of the RIAA/Video% 101 non- in this category for titles She also serves as office FIVE MUSIC VIDEOS GET which sell 150,000 units or manager for the video de- RIAA—VIDEO GOLD IN '85 theatrical gold awards went to music-oriented product a value of at least $6 mil- partment and functions as a by Michael Martinez while such releases totaled lion in suggested retail liaison between the adminis- No sooner had RIM/Video 11 of the 42 platinum awards list. trative, creative and dupli- established a category for in this category, which was Comets have soul, too. At cation/distribution depart- non-theatrical music videos created in January of last least that's what Mirage ments. in October of last year than year. recording artist Shannon James has an artist rela- five gold awards were handed Gold music video awards would have you believe in tions and publicity back- out. are given to titles that her current video to the ground, having first worked Among those non-theatrical sell 25,000 units or at song, "Stop The Noise." with Atlantic during 1983- music videos certified were: least $1 million of sugges- With the help of special 84. "Huey Lewis And The News: ted retail list. effects outfit Industrial The recent Golden Globe The Heart of Rock 'N' Roll" No platinum awards have Light & Magic, who provided Awards would seem to take a (Warner Home Video), "Phil been earned yet; it will the visual effects for "Star step toward vindicating cri- Collins: No Jacket Required" take unit sales of 50,000 to Wars," etc., Shannon is seen ticism leveled at Steven EP (Atlantic Recording reach that plateau and at in the company of Halley's Spielberg's adaptation of Corp.), "Ratt-The Video" least a suggested retail Comet, which drops her onto Alice Walker's Pulitzer (Atlantic Recording Corp.), list value of $2 million. a crowded dance floor. Prize-winning novel, "The 'The Virgin Tour-- Non-theatrical gold video Once there, Shannon sings Color Purple." her current single from her During the recently tele- Do You Wanna Get Away LP. vised awards ceremonies, hard to to tell who "The Color Purple" female is exploiting who in this star, Whoopi Goldberg, won a video. Golden Globe for best ac- tress in a drama. Her cast YID NOTES: Susan James was mate, Oprah Winfrey, who was recently appointed to the nominated for best suppor- newly-created video adminis- ting actress in a drama, tration coordinator for At- didn't win, but steadfastly lantic Records. She will be supported Goldberg with an based in the company's New ovation during her accep- York headquarters, where she tance speech. will report to Shari Fried- Best original motion pic- man, director of video ad- ture song honors went to ministration. Recording artist As video administration Lionel Richie for his "Say coordinator, James is 'toy, Say Me" song culled Live" (Sire Records/Warner awards are granted to pro- directly involved in the from "White Nights." Music Video) and "Motown 25: duct which has sold 75,000 legal and business affairs Bill Cosby won Golden Yesterday, Today, Forever" units or a value of at least of the video department, Globe honors for best actor (MGM/United Artists). $3 million suggested retail including contract adminis- in a television series for In addition to the music list. tration, record keeping and his role on NBC-TV's "The videos certified in 1985. 24 Platinum awards are given statistical research. Bill Cosby" show.

"One of my biggest pet state located nearby," he WILLIE CLASPER, WQBC, to share my revenues and my idea of how to give the peeves is with record compa- explained, noting that the VICKSBURG, MS: DISCO people what they want if I nies that do not intend to Waterway Experiment Station, DJ TURNS became a part of a radio serve secondary markets with a federal weapons develop- BROADCASTER station staff." their product," he said. ment facility, employs many But in 1981, Glasper came "We're just as competitive from the city. by Michael Martinez to WQBC and in early 1983, as the Jackson stations," he But Glasper takes solace Willie Glasper's disco he was elevated to music/ continued. "There are six in the impact WQBC has in road show as "Uncle Funk" program director. other stations, including the community. "We are most has traveled to small but It was the same year that FM's and AM's, that compete evident in the new and pub- exotic spots on the U.S. Vicksburg, surveyed in the with our format." lic affairs profile in the map. Jackson, MS book by ARBi- Glasper said that he is community," he said, ex- The Vicksburg, MS native tron, was rated number one thusly able to give more plaining that the station's had been serving up "what in both the 12+ and 18+ attention to product from feature "Community Profile" the people want" as a street demographic. independent stations who covers local issues of im- jock for more than 10 years Since then, the station service WQBC. portance such as education, when he finally accepted a has not been rated by the "Those records are allowed government, church affairs, spot behind the mike at service, but has still ma- to make it on their own etc. WQBC. naged to increase revenues merits," he said, although Glasper himself claims This constituted Glasper% and gain a strong identity he could not mention any that he is a member of first experience as a broad- in this Warren County town current indie product hot on several civic groups and is caster, and since his first of 52,000. the WQBC playlist. active in the church, which air slot - working the six And although, according to helps the station maintain to midnight shift as, yes, Glasper, the station boasts Glasper thinks that ad an umbilical chord with the you guessed it, Uncle Funk - an adult contemporary for- agencies, record companies populace. Glasper has served as sales mat, currently hotly spin- and other advertisers might "I remain a firm believer manager, music director, ning tunes by Lionel Richie, be missing the boat by not in the 'give the people what news director and, cur- Atlantic Star, Sade and Mor- supporting the station, they want' philosophy," rently, as program director. ris Day, the program direc- since state studies have Glasper said. "I'd turned offers down to tor complained that the ma- revealed that Vicksburg has "You can usually achieve do radio three times before jor record companies treat the second highest per capi- that goal when you do some- accepting a job here," Glas - the station as a step-child ta income in Mississippi. thing else that should be per recalled for BRE re- because it is in a secondary "We have the largest gov- simple, but is not: 'Just be cently. "I thought I'd have market. ernment facility in the yourself.'"

6 BL A C K RADI O EXCL USI VE February 7,1986