Local business owners Brad Evans, Wes Griffith and Rob Evans announce the purchase of Macon-based radio station 100.9 WNEX FM. The ownership, now called Creek Media, will re-launch the radio station in early July. The Creek 100.9 will feature an Americana music format and aim to globally broadcast the best of the South’s roots music, thoughtful programming and city insight from Macon, Georgia as an independently-owned and operated radio station.

In addition to the radio station, Creek Media will operate Star Motel Records, the recording studio and record label founded by Rob Evans in 2007, and the 11th Hour alternative bi-weekly newspaper published by Brad Evans and his wife, Meagan.

Creek Media’s Downtown Macon Headquarters

The Creek 100.9 WNEX FM will broadcast from Creek Media’s headquarters at 533 Cherry Street, in the heart of Downtown Macon. The studio overlooks Cherry Street and will be visible from street level.

Creek Media will share a lobby with an upcoming expansion of the Rookery, the longtime anchor restaurant of Downtown Macon. Creek Media partner Wes Griffith co-owns Moonhanger Group, a Macon restaurant and hospitality company that includes the Rookery, as well as other local eateries Dovetail, H&H and most recently, El Camino. Moonhanger Group also manages the Cox Capitol Theatre.

“Celebrating Macon’s heritage, promoting a sense of pride for community and enhancing its cultural offerings have and continue to be my primary goals as a downtown business owner,” said Griffith. “The Creek, which is named for the mound-builders that first settled our area, will celebrate our heritage and all things Americana. We believe it will be an agent for artistic development in our community and fill a need to share local, regional and national artists who otherwise have no platform to be heard on a stage of this size.”

Other plans for the Creek Media headquarters include a performance stage for live music broadcasts and a vinyl record store.

Local Programming & Performances

Creek Media plans to bring more local programming to the existing radio station, including opportunities to showcase local music.

"We want to bring back real community radio to Macon,” said Brad Evans. “This won’t be canned content. Our goal is to broadcast the best of Central Georgia to the world with authentic live music, lifestyle programming and compelling stories from our area. This will be curated by local deejays with a deep knowledge of music and passion for sharing it.”

The Creek 100.9 will feature a variety of local and well-known artists Townes Van Zandt, Chris Stapleton, Taj Mahal, Jason Isbell and many of the musicians who made Macon famous.  

The Creek 100.9 is currently focusing on content development, which will include a variety of local programming and personalities. Among the local programs planned are a four-hour morning segment, a “Live Lunch” with local tastemakers and business owners, a vinyl hour, where old records are played on the radio, and live band performances in the studio.

“We are in the process of developing over 15 different live shows, including a morning and afternoon drive,” added Evans. ““From ‘Honky Tonk Hell with Aaron Irons’ to a segment all about the bar and restaurant industry with Chelsea Hughes called ‘Served,’ we’re having a lot of fun celebrating our regional flavor and personalities as community radio. The Creek 100.9 FM will live and breathe our region.”

The Creek will also feature a strong online presence, including a live stream website, a mobile app, and various social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The station can be found at WNEXFM.com.

Nurturing the Music Scene

The Creek Media partners are no strangers to the Macon music scene. As the co-owner and publisher of the 11th Hour alternative weekly newspaper and website, Brad Evans covers the local music scene since bringing the publication to Macon in 2001. Both Rob and Brad Evans (no relation) and Griffith are founding board members of the Bragg Jam Festival. Brad Evans and Griffith were also the original publishers of Georgia Music Magazine. While Griffith oversees Moonhanger Group’s management of the Cox Capitol Theatre, Rob Evans works as the venue’s production manager.

Rob Evans will continue to operate Star Motel Records’ recording studio from his Downtown Macon home, but he will also serve as recording engineer for the radio station. Both the station and his studio will be available resources for local musicians and musicians coming through Macon to perform.

“This extension fulfills my desires to develop artistic talent and get new music out there to the public,” said Rob Evans. “Creek Media creates more synergy to capitalize talent. We now have the place to record and perform live but also the media presence to put the record on the air, as well as the 11th Hour and online. This creates opportunity for artists to not only come to Macon but to stay here.”

The on-air celebration of the Creek 100.9 FM officially kicks off on July 8, 2016 at 10:09 a.m. The re-launch will feature local musicians and station partners. For more information on Creek 100.9, please contact Creek Media partner Brad Evans at 478.508.7096 or e-mail [email protected].