With Radio One sending the Modern Rock format on WPLY (Y100)/ Philadelphia to the bench and moving it's Rhythmic CHR WPHI (The Beat) from 103.9 to Y100's 100.3 signal, a staff has been displaced and left wondering what happened to their radio station.  It's not uncommon in radio, but it's frustrating when it happens to a station that was healthy and producing towards the company's bottom line.

"Y100 has been a part of so many people's lives in Philadelphia. More than most radio stations, the staff really was a family," Y100 PD Jim McGuinn told FMQB. "I don't think that [the flip] has anything to do with the format's viability in the market."

Y100's great brand, successful radio shows, host of charity projects and strong, consistent billing seemed to support the notion that the format flip had little to do with the health of Modern Rock in Philadelphia and more to do with the Urban-focused format direction of Radio One.

In less than 24 hours, over 11,000 listeners signed the online petition at Y100Rocks.com to keep the station alive. Offshoot petitions have also popped up in the hours since Y100's demise. "I am amazed at the outpouring of support from the industry and from the fans of Alternative music in Philadelphia," McGuinn adds.

McGuinn later stopped by Pierre Robert's midday shift at WMMR as the crosstown Greater Media Mainstream Rocker has been embracing the Y100 listeners and staff members since the format change. He told Robert on air that, "Rock fans need to stick together. The last few years the music industry has been dominated by Pop and Hip-Hop and even though WMMR and Y100 competed, in a way, the stations are kind of tied together because were going after the people that like Rock music. There's all these different subgenres within the Rock world, and it'd be a shame if there is no outlet for a lot of this music that is loved by so many people. We'll see what happens as time goes."

Speculation about which station will fill the Modern Rock hole in Philly has begun floating around the market. One can't help but wonder if McGuinn and company can once again return from the dead to deliver Alternative music back to Philly listeners on a different signal. You can reach out to the Y100 staff at Y100Rocks.com, or e-mail McGuinn directly at jmcgnn@comcast.net.