is no rock station in Sonoma County and I think that is unfair. Why does there need to be more hip hop stations, they already have a couple! Bring me my Fox back please! I am devastated and have nothing to listen to!
WTF!!!! Bring back the Fox!!!! Sonoma county already has enough Pop Stations. We need a Hard Rock station. Whoever decided this is a freaking idiot!!!!!
Pleaseeeee bring back 101.7 the fox!!! we don’t need another boring station. i’m not listening this hot sh!+ of station.
The new 101.7 sucks! Bring back the Fox!! I need my rock!!
I sure hope we get more than 41 responses to this outrage. You have got to be kidding me! Poof, it’s gone. I may be old but I’m not dead! Stuck in traffic with techno is dangerous for Sonoma County
This is unbelievable! There are too many pop hip hop whatever stations out there! I’m a rocker chick and want the rock music back! Not EVERYONE listens to this bs pop/ hip hop crap. Bring back the what the listeners want the that’s 101.7 THE FOX ROCKS!!!!!!
I just found out about 101.7 The Fox’s demise, so very sad to hear their gone, especially after many years of having them there. They truly were a part of this county.
I understand what your all trying to do in regards to getting them back, and I doubt you’ll get much response from protesting. If you want to get Maverick Media’s attention, get a list of their customers, those they do advertising for. Call them, and convince them that if they don’t pull their advertising, you’ll take your business elsewhere and will ask friends and family to do the same.
The only way to get through to people who don’t give a damn about this community, is to hurt them where it counts, go for the money people and make em squeal. If you do it right, you’ll get what you want.
Just Joe.
seriously, they change the best radio station in Sonoma County into an imitation of 100.9??
The only station I listen to is the FOX 101.7! BRING BACK THE FOX! WE need ROCK & ROLL!
What the F happen? One day I am listening Rock the next day Kesha is on, I am like what Faruk are they for real did some one drink to much the night before.
I want the Fox back still scratching my head over things I have read… Where was this poll taken? Because you sure missed me and everyone I know… The Fox had a stronger single than 100.9? well if anyone lives in Rohnert Park you know on certain streets the Fox will get static, but we get 100.9 clear as a bell on those same streets. The people who made this decision SUCK I want my Sanitarium back….
Maybe an evil April fools day prank?
I moved here from porland ore.10yr,s ago and was lonely and lost till I found THE FOX,,and now I,VE LOST my TRUE ROCK; Come Let,s Get Back 2 The REAL meaning of ROCK;Spring is and Summer is up next-SO BRING BACK THE F-EN ROCK WE ALL NEED 2ROLL,With;much needed…THANX THE SILVERFOX……
WHAT’s REALLY HAPPEN TO SELF ENJOYMENT!!I’m haven ahard time ENJOYEN THIS GREAT WEATHER with out the GREAT ROCK&ROLL that the FOX 101.7 PLAY’s..I’m getten tired of switch CD’s that I boutgh cause of the rock they have played….SO LETS ALL GET 2gether and GET THE FOX ROLLEN……
BRING IT BACK!!!!! I listened to the fox ALL the time for over 20 years and I don’t know what I am going to listen to now. There are no rock stations in this valley!!!
WOW i listened to this station from philadelphia on my phone, it was like living 90s rock all over again, this is again a said day in rock history, fuck the mainstream and corporate american, this station is what made me listen to radio again, now back to the mp3s
Why do they choose the # 1 best rock station and makes another pop station to add on to the 20 other stations they already play pop they snood change it back to rock theres not every that likes pop others also likes rock so I think this is f*cked up
This is bullshit I have nothing on the radio worth listening to, I’m stuck with my iPod and CDs that’s not so bad but I like turning on the radio and listening to the fox rock too.
True, corporations are always looking on ways to improve their capital gains, but on occasions like this they can at a times turn a worth while asset into a Yugo. To the corporate investor, if you feel that this new selection of music can make you money, then add another radio station, but don’t remove the FOX. Radio stations 100.9, 101.3 and 104.9 already play simular mixes, at times even 100.1, but nobody could touch the FOX (Rock of Sonoma County). I’m a listener of all kinds of music and to tell you the truth, these other stations play a much better progam than yours. I hate to say this in front of other FOX fans but, I hesitantly tried to give the new station a few tries (mostly hoping this new selection was an error, and would be corrected shortly). I have to be frank, your drone station and content truely sucks. As an avid listen and fan of the FOX, I’m sad to say that I have now finally removed 101.7 from my station memory settings. I hope that someone, perhaps fellow fans, start a new station, hire the FOX crue and pick us back up from where Maverick Media dropped us off at. Maverick Media. . . good luck with your Yugo, next time contract a consultant, not a car salesman.
I have grown up with the FOX and ROCK music. This is a prime example of Corprate America not giving a shit about the people, only profits. We now have NO rock station here and just a bunch of SHIT on 101.7 some TEENAGE BUBBLEGUMMERS CALL MUSIC. They don’t have any money to spend eitrher, so we will see how ineffective the advertising will be. Maverick has always been way more expensive to advertise there anyways. Hope they fall flat on thier Greedy corprate faces.
I think it f*&$%ing sucks that not much has changed about how the music industry is regulated by heinous organizations like Maverick Media! So, it looks like ridiculous demographics and rules will trump what the people really want.
