eafrectv-o' L.dCod iLan, Joi. ï?AlilU'J lJ rrl -Alï,tl'r1arAY Bill Katz Radio Group www.americanradiohistory.com . r I www.americanradiohistory.com RADIO'S 75TH Elvis to Big Bands to revive it, and ended up with Rush Limbaugh and Talk Radio, PUBLISHER'S NOTES perhaps the most significant milestone in Radio in decades. When times got tough we invented automation and later, satel- lite delivery. We became the darlings of Wall Street and watched as fools overpaid Ratlio Relui for our properties, waiting to see who would be left with the joker. We saw many fall. We regrouped, learned our from a new station in Miami, Florida. lesson, and came out stronger than ever. "Can you be here in three days?" the PD Radio is powerful. With words and asked. Needless to say, I packed my music, it affects listeners lives, sets music Volkswagen and headed south for an trends, sells millions of books and CDs opportunity of a lifetime. I was 17 and and influences elections. Talk Radio has the station was Y -100. We debuted Au- become the en vogue place to go for out - gust 3, I973 and I was part of the lineup. of -work politicians who know the strength Our first order of business was to give of its voice. And yet there are those among away the first $50,000 jackpot in Radio. us who either don't understand the depth There are a thousand stories just like of Radio's influence or choose to ignore it. mine. Others were on the air by age 13 Though we may consider some of these and I 4. Many were in big markets before people to be irresponsible, and even ped- their 18th birthday. We were all inspired dling bigotry or smut, we must defend by great personalities and stations and their right to do so. Ultimately the audi- would sweep floors and run Sunday morn- ence will decide their fate. ing church tapes to get an opportunity to Radio advertising transforms Ma and one day ... with sweaty palms and great Pa businesses into superstores. We've all anxiety, open the mike and give an ID. experienced the gratification of taking a We spent hours listening to airchecks of company with a small budget and mak- the "greats," mimicking their styles, memo- ing them into a huge success overnight. rizing their breaks. Today we still secretly Some of these overnight success stories Rhoads on Y -loo in 1974. "talk up" the intros of songs we hear on the then abandon Radio because they can air when we're in the car alone. afford to do TV, but they often return Shout it from the rooftops, let the To me, Radio has been a hobby and because Radio worked so well. rafters ring ... Radio is 75 years old! a career. I can't recall too many days As we enter the digital age we will Radio's official birthday is based on when I was so frustrated that I wanted to see changes in media that will confuse the first commercial license issued abandon the business. everyone (especially consumers). Yet it's to, and the first broadcast by, KDKA Radio is magical, even today when Radio that will come out on top. It is Pittsburgh which broadcast results of things have become more scientific and Radio that is the easiest medium to use, the Harding -Cox elections. The date cookie -cutterish. Just when you think easiest to buy, most targeted, the closest was November 2, 1920. We're starting the business is getting boring, somebody to the consumer, the least expensive, and the celebration now because this issue really good surfaces and makes you feel the most omnipresent. marks Radio Ink's third birthday and our excited again. Our business is cyclical. It's no wonder I'm still excited about 75th issue. Formats come and go. Listeners age and Radio. Advertisers who've been living in It's said that Radio gets into your their tastes change. Programmers chase the Dark Ages are again realizing Radio's blood and that once you've become a part the elusive three share, living book to strength. They're abandoning their baby - of the business, you become addicted. book like a baby bird holding its mouth boomer television mindsets for something Many leave the business only to return open for yet another worm. The rest of us new, fresh and powerful to sell their prod- because they miss the excitement, the strive to meet the sales goal for the