KIX newsman Paul Bottoms Dwight Douglas. Current operations manager Don Davis took WFAN. In the mid '70s, the AM license was awarded to a group nar's show, augmented by veteran had him sounding relaxed just weeks into the job, with music in- over in 1981. which took the 1340 dial position gospel as WYCB. Dave cluding Kenny Rogers, Waylon Jennings, Anne Murray, and Julio With a lineup including the likes of "The Greaseman," black outlet, AOR con- Today, 'YCB competes with another former and Willie. Brown, Adam Smasher and Cerphe, this sole surviving 'YCB, on WUST you're like- WUST. Perhaps more traditional than London, too, sounds comfortable and Mary Ball is more than a tinues as if direct competition abounds. Targeting men 18 -34, and and people "getting down for goal sound ly to hear screaming hollering token partner. The only sad note, is the placing of newsman Evan the philosophy is one of consistancy. It is Davis' to who has been with the sta- as the Lord." Morning man Cal Hackett, Carl. Hired for his rapid fire, ironic and cynical approach, the like a rock'n'roll station at all times. Consequently artists such a WUST's days when former in Da- tion for 15 years, is far cry from newer 'MZQ stance has him performing like a restrained race Michael Jackson (who does not display the desired image there. Back then Stax president Al Bell was an air personality horse. Musically, 'MZQ reached further back than KIX when we vis' mind) is absent from the playlist. Tieing in to appropriate nights were complete with "Lord Fontelroy Bandy" a Jamaican involved with listened with Linda Ronstadt, Patsy Cline, Don Williams, the Ken - concerts and other events, DC -101 strives to be the ability to rhyme anything, and jive jock complete with accent, dalls and Conway Twitty. the listener's lifestyle. That goal is further accomplished through a big pink cadillac. Adam Smasher's uncanny showmanship. Smash is an entertain- Oldies /Nostalgia er and his knowledge of radio is far surpassed by his instinct in But the real black killer in the '60s was WOL. When Sonderling marketing. He has packaged himself as a commodity his target bought the 1450 class IV outlet and changed its format from looking oldies you can always rely on Extra 104. If you're for audience cannot afford not to buy. MOR (it stood for Wise Owls Listen and featured just such jocks Plata, vet Bill Dalton, who Licensed to La former Metromedia The Greaseman goes beyond entertainer status bordering on as Milton Q Ford and his parrot Richard) to soul, the black battle in purchased the station in 1980 with started WASH back '68, cult. Vastly different from "The Greaseman" character he por- was over within 30 days. Put together by Sonderling's Frank his former co- worker- turned -wife, Sue, and switched the subur- trayed over a decade ago on WRC, Grease here has found new Ward along with PD's Dave McNamaee and Bill Sherard, the pro- from Presently programmed by former ban outlet country. avenues of creativity. If you are of weak stomach, or in any way duction values, promotion tactics, community involvement and Bob Duckman, who also does mornings, the WASH personality easily offended, skip the Greaseman. Bathroom humor takes on on air lineup of unique personalities were nothing like the inner in a half hour include "Heatwave "; oldies you're likely to hear literal connotations here. However if you want to hear one of the city had ever experienced. Sonny Jim Kelsey, Hal Atkins, Jerry Kiss Me "; "She Loves "The Happy Organ "; "Hold Me, Thrill Me, most brilliant air talents ever to emerge from post -Drake top 40 Boulding, The Tall Tan Texan -Rudy Runnels, Bob Terry -The You "; "Lover Please "; "Soul & Inspiration "; "Sunny "; and radio, stick around. His play on words, clever phrasing, shock Nighthawk (probably D.C.'s biggest black jock ever), and Fred "Laugh Laugh." And if you don't think that leaves much time for value and unusual delivery which would have put a license in Corey agent Double 0 Soul, even had the white suburbs talk, you're right. The music makes the statement. jeopardy in days gone by, are just the fix his audience is after. mesmerized. seen throughout the city Even so, the station with bus cards Imitators find themselves thrown off the air but there is some- Frank Ward's voice of God intro for "'First Freedom News," featuring a looking character, is highly visible with tv, a "Kilroy" thing mystical about The Greaseman that lets him get away with "The last word in music, the first word in news" and a commer- hot air balloon, and a schedule of sponsored Saturday remotes it. cial schedule of prestigious national spots (WOL didn't have the booked virtually every weekend. Hired after a decade at Jacksonville's WAPE, as Howard orders at first, but to make them sound "big time," spots were In the nostalgia arena, Duckman's former WASH co- worker Stern's replacment, fans at first were resentful, seeing him as a dubbed at New York's WWRL and sent down), set them apart WWDC -AM. The station at Eddie Gallaher is heard mornings on cheap imitation. Undaunted, The Greaseman persisted, and won, from the crowd. one time had the lion's share of the audience with personalities sitting in solid first place in the station's target demo, six points is owned by Cath- ranging from Art Brown, who played the organ live while his ca- Also losing a license battle, today the station ahead of his closest competitor. responsible for naries to James, who is said to have played the erine Liggins Hughes -a well -known broadcaster chirped, Carroll The city's first taste of album music came not from an under- her tenure there as well as the first Beatles record in America. Moving from top 40 to simulcast WHUR's "Quiet Storm" during ground FM station, rather suburban WHMC at 1150 licensed to rebounding from AOR, WWDC eventually opted for nostalgia and today carries gospel format heard on WYCB. Currently Gaithersburg. Today as all comedy WJOK ('HMC lost its license its black talk format for an ap- Toby Arnold's "Unforgettables" format after Gallaher's morning ground zero, WOL abandoned in the '70s) the signal is even more of a problem than it was in energy of the old WOL as show. proach that recreates the sound and 1968. Back then Barry Richards (who was first seen dancing on is rich with history. When Thoms Broadcasting "The Soul Rocker Of The Great East Coast." WEAM also Milt Grant's tv show and later went on to host shows of his own elected to drop to automated top 40 fare becoming "The New If you've been pining for the return of soul radio, you'll find it on Grant's channel 20 before leaving the city to program New Weam." (WRC's Willard Scott and Ed Walker) the "Joy Boys" did here especially at night when the Moon Man and "The More Bet- Orleans WAIL) served as WHMC's operations manager and after- a take off which forever renamed the outlet "The New Scream." ter Man" take to the air. More Better, a former cab driver turned noon personality. It was a departure for Richards who had been Names were a touchy subject at WEAM, where several jocks disc jockey less than two years ago, has one of the best oldies heard on top 40 and black outlets throughout the city. Nonethe- would be "Jack Velvet" or "Doug Vanderbilt," and so it was that collections in the city and his all night show reflects that fact. less his five year tenure gave DC listeners a hint of things to "Johny Dark" (who kept the name and today programs Balti- With Sponsors like "Ben's Chili Bowl" (an advertiser since WOL's come. '60s heyday) both Moon Man and More Better Man in part bro- more's WCAO) preceded overnighter Dick Dawn as the promo said "It's midnight in the nation's capitol and this is when WEAM ker the time, making the commercial load at 3 a.m. as heavy as it News /Talk is at 3 p.m. Among the spots More Better Man weaves his goes from Dark to Dawn." Believe it or not, this station for a smooth magic complete with requests and dedications for every- while had gonzo numbers -in spite of, or maybe because of the mercurial GM Harry Averill who went through so many people it If you're coming to the nation's center of news expecting to thing from "Come Get These Memories" to "This I Swear Is find a rapid fire top 40 approach to all news reminiscent of True" to the Clovers' local hits of the early '50s. seemed like the "Jock du jour" plan. Group W's highly sucessful format, forget it. With no teletype in From a donation to Howard Univ. in 1971, WHUR was born. Leaving the format in the early '70s, WEAM tried everything, the background and little hype, Outlet Communications' WTOP, Originally WTOP -FM airing CBS' "Young Sound" before the finally settling