Florida radio station triples ratings after rebranding as Trump Country

A Florida radio station has found success after rebranding as “Trump Country” 93.7 FM and embracing MAGA with President Donald Trump as the face and voice of the operation. 

WHEL radio, a country station located in Fort Myers, Florida, uses the slogan “Make Country Great Again,” features signage that mirrors a Trump campaign ad, airs comedic promotions read by a Trump impersonator and even uses an AI-generated cowboy hat-clad Trump in its logo. 

“We made the rebrand decision shortly after President Donald Trump’s election landslide and witnessed all of the support in our area for Trump in boat parades and rallies. So, we made the decision that we would also celebrate Trump’s win by rebranding on inauguration day,” WHEL president and general manager Jim Schwartzel told Fox News Digital. 

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WHEL president and general manager Jim Schwartzel stands next to his 1985 Ford F-150 with “Trump Country” 93.7 FM branding. (WHEL)

Schwartzel said “feedback has been tremendous” and the station’s audience has grown significantly since the rebrand. 

“The people who have found the station celebrate and listen for long periods of time,” Schwartzel said, noting that WHEL has the most TSL — Time Spent Listening — of any country radio station in the area at an average of five hours and 45 minutes per week.

WHEL has tripled its ratings among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults 25-54 since March, according to Nielsen Radio Data provided by Schwartzel that was first reported by CBS News. CBS also noted that Trump won 64% of the 2024 presidential vote in Lee County, where “Trump Country” 93.7 FM is located. 

“We love keeping it local and serving Southwest Florida’s unique audience, reflecting their values, music and culture,” Schwartzel told Fox News Digital. 

One recent satirical on-air promo featured a Trump impersonator offering a trip to Mexico on a “big, beautiful cruise ship” that was billed as a special deportation allowing contest winners to return home to Florida. 

“You want to be deported? You’ve got to listen. That’s how it works, legal listening only,” the Trump impersonator says. 

Schwartzel said his staff writes and records all the content themselves. 

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President Donald Trump’s popularity in Florida has helped WHEL find success.   (Mehmet Eser / Middle East Images via AFP via Getty Images)

“Sometimes we have over 50 liners for a single promotion. We take lots of callers and play them back on the radio,” Schwartzel said. “This is about entrepreneurship, innovation and having fun on local radio.” 

WHEL also has a promotion called “The Cancel Bowl,” where listeners leave voicemails describing “the most pathetic woke thing you’ve seen” to be played on-air. 

“Every week, one caller wins the Trump Country Tailgate Command Kit (flamethrower grill starter, a rack of ribs, camo cutting board, and flag toothpicks), and one true patriot takes home the Freedom Five Thousand… that’s $5,000 in cash to spend on guns, grills, steaks, ammo, flags, or anything guaranteed to trigger your liberal cousin. We’ll play the calls that trigger tofu-eaters everywhere. Because this isn’t just football season, it’s a season to cancel,” WHEL states on its website. 

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WHEL president and general manager Jim Schwartzel said he was inspired by Trump boat parades and rallies.

The station also has a 1985 Ford F-150 that is “logoed up” with “Trump Country” 93.7 FM branding. 

Schwartzel is running for Congress in Florida as a Republican candidate, seeking to fill the seat held by Rep. Byron Donalds. It’s pretty clear Trump would have another ally if Schwartzel is ultimately successful. 

“Jim is running for Congress to give President Donald J. Trump the support he needs and to fight for the conservative values that make Southwest Florida strong. He’s not a career politician with ambitions for higher office—like President Trump, he’s a straight-talking outsider who’s fed up with the D.C. swamp ignoring real Americans,” it states on the Schwartzel for Congress website. 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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