100.3 the Beat personalities turn to Facebook after firing
100.3 the Beat logo
Urban music fans know by now the heart of the Beat has stopped ticking, after the Beat’s on-air personalities were fired and the station’s format changed.
At noon Friday, after playing Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road,” R&B/rap radio station KATZ-FM (100.3 the Beat) became Halloween 100.3, and debuted with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” followed by songs such as the theme to “Halloween,” White Zombie’s “I’m Your Boogeyman,” and the Cranberries’ “Zombie.”
Since Friday, 100.3 has changed from Halloween 100.3 to Christmas 100.3, now airing the Beach Boys’ “Frosty the Snowman,” Hall & Oates “Jingle Bell Rock,” and Eurythmics “Winter Wonderland.” It’s expected to remain seasonal throughout the rest of the year before moving on to a rock format.
Fans of the Beat can listen to the station in an HD radio/online broadcast format — click here to listen to the Beat.
The change in format, which may have something to do with the fact WHHL-FM (Hot 104.1) had been beating the Beat in the ratings, caught everyone off guard. As in customary in radio, the Beat jocks didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to their listeners on air.
Many of them turned to Facebook to have their say. Here are some of their Facebook status updates since the firings, unedited:
– Kiki the First Lady
“Well FB The entire Beat staff including myself was just let go. The format is changing at noon. I’m good GOD is in the mist! Just want to THANK YOU for all your years of love and support over my radio career!”
“I want to THANK everybody for all the kind words and support. Ya’ll have been SOOOO good to me! Always held me down and supported me and now when I need most ya’ll still here for me. GOD Bless U all! Having my going away party this Monday @ Black Label hope to see you all!”
– Dwight Stone
“What up, Fb Fam! By now you heard that my radio station is gone. They decide to go another format so the Beat staff has got our ways as well. Either way it goes, I HAVE NO HARD FEELINGS & I thank God for the opportunity. I stand behind what i said before. God is still good! If you know me - you know I don’t just say it - I live it . My gift will make room for me. LETHIMUSEYA!”
– DJ AJ
“I’m a FREE AGENT NOW!!!!! Holla at my AGENT for booking. I was the man before the Beat and I will continue to be the man. Don’t get it twisted. I made radio, it didn’t make me….Holla at yo boy….”
“As I have told my former co-workers 4 years, We have 2 control our own destiny. It takes us 2 build our name NOT radio. We didn’t create radio, own radio, or responsible 4 it’s downfall. We were puppets 2 a system. Years & years of non-support (bootlegging, etc.), has finally caught up. Urban radio is suffering all over. I will continue 2 do my promotions. I hope my people support me & any other black entrepreneur.”
Selena J, a Beat employee who still works on sister station KMJM-FM (Majic 104. 9), offered: “Thank you for supporting me in the mornings, but I’m so sad to say that 100.3 The Beat is no more. We lost a lot of great people today. I only lost another radio show, but my friends lost their jobs. We don’t know what the new music format will be yet, but for now it’s ‘Halloween 100.3. Hip-Hop and R&B can be found on our 100.3 HD2 channel.”
Kevin C. Johnson has covered the St. Louis' music and nightlife scene for the past decade. 
I’m a big fan of Christmas music, like a lot of people, but playing it on the radio before Thanksgiving or mid-November is ridiculous. Remember last year when 101.1 played Christmas music from Columbus Day weekend until New Year’s, when they changed to all-sports? I like to eat pizza and ice cream, but I just can’t do it at every meal.
I can eat pizza and ice cream every meal. I like Raccanelii’s and Baskin Robbins the best but anything will do. So today I will jam out to some holiday fare and be good with it. We are talking two months. We can’t have the holiday spirit for two months? We need another station rappin and thumpin? I hope the employees from the Beat land safely but this is not the worse thing in the world for St. Louis radio. I am Brother Jones.
Well, I’m saddened by the news that we’ve lost another station of “rappin’ and thumpin’ I did enjoy the station and the music. So much for diversity if 100.3 becomes another rock station, we have several of those. As for Brother Jones’ comment about being able to eat pizza and ice cream at every meal, I guess we’re lucky we can’t see you because that’s an unfortunate way to live. Perhaps you need to rap and thump after a diet like that. Anyway, best of luck to the dj’s who lost their jobs, I wish them the best and just ignore the haters. Holiday music for two months is too much and just attributes to the commercialism of the holidays and wanting people to spend more money.
100.3 is the first of many dominos to fall.
When the knuckleheads who operate ethnic stations finally figure out that the station has to have a marketable product, maybe then they can have a successful run.
100.3 has never generated a profit and never could while serving the musical needs of the most un-educated sector of the African-American populous.
Let’s hope in the future that our remaining Black stations look toward having intelligent, articulate announcers that can put the station at a level as to be able to compete with any station in the marketplace.
I agree with Cleo, does St. Louis really need another rock station? I remember being pissed when 106.5 changed from the jazz station to the Arch. There is such a lack of diversity in the St. Louis radion stations, it’s sad.
radio, not radion.
Yeh!!!!!! Christmas music!!!!! I’m in heaven.
This is some stuff that were only left with 3 stations it was already sad with 4 now 3. What are they going to take next for us to listen to? It’s crazy that u can turn to any station and listen to rock, country, etc., but u actually have to find our stations to even listen to. Is this not 2009 when are things really gone to change? I hear change, but is it really changing?
First off, you guys just had a convo about pizza and ice cream. Get a life why don’t you.
Second, it is crazy how a power house like clear channel lost to a smaller station. Of course I was cheering for the little guy. I didn’t think 104.1 had a chance when they came on the scene.
Kevin, can you answer me why the stations don’t allow the DJ’s a sendoff??
Magic did the same thing when they replaced the morning DJ with the Top five at 9 DJ (Darrel Eason).
I will miss all of the DJ’s from the Beat. Clear Channel caught an L for this one.
Kevin’s “Cousin”…It’s my opinion, strictly my opinion, that the stations don’t want to risk putting a fired DJ on the air to say goodbye in case that DJ, disgruntled, angry, flips the switch and goes out in a ball of flames on the air, with nothing to lose.