on the big band approach which was suppoosed to run by VP /GM Michael L. Douglass seems almost above that. grant, owners Post /Newsweek saw themselves faced with the be dumped when Jake Einstein, took over. Listener reaction was With a vast professional staff it's class journalism. Opponents Commission of the Nixon era's break up of AM-FM-TV- Newspa- so great, the deal was eventually nixed. Now with the impending however, feel the CBS affiliate would do better to adhere to a per combos, and apparently did not see the future of FM. takeover by Viacom, it again looks like the format, or what's left faster rotation of shorter stories. Within three years, the station's most outstanding element to of it, could disappear. Viacom makes no statements, but the at- Known on the air as "WTOP Newsradio 15" the station devi- date emerged in the form of a night time block called "The Quiet mosphere at WEAM is anticipatory. Listening to the midday show ates from that approach only for play by play sports (Orioles, Storm." The tasty soft sound ranging from soul oldies to fusion we were surprised to find one of the better MOR talents we've Capitals, Bullets, NFL Monday Night Football, Superbowl and jazz is a black AC approach heavily dependent on host Melvin heard, only to discover the station is down to a skeleton staff and World Series) and Mutual's overnight Larry King program. Lindsey's ability to pick the music and create the mix. While oth- carries SMN in that time period engineered by sales manager At WRC, except for a morning newsblock anchored by (Mike) er outlets have used the name and concept, the total package Bob Steinhilber. Cuthbert & Co. the emphasis is talk. Local programs throughout often lacks the classy feel Lindsey ably builds. the day are augmented by NBC's Talknet at night with weekend The remainder of the WHUR day, led by morning man Jesse AOR topics ranging from gardening to psychic phenomena. Owned Fax, is more uptempo sporting the phrases "Progressive 96" for years by NBC which saw the station move from old line MOR and "Washington's Best Music." Today DC -101 (WWDC -FM) stands alone in this format. We to top 40, the network shocked the town in the mid '70s by have to believe Jake Einstein and his staff at the new WHFS (af- abandoning that successful stance which saw the likes of pro- Country ter selling his FM facility to Outlet Einstein eventually purchased gram directors Lee Sherwood and Dan Clayton to affiliate with Annapolis' WNAV -FM and reincarnated his progressive approach NBC's N.I.S. (the illfated News and Information Service), moving there) would shudder at the thought of being labeled AOR. One The one thing that stands out in Bob Cole's mind about the later to talk. of America's true eclectic stations, WHFS can only be described Carter Administration is the rise in country music's popularity Once again, the fate of WRC is unclear. Purchased by Greater as "free form" as evidenced by its recent screening of "Where during its tenure. Even with the current group of politicals, Cole, Media which owns WGAY (see easy listening) there will be no for- The Boys Are" which for all we know, made sense to its small but who saw KIX 106 (WPKX) to their highest numbers to date be- mal word on WWRC -as it's now officially known -until the sale loyal band of followers. fore joining crosstown WMZQ and doing likewise, counts such is approved later this summer. However, talk is strong that talk dignitaries as vice president Bush among his regular listeners -a By comparison, DC -101 is mainstream. Moving from easy lis- will remain. far from the early days of WARL. cry tening to automated MOR, the outlet became DC -101, consulted Licensed to Arlington, WARL (which later became WAVA) was by Burkhart/Abrams, and at one point was programmed by Easy Listening the home of personality Connie B. Gay. Gay the founder of the CMA in 1956, along with local talent Jimmy Dean and other not- ables also hosted channel 7's "Town And Country Time." Here's How The Numbers Look FALL WINTER Common thoughts that easy listening is a format with a prob- Later, Alexandria's block programmed WPIK -AM and its FM STATION DIAL POS FORMAT '83 '84 lem have apparantly not penetrated the uncommon sound of WGAY. Perhaps the finest example of a well programmed beauti- WXRA plunged into the format. But