▁Chal mers . ▁ ▁WM MS ▁also ▁l ured ▁popular ▁morning ▁personal ities ▁Brian ▁F ow ler ▁and ▁Joe ▁C ron auer ▁away ▁from ▁rival ▁W EN Z ▁– ▁then ▁an ▁alternative ▁rock ▁station ▁known ▁as ▁ ▁– ▁as ▁the ▁success ors ▁to ▁Jeff ▁and ▁Flash ▁( J eff ▁Kin z bach , ▁Ed ▁Fer enc ) ▁on ▁The ▁B uzz ard ▁Mor ning ▁Z oo . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁change ▁in ▁programming ▁al ien ated ▁many ▁long time ▁listen ers ▁– ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁switched ▁to ▁W NC X ▁and ▁their ▁full - time ▁classic ▁rock ▁format ▁– ▁WM MS ▁boost ed ▁its ▁ratings ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁years ▁with ▁a ▁new , ▁younger ▁audience . ▁ ▁Billboard ▁and ▁Air play ▁Mon itor ▁mag az ines ▁together ▁named ▁WM MS ▁Rock ▁Station ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁( Med ium ▁Market ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁and ▁Modern ▁Rock ▁Station ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁( Med ium ▁Market ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁John ▁G orm an ▁was ▁named ▁Program ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁( R ock ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Despite ▁signs ▁of ▁success , ▁the ▁station ▁was ▁sold ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁WM MS ▁went ▁to ▁Nation wide ▁Communic ations ; ▁long time ▁sister ▁station ▁WH K ▁went ▁to ▁S alem ▁Communic ations ▁– ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁two ▁had ▁ever ▁operated ▁under ▁separate ▁ownership . ▁ ▁The ▁sale ▁came ▁almost ▁immediately ▁after ▁passage ▁of