American Air Chexx magazine was a great cassette-only publication that started out in early 1976. It was supposed to be a bi-weekly audio magazine, and the subscription for the first year was $99.
The idea was simple - the first issue was "The Ultimate Radio Trip" which was an examination of the Top 25 markets all recorded on the same day. Morning drive in the east through middays in the midwest and eventually nights in the west.
Each of the next 25 issues was supposed to have focused on those Top 25 markets, one at a time. Unfortunately, the series only made it through 12 issues.
Here's the full table of contents for each issue:
ISSUE#1 THE ULTIMATE RADIO TRIP: Airchecks from the Top 25 radio markets in the U.S. from BOSTON in the morning to San Francisco that night ALL IN THE SAME DAY! Featured are: BOSTON WRKO, WVBF; PROVIDENCE WPRO, WPJB NEW YORK WNBC, WXLO PHILADELPHIA WYSP, WFIL BALTIMORE WLPL, WDJQ WASHINGTON D.C. WPGC MIAMI WHYI, WQAM BUFFALO WKBW, WYSL-FM PITTSBURGH WKTQ, WPEZ ATLANTA WQXI, WZGC CLEVELAND WIXY, WMMS, WGCL DETROIT WWWW, CKLW CINCINNATI WEBN, WKRQ CHICAGO WDAI, WDHF, WLS MILWAUKEE WOKY, WZUU, WQFM ST. LOUIS KXOