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97.3 History

S

ScottBurns

After picking up some great tropo along the Rhode Island coast last night - and hearing many New Jersey stations - I have a couple of questions about the 97.3 frequency. Thanks in advance.

Last night, the station I caught on 97.3 identified itself as "97.3 ESPN Radio." It identified itself as serving South Jersey. Excuse my ignorace, but what happened to the New Jersey 101.5 simulcast on 97.3? When did that end?

In addition, does anyone remember when 97.3 was a CHR station, using the moniker "Boss 97"? I remember TicTac, now on afternoons at 92.3 NOW in New York City, hosting nights there as "Mojo." How long was Boss 97 around? When did the simulcast with New Jersey 101.5 begin?
 
97.3 was originally an easy listening station as WMVB from 1962 to approximately 1980 ...
In 1981, it evolved into an adult contemporary format ...
In 1987, WMVB began calling themselves "B-97" and by 1988 were "Boss 97" and changed call letters to WBSS soon thereafter ...
The first 101.5 simulcast started in 1995 ...
The simulcast was dropped in 2002 when 97.3 became "Mix 97.3" and WIXM ...
In 2004, the second 101.5 simulcast started on 97.3, as the "Mix" format moved over to 104.9 as "SoJO 104.9" ...
97.3 eventually became WXKW in 2006 ...
The ESPN format started on June 1, 2009, along with new calls WENJ ...

This is strictly the "Cliff-Notes" version ... I am sure others here can give more details ...
 
I kid not...my favorite station of all time as BOSS 97....I would look foward as a kid going to the shore just to listen to it. Great format...I loved the freestyle, I even did an internship there..unfortunatly by the time I got there they were more a CHR then dance.
So many cool things..They had awesome imaging...Marc Driscol as Mr. Voice ..they even did cross promotion when Q102 in Philly was dance...They had a liner that went something like this.."When You're driving back to Philly put our friends on at Q102"..Q ran one like this "When you go down the shore this weekend put on ourfriends at BOSS 97"
Christina Joyce started there. Nicky G of WAYV was the PD when it was dance..Bob Burke of FMQB was PD when it turned CHR..Jay Towers of My 106.1 was the PD next...Jay is huge In Detroit and tracks 106.1 now.
I think the day BOSS 97 went off the air was a tragedy fo the Jersey shore. It was by far the most popular station down the shore, and it did get ratings, unfortunatly it was a "kiddie" station and advertisers don't want to advertise on it...BLAH BLAh..you know the same s*** u heard when the Buzz gave up on dance and when in the future Wild is forced to change to a regular CHR.
 
How long was "TicTac" at Boss 97? He had worked at stations all over the Northeast. I remember hearing him on Boss 97 in February of 1995. Prior to that, I know he had been at WWKX/Providence and WKCI/New Haven. I lost track of him after he was at Boss 97.
 
I think Mojo was there a little over a year.....He has a post on the Dance boards under 94.5 The Vibe ...he started the thread...you could just ask him.
 
Re: 97.3 History-I was the last one to FLIP off BOSS 97‏!!

Please allow me to introduce myself as Joshua Fleming.
Known at BOSS 97 @ Erik Austin.

Nights at WBSS Late 1994-1995, I replaced Mark Allen...Tik Tak on NYC 92.3 http://923now.radio.com/shows/tictak/

It was not my pleasure to be the the very last DJ on the air when the BOSS went NEWJERSEY101.5 on October 31, 1995. Today, I was telling a radio story to a friend..

It was Halloween, 1995 it was a dark day blustery and cold. Beasley had announced that BOSS97 would no longer be a TOP 40 station. I will never forget, we all dressed up for the occasion. I remember, Mark Hunter (morning guy) dressed as a KILLER postal worker, Christina Joyce as a Nurse, Jay Towers as a Vampire...I was a Hippie! We were all sat at a table and they called our names and handed out final paychecks. Then they got to my name, and the GM, who I think was a "Beasley" brother...can't remember his first name... said, "Ah You and Jay and I are going to met separately" I went into his office were he told me that Jay would be the last voice on the station and after his 7pm sign off..they would take the microphones out of the studio and that no reference to the end of Boss 97 was to be made. I was just told to sit there and RUN THE BOARD...it was emotional for all the staff. In particular - I think of the sales manager...who's name I cannot remember..keep coming in the studio with Jay Towers. It was 5 minutes, til midnight....I played "End of the Road" then drank a shot with the Sales manager, the GM and Jay...then without even podding down the board "NEW Jersey 101.5" took over the transmitter. I was given my final paycheck, and told to meet the GM back at the station on Monday as they were clearing out the station...I came in and was told to report to the transmitter location to play carts of local spots for $10 an hour for the new owners....

That's My BOSS 97 story....thought i would share with ya...

Here is some more on me...
http://www.allaccess.com/top40-main...ve/3671-10-questions-with-joshua-fleming-crme

Joshua
 
My two favorite Boss 97 stories....first I loved Boss 97 as a teen..I got hired to intern..I was getting the tour Christina Joyce was on the mic..when her break was over she introduced herself and was over the top nice my whole time there.(later i met her again when i did week-ends at WAYV. It was so cool to have someone I listened to for years be so nice.
The better story..When I was interning Bob Burke was PD...I cannot lie...I hated him . He would not give me the time of day. I literatly gave him a tape of me on the air and asked for an air check once a week (from WDBK)..Same answer all summer I'll give it a listen..he never did...four months probably 40 tapes...I could have taped "BOB BURKE SUCKS " on them..he wouldn't have heard it..So Bob is very good friends with a couple of my good friends..we have been at the same functions several times..we have briefly talked but he doesn't realize I interned for him, I look alot different and quite honestly he never paid me any mind. So two summers ago I was Voulenteering on Z889..I was interviewing Joe Zangi,a local freestyle artist. Bob Burke is good friends with Joe and Brett (Z889's PD). So I put Bob on the air he asks Joe a couple of questions..Brett comes in gets on the air..I proceed to call out Bob on the Boss 97 stuff like being uninterested with the interns and I now reveal to him I was the one who kept give him tapes..we all laughed and I broke his balls,bad. He was on with us for about ten minutes a the end of the conversation he wishes Joe Zangi good luck and says "Gator get me one of your air tapes I'd love to check it out!" he laughes and hangs up on me....dude his delevry on that was hilarious.

By the way this is not a knock on Bob Burke he is a cool dude..I understand how radio works ect...I didn't when I was interning I just wanted on the air at BOSS 97 bad..I just thought how this story unfolded was funny.
 
Mike said:
did your pd tell you that night

that being fat drunk and stupid was no way to go through life ?
Click to expand...
________________________________________________________
WTF....Bro, I don't know you? do I? and you don't know me....why you talkn smack....???
 
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