week, ucts. They're mining for new alternatives community involvement, the passion, the month, quarter, or year. We freshen our and they keep coming up with Radio. opportunity to contribute and make an stations with new jingles, new IDs, and Every day I thank God for my career immediately noticeable difference. I sup- we circulate our personalities as if we had in Radio. Though I'm only a spec in its pose I fit into the addicted category, hav- stock in U -haul. 75 -year history, I couldn't have asked for ing left the business for a short time, only Radio is resilient. When TV attacked a better time to be a part of it. I think this to return to it with even more passion. us we invented Top 40. When MTV came thing called Radio is starting to catch on For me, there has been nothing more along we kept playing the hits and soon ... again! iti exciting than my first "big break." Mine learned that MTV didn't impact listening came early on an August morning in Fort like everyone said it would. When AM Wayne, Indiana, when I received a call Radio died we tried everything from all RADIO 1995 /RADIO'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY INK 3 www.americanradiohistory.com OFFICIAL PUBLICATION RADIO'S 75TH CELEBRATION -_--de: / = -.-, / s' \ i i The Dallas Sound 120 by Bruce Buchanan Music Hit Lists 122 4 brief look at a lost art Radio Milestones by Era: Pre 20s 127 20s /30s 129 30s /40s 131 50s 133 60s 135 Publisher's Notes 3 70s 137 Just Who Did Invent Radio? 28 80s 139 by B. Eric Rhoads 90s 141 Golden Era Snapshots 34 Future Forecast 144 Rare historical photos. NAB and RAB chiefs predict Radio's future A Few Incidents from Radio Days Past .... 44 by Charles Alichdson Black Radio History 48 Promotion Classics 52 Are there really any new ideas: Radio Main Street USA 62 by Bob Doll Radio's Technical Past 64 How did we ever broadcast anything' SPECIAL THANKS It All Started with Talk! 76 TO OUR SPONSORS! by Michael Harrison and Walter Sabo The Evolution of Call Letters 79 What's In a Name? ; 75 Who Made a Difference 86 3 Radio's Pioneer Programmers 94 Katz Radio Group by Tom Sbovan Top 40: The Omaha Story 98 by Kent Burkhart The Birth of the "Boss" 100 N'AB" by Ron Jacobs Personality Scrapbook 108 óh11 The voices that made the face of Radio. RADIO INK 4 1495 /RADIO'S 75TI- ANNIVERSARY www.americanradiohistory.com OFFIZIAL SPONSORS Katz Radio Group 6-14, 142 NAB Broadcasters 15 -19 Broadcast Music, Inc. 21 -25 CORPORATE PROFILES EZ Communications 26 Alliance Broadcasting, L.P. 32 CBS Radio Division 42 American Urban Radio Networks 46 Broadcast Direct Marketing 50 Carter Broadcast Group, Inc. 60 Westwood One Companies 74 Beasley Broadcast Group 84 Susquehanna Radio Corp. 84 TM Century 84 The Griffir Reports 92 Metro Networks 118 Communications Equity Associates 126 Tapscan 128 KD Kanopy, Inc. 130 Buckley Rodio 132 Brown Broadcasting Company 134 Szabo Associates, Inc. 136 Citicasters, Inc. 138 Granum Communications, Inc 140 Shamrock Broadcasting, Inc. 143 Jacor 145 Vol. X, Number 14 July 10 - 23, 1995 Cover illustration by Steve Boswick Editorial Offices: 224 Datura Street Suite 701 Copyright 01995 by Strcansbnc Publishing, Inc. and Radio Ink (ISSN i 064.587X) All rights reserved. Radio Ink is published biweekly January West Palm Beach, FL 33401 through June, semimonthly sn !uly, biweekly August . November and monthly in December. 25 issues each year, by Streamline Publishing, Inc , 224 Datura Street Suite 701, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. @r Radio Ink is a registered trademark of Streamline Publishing, Inc Phone (407) 655 -8778 POSTMASTER. Send change.. of address to Radio Ink, 224 Datura Street Suite 701, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Second Class Postage Main FAX (407) 655 -6164 paid at West Palm Beach, FL. Subscriptions. subscription rate: Two years $225.00, One Year $125 00, Six Months S75 00. Canadian Editorial Dept. FAX (407) 655 -6134 subscribers $350.00 for two years, $ 17500 for one year, or $ 100.00 for sm months. European subscribers $398.00 for two years, $ 199 00 for one year, or $110.00 for six months. (Florida residents add 6% sale, tax.) 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