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WNAM

O

Oldies man

Guest
My question may better belong on the Oldies site, but I thought I would try here first. Back in the days when WNAM was a Top 40 rocker with a nice 5 kw signal, they ran an ID tag, "Blue 128". The 128 part was easy to figure out as their station frequency was (is) 1280. But what the heck does Blue mean? I've listened to hundreds of AM Top 40 stations of the 60's and seventies and the predominant formats of Tiger radio, Boss radio, Mighty 590 or whatever rymed with Mighty, but never a Blue. Anyone really know?
 
...blue apparently was PD Ron Ross' favourite color. When WYNE/Y-115 stole Wolfman Jack's syndicated show from WNAM, they had two or three custom liners wherein Wolfie shouted about how "the best thing I ever did was move from Blue to Y-115!" ;-) ...
 
For what it's worth, one of the Y-115 jocks once told me that the "Blue 128" thing at NAM had two explanations. One, it was a way to separate NAM from the crowd--it was different. A unique "brand." Gotta agree on that one. Secondly, though, they said that it had something to do with a study that said that the color blue was perceived as cool & positive--that blue was most people's favorite color; and that it was a VISUAL concept--a radical notion for the only media player without a visual. Probably something to all of that, too.

BTW, WYNE never really put a dent in WNAM. Blue's numbers back then were ENORMOUS. And they managed to hang on well past the point when most AM's were toast--into the eighties before they dropped below a ten share. Great radio station in its prime.
 
Blue 128

I worked there so I know. Our format was based on the music's emotion, so each song was categorized as either LOVE SAD HAPPY HATE. It was felt as though BLUE was an emotional color so that is why it was chosen. And you're right. We clobbered Y-115!
 
Where is Dan Marcus? I was asking a question about why some of the songs had vocals or instrumentals missing and I was asked if it was on the morning show. Then I was told they use the satellite format all the time and I checked the web site and Dan Marcus isn't even mentioned. I don't turn on the station that early but I would think people liked him.
 
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