When radio revenue and the national economy both nosedived last September, the normal format change activity that precedes the fall ratings book ground to a halt. At that time, it was typical to hear from group owners and GMs that even improved ratings weren’t likely to improve their available revenue – so why go through the expense of a format change?

So the increased format activity that surrounded this Labor Day weekend – while probably typical for years before 2008 – is encouraging nevertheless. To some extent, you can credit the CHR building boom of the last six months, which has sparked Mainstream Top 40 wars from Calgary to Chattanooga, Tenn. However mixed the economic news, the appetite for “today” in all formats continues to grow and the CHR boomlet is one manifestation. But it was an interesting week for new radio on all fronts.

The changes kicked off with Clear Channel’s leap into a ‘90s-based format with WLGX (Gen X Radio) Louisville, Ky. We take a look at that station and two other similar recent entries here.

Here’s a look at three other interesting new launches this week:

KLIF (i93) Dallas

Clear Channel Top 40 KHKS (Kiss 106.1) Dallas has been one of those formats whose fortunes often track with those of the format. In 1995, it was one of the first Top 40 success stories of its era and helped create the “fast on rhythmic product/slow on rock” template that defined many of CC’s Top 40 stations. A few years ago, it began to work in more pop/rock product, often becoming a gateway station that helped move Finger Eleven’s “Paralyzer” or Saving Abel’s “Addicted” from small- to large-market-Top 40.

So what would you do against Kiss, a station with a big morning show that doesn’t seem particularly broken? Cumulus started by returning the legendary KLIF calls to Top 40 (if only at the ID) to former Triple-A KDBN. Its new i93.3 (http://www.i93hits.com) is more rhythmic pop flavored and less recurrent/gold-flavored than some other recent Cumulus launches. In certain ways, it’s a throwback to the earlier, more rhythmic version of KHKS.

Ironically, many posters on the Radio-Info.com message boards usually lay into the Cumulus Top 40s for their variety and slower rotations. Early on in the thread about this format change, some posters complained that the station wasn’t conservative enough to represent a real alternative to Kiss, which just proves that there’s no pleasing some people.

Here’s i93.3 at 1:20 p.m. on Sept. 8:

Jesse McCartney, “How Do You Sleep?”

Beyoncé, “Sweet Dreams”

Justin Timberlake, “Lovestruck/I Think She Knows”

Miley Cyrus, “Party In The U.S.A.”

Pink, “Sober”

Pitbull, “I Know You Want Me”

Natasha Bedingfield, “Pocketful Of Sunshine”

Jay Sean, “Down”

Backstreet Boys, “Straight Through My Heart”

Katy Perry, “Hot ‘N’ Cold”

Drake, “Best I Ever Had”

Keri Hilson, “Knocks You Down”

Puff Daddy, “I’ll Be Missing You”

Jordan Sparks, “Battlefield”

The Fray, “You Found Me”

WDTW Detroit

Rhythmic AC’s stock was down for a while, but Clear Channel’s WKTU New York has had a few great recent months. Sister WMIA Miami gained fast traction. And now, Country WDTW has become “106.7, the new Beat of Detroit.” As you might expect in Detroit, there’s a little more R&B and less freestyle than the East Coast versions. But, as in New York and Miami, there are still currents, even though that short-spaces the station slightly to Top 40 sister WKQI (Channel 95.5), which has had its own “old school” component over the years. The move would seemingly allow WKQI to continue nudging a little further toward the pop mainstream, and disarmingly successful Hot AC WDVD. It also allows longtime AC WNIC, once the station in the market that played “You Dropped A Bomb On Me,” to continue to modernize and squeeze WDVD from the other side.

Here’s WDTW on Sept. 9 just before 10 a.m:

Kanye West, “Gold Digger”

Lauryn Hill, “Doo Wop (That Thing)”

Exposé , “Come Go With Me”

Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”

Bee Gees, “More Than A Woman”

Whitney Houston, “It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay”

Rob Base & DJ EZ-Rock, “Joy And Pain”

Rihanna, “Pon De Replay”

Prince, “Little Red Corvette”

K-Ci & Jojo, “All My Life”

Madonna, “Lucky Star”

KQLZ (99.1 The Virus) Boise, Idaho

Impact Radio Group’s KQLZ (The Virus) Boise, Idaho, programmed by Mikey Fuentes and consulted by Radiocrunch’s Anthony Acampora and Kevin McCabe wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the more stable Alternative radio firmament of 2001 – a lot of ‘90s grunge, a lot of very mainstream currents and just one or two spikes from the “true alternative” side. But these days, Alternative launches are well outnumbered by the traffic in the other direction, and this type of “straight-down-the-center” alternative has become rare, as stations list either toward Active Rock or the indie boutique side. Like the very successful WGRD Grand Rapids, Mich., it’s a straightforward take on what has become a very complicated format.

Also praiseworthy in the Virus’ first days? Of all the new stations I listened to this week, it was the first one I heard that was hosted.

Here’s KQLZ on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. local time:

Collective Soul, “Shine”

Sick Puppies, “You’re Going Down” (the song the station signed on with)

Nirvana, “Rape Me”

Incubus, “Pardon Me”

Toadies, “Possum Kingdom”

Michael Franti & Spearhead, “Say Hey (I Love You)”

Pearl Jam, “Jeremy”

Green Day, “Know Your Enemy”

Offspring, “The Kids Aren’t Alright”

Staind, “It’s Been Awhile”

Alice In Chains, “Check My Brain”

Everclear, “Santa Monica (Check My Brain)”

Oasis, “Wonderwall”

MGMT, “Kids”

Nine Inch Nails, “Head Like A Hole”