Maverick Media, you guys are a bunch of fascists! How dare you kill Rock N’Roll, the only real rock n’ roll we had on the air! I want the Fox back! Screw this fruity, mamby-pamby pop shit!
CyberSyzygy, a local web design and development company created a website for the organizers of the Bring Back The Fox facebook page completely pro-bono. It can be seen at http://www.bringbacktherock.com
Bring back our ROCK.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS.!!!….. Replace THE FOX for this “hit radio station” or whatever is the name of this new radio station ……. WHAT THE HELL R THEY THINKING.???….. I live in Sonoma county for a long time. I dont live there anymore but I used to live the fox every single day even now that i m leaving in the Gold Coast and now i m lost and sad ……. I can listen my favorite radio station anymore and around here they dont have one…….. CRAP.!!!…… BAD, BAD DECISION …….. I HOPE THEY BRING IT BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I was trying to say …….. I USED TO LISTEN THE FOX EVERY SINGLE DAY AND NOW I CAN’T LISTEN MY FAVORITE RADIO STATION ANYMORE……… WE WANT OUR RADIO STATION BACK NOW.!!!…….
A sad day in rock and roll i have rock to the fox for 15 + years i went and got XM RADIO rock on!! F@#$K Mavrick Media
I have been a Fox listener for every single one of the twenty years that it has been with us. This may sound corny, but I literally felt the loss in my heart! The Fox was a part of Sonoma County, and so it is a part of me. Bring the rock back………..PLEASE!!! As for the DJ’s, my condolances, what a slap in the face. I understand that the bottom line is the money, but DAMN!! REALLY?!?! That’s how they’re going to do it. Fucking hate corporate! They are ruining anything and everything that is real in this Nation. Lastly, Metal, Metal, Metal; are we seeing the beginning of the end? Please tell me that Heavy Metal isn’t going to fade away. The Fox may be gone, but there is still room for another station, let’s rock it together and KEEP METAL ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I grew up listening the the fox, my parents always had it on, and since I was 8yrs old my alarm would go off to wake me up for school with the fox playing, driving to school/work i had the fox on, over the years i started listening to other types of music but ALWAYS listened to the fox, it was always my #1 preset on all my radio’s, they played the best sh$t in town, the station was a HUGE part of sonoma county. I hope they bring it back and get rid of this teen bop sh$t. like others have said “influence your kids with this music and it will come back” in the words of ac/dc
“‘Cause rock ‘n’ roll ain’t no riddle man
To me it makes good, good sense………….It’ll always be with us
It’s never gonna die, never gonna die
Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t noise pollution
Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t gonna die
Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t noise pollution
Rock ‘n’ roll it will survive”
I live and are from Holland…
I’ve been many times in your region. Always listened to 101.7 ( the Fox ) I did not need to carry an I Pod around, because they played all the songs I wanted to hear…. now I read that their playing “canned music”?? Where’s the emotion… people aren’t computers…..Sad, sad..
This sucks ASS! It was nice being able to hear the rock music that me and kids love. Its no LIVE105. But the FOX did fucking rock. Plus the DJ’s were the best here in sonoma county. But hey this wine suck Sonoma fucked up county. Now we are stuck with another suck ass kiddy titty pop bullshit radio station that offers no life. ROCK AND ROLL WILL FOREVER CONTROL THE WORLD. ITS HOW AMERICANS DEAL WITH IDIOTS WHO TRY TO RULE AND CONTROL WHO WE ARE.
This station Rocked and was the best radio station I have found. I would listen to it online when I out of the area. Whoever decided to take it off the air sucks and should lose their job over this. Bring this station back or start another one that plays the same type of music.
There’s already too many of those types of stations here in Sonoma County,bring back the good music of 101.7 The Fox.
I was and still am angry when out of the blue with no warning as far as i know The Fox was pulled from the air.
If possible can we bring back 101.7 the fox?
I’m sure everyone is missing it. I loved it. Bring the station back please?
I can’t say I was always a faithful fox listener, because I have satellite radio which I preferred. BUT, what I did appreciate about the fox is how much they were involved in promoting live rock music in Sonoma County. I know they sponsored many shows I’ve attended at the LBC (now Wells Fargo Center), Last Day Saloon, and up in Knocti when it was open. My brother listened to this station, and won concert tickets numerous times (that I attended with him). It’s really surprising that a county that has grown so large fails to get many good rock artists to play here. It will be even worse now with the fox station no longer rocking.
I currently live in Austin TX, I haven’t been back to town since January 2011. Today I turned on the radio to my one and only station in Sonoma County (101.7) and said to myself, “Wow, the Fox really changed up their music, they must be trying to reach out to the lamebrain masses.” Then BAM! “You’re listening to Hot bla bla bla.” I couldn’t believe it, I was certain they just changed station or something but nope, it’s gone. What a horrible thing to do. I’m fucking pissed.
Dumb..scott less was a G! This robot rap crap blows! we need more metal!
Inexcusable. How the hell can a group out of Connecticut have any idea what people in California Wine Country want? They are anti first amendment by removing posts by locals demanding to be heard. I lived in Sonoma County and know they want the fox back. All people I know which there are many, all say the fox needs to come back. Sonoma County needs its flavor back.
Bring the station back! This is so wrong in every way! The only Great station for classic rock is gone now because of what, a few that THINK they know what people want to hear, or think they know what there doing! Not Happy about this at all!!!