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Fort Myers Country Station Rebrands as 'Trump Country,' Citing Ratings Gains

The owner, now a congressional candidate, says the unlicensed Trump-themed branding boosted ratings.

Overview

  • WHEL 93.7 FM executed the rebrand on Inauguration Day after briefly testing the concept in late 2020.
  • The logo features an animated image of President Trump in a cowboy hat with campaign-style typography and the slogan “Make Country Great Again.”
  • Station imaging uses a Trump impersonator for on-air promos, including a “Deportation a day” cruise giveaway and a “Cancel Bowl” contest targeting so-called woke themes.
  • July Nielsen data put WHEL as the market’s second highest-rated country station, and management reports a tripling of adults 25–54 since March.
  • Owner Jim Schwartzel says he stays off the air to avoid equal-time obligations during his House bid, and representatives for President Trump declined to comment.