Nick Cannon has an apt name for his new mission at WXRK (92.3 FM, “Now”), where he starts Jan. 19 as morning host.

He’s the last major cannon that Now can roll out in its initial assault on long-established top-40 leader WHTZ (100.3 FM).

Since launching March 10, Now has used several tactics to get attention. It started commercial-free. It has a slightly more dance and Latino flavor than Z-100. It has gradually added jocks and promotions. So a morning show to challenge Elvis Duran at Z-100 is the last piece.

What all this has gotten Now so far is a foothold.

In February, Z-100 had 10.8% of the 18- to 34-year-old audience that top-40 stations target. In November, it had 8%.

In February, 92.3′s old rock format had 2.9% of 18-34s. In November, it had 4.8%.

Now’s “cume” – short for cumulative audience, the number of listeners tuning in at some point during the average week – was 2.7 million in November, a healthy number.

Z-100, however, had 4.5 million, still a comfortable lead.

“Am I happy where we are?” says WXRK program director Dom Theodore. “I’m like every program director. I want to be No. 1. But realistically, I’m very happy with how well we’ve done.”

Sharon Dastur, program director at Z-100, says she’s unconcerned about Cannon’s arrival. “A little healthy morning-show competition makes us all a little better,” he says. “Z-100 has experienced strong ratings growth since competition entered the market.”

She notes that Duran’s show draws more than double the share of any other station among women 18-34 – the core of the top-40 audience.

Theodore is well aware of that – and that’s one reason the station hired Cannon.

“I have a lot of respect for other morning shows,” says Theodore. “But very few of them are in the demo they’re talking to. At the end of the day, they’re older guys talking to young women. Nick’s in the demo. I think that will make a big difference.”

Cannon has also been a TV star for a lot of that demo, which may or may not help.

While some stars from other media do well in radio, like Steve Harvey, Jay Thomas and Ryan Seacrest, there are the David Lee Roths and Whoopi Goldbergs who never caught on.

“Having a high profile can give you some short-term success,” says Ebro Darden, program director of WQHT (97.1 FM). “But in the end, the show has to be good. Nick could have success if the show is good. But he has to learn the craft, and that takes time.”

Theodore says he’s confident that will happen.

“Nick understands radio and the intimacy of radio,” he says. “Take what this station has done, and Nick adds rocket fuel.”