Usher Media Group flipped 106.9 KOPW from Hip Hop to Country this week. The new “Country One” brand directly challenges iHeartMedia’s market-leading Kat 103.7 KXKT in Omaha.
What We Know KOPW abandoned its struggling Hip Hop format after watching ratings collapse. June showed a 4.8 share, down sharply from 5.6 in May. Meanwhile, Country One positions as “Omaha’s Hit Country” moving forward. This flip follows Usher’s acquisition of NRG Media’s Omaha cluster earlier this year.
What’s at Stake iHeart currently dominates Omaha’s country radio market with two competing signals. Kat 103.7 leads the entire market at 8.9 share. Meanwhile, the Wolf 93.3 commands 3.3 share in classic country. Country One therefore enters a crowded battlefield where execution matters more than signal strength.
What Remains Unclear Will Country One target modern country listeners or traditional audiences? Furthermore, who will lead programming at the newly branded station? Additionally, when does Usher plan significant talent and marketing investments? Ninety-day ratings will ultimately reveal whether this strategy works.
What It Means Usher clearly believes country outperforms hip hop in Omaha. The “Hit Country” positioning directly targets younger listeners moving from Kat. Success demands flawless execution in an increasingly format-saturated market.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.