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Cat Country 98.7 Is The 2024 CMA Radio Station Of The Year (With Gallery)

Next week, Cat Country 98.7 will receive the 2024 Country Music Association (CMA) Radio Station of the Year Award in Nashville. This is the third time the station has won this prestigious CMA Station of the Year award, having previously won in 2017 and 2019.

And that’s a big deal.

The CMA Radio Station of the Year Award is based on not only how they sound, but also ratings and community involvement.

This week, NorthEscambia.com sat in-studio with Brent, Mel, and Jordan during The Cat Park Morning Show to learn a little more about what makes the locally owned station deserving of the national award.

For a photo gallery, click here.

“What a what a treat to be recognized for serving our community at a national level,” Brent Lane said.

“It never gets old to be recognized by other professionals for the hard work that we put in all year round,” Mel added. “So, on that level, knowing that people that voted on this award, recognize what we try to strive to do every day in our community and give back. And then also sharing the country music story but we weave those two together and be recognized for that is huge.”

If there is a local community event, or a community need in the Pensacola metro, adds are you’ll find Cat Country involved. And that’s a point of pride for Brent and Mel.

“It’s a success through service model. We’re lucky to be locally owned and in doing the expectation is that we’re going to be community helpers. So, every opportunity that there is to give back, we have continued to give back,” Brent said.

“In our industry, it is rare that we are live and local, and so we live here. We are your neighbors,” Mel added. “We are experiencing everything that our community members are experiencing. So, we’re here; we’re not just some syndicated voice that has no idea what your town and your community is like.

“We actually show up, and we live next door to you. We can help you, and that’s I think super important for people to know — that we’re here to help them, no matter what whether it’s, hey, you’re having a lonely day and we’re here, you can make that phone call, or it’s a hurricane relief drive, or any of those type of events. We want to make sure we’re there, and we’re not only just a radio show, but we’re your friends and we’re your neighbors too.” she said.

This week, Pensacola has faced tremendous traffic problems thanks to CSX railroad crossing closures, with very little information made available in advance by the company. During our visit, there was a big focus on community-sourcing crossing closure information in order to share and make the morning community a little bit easier for listeners.

“What’s happening this morning with the railroad tracks is a major source of frustration for local drivers, and so to be able to talk about that in real time and give back is, is always continuing to double down on what we say we do which is be live, local and supportive,” Brent said. “so, whether it’s the railroad tracks being down, or a CSX train that goes off the tracks, or whatever that looks like to be able to have an opportunity to stand in front of you, and then be good stewards of the goodwill that you might give.”

And there are no plans to change that community focus anytime soon.

“As far as what we do in the morning, we’re going to continue to do. What you hear, what we are trying to do, Brent and Mel will be your morning friends,” Brent said. The, with a laugh, adding “And Jordan is your morning jester of traffic.”

For a photo gallery, click here.

WYCT, better known as Cat Country 98.7, is locally owned by Dave and Mary Hoxeng.

The winners of the 58th Annual CMA Awards will be honored during a Wednesday, November 20 ABC telecast (to be aired locally on WEAR 3) from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The CMA Awards show will also be available on Hulu beginning Thursday, November 21.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.