the emphasis there, like MOR 8.0 9.4 WMAL 630 ful music station, WGAY is also an engineering accomplishment WEEL and other suburban country outlets, was on the local corn - WGAY-FM easy listening 8.5 8.4 99.5 with probably the best FM signal in the city. munity. It was in this climate that Viacom, which had acquired WGAY-AM 1050 easy listening .6 .7 Put on the air in 1947 by John Kluge who chose the call letters the Sonderling chain and WOL -FM with it, decided on country. WKYS 93.9 urban 10.2 8.0 because of the bright, happy "gay" music, the station was later Initially dropping WOL -FM's jazz programming and becoming WRQX acquired by Connie B. Gay, who obviously was delighted by WMOD, a mixture of top 40 and oldies, PD Bill Figenshu was in 107.3 contemporary 6.4 6.3 (Q-107) Kluge's call letter choice. charge when the switch was made. As the story goes, since WHUR 96.3 black 5.9 5.2 WGAY and its FM counterpart at 99.5 put on the air in 1960 WMAQ (Chicago) was the biggest country station at the time, WWDC-FM 101.1 AOR 3.0 5.1 created a beautiful music tradition maintained through its pur- Figenshu adopted the WMZQ calls. WMZQ 98.7 country 3.5 4.8 chase by Greater Media in 1971. Now Greater Media is spinning In 1980, Metroplex acquired WPIK /WXRA and transformed WLTT 94.7 AC 4.1 4.4 off the AM daytime outlet and acquiring WWRC. the suburban outlets into D.C. contenders as KIX 106 WPKX- WAVA 105.1 contemporary 4.3 4.3 Managed by Ted Dorf, the music is handled totally in -house by AM-FM (a brief fling with "Music Of Your Life" on the AM not WWRC 980 news 4.1 4.2 /talk operations manager Bob Chandler who, in addition to 20 years withstanding). (Interestingly, throughout several moves and WPGC-FM 95.5 AC 3.3 3.3 with the station, has produced several of the easy listening cuts countless staffers, the original WPIK phone number, Overland 3- WPGC-AM 1580 AC .2 .2 heard on the station. Using a tv campaign, the positioning state- 3000 given out each break on Norm Beasley's top 40 request WTOP 1500 news 3.6 3.3 ment and a staff of quality announcers, WGAY show -Beasley later became Norfolk personality and station 2.0 2.7 "Relaxing 99" WXTR-FM 104.1 oldies from its original promise of providing easy owner Dick Lamb -remains.) 3.8 2.3 has never deviated WASH 97.1 contemporary listening music. Consequently cover versions are utilized more Managed since Metroplex's takeover by Bill Sherard, the cur- WDJY 100.3 urban 2.4 2.3 often than originals. rent differences between "KIX Country" and WMZQ are not over- WGMS-FM 103.5 classical 2.3 2.3 WTKS (the original WHFS) is more foreground in its approach. whelming. Both have committed serious promotional budgets to WGMS-AM 570 classical .6 .4 Relying on the Providence based Syndicator, Carson Radio Ser- the format, with KIX currently taking a more energetic on -air ap- WPKX-FM 105.9 country 3.1 2.3 vices, the music is fairly evenly divided between vocals and in- proach to that end while WMZQ prohibits talking over intros and WPKS-AM 730 country .7 .4 morning shows, strumentals and it's not unusual to hear Lionel Richie's "Hello" any signs of hype. Both place emphasis on their WYCB 1340 gospel 2.5 2.0 man Jim London and former KIX eve- and "Truly" as the station strives to play the original hits when- with former KIX morning WHFS 99.1 progressive .7 1.7 of WMZQ's offering ever possible. ning jock Mary Ball forming the nucleus WTKS 102.3 easy listening .7 1.5 KIX, quickly cutting their losses when attempting to Licensed to Bethesda, the plan in acquiring the class A FM was while after WEZR 106.7 AC 1.4 1.2 D. to here, now features a to go news /talk complementing co -owned WTOP which explains bring Cleveland's Gary prominence WOL 1450 black 1.3 1.0 John Bodnar, formerly of WASH. the 'TKS ( "Talks ") call letters. Because of the city of license, the more sedate and personable WUST 1120 gospel 1.0 .9 hear new KIX 106, Ten In A Row," stations were unable to co- locate and the idea was aborted. Easy While you constantly "The WEAM 1390 nostalgia .9 .8 is reminding you that they're no gimmicks Country." listening was chosen because of its compatible demographic ap- 'MZQ "Just WWDC-AM 1260 nostalgia .8 .6 The words may be different, but the message is the same. Bod- (Continued on page WN -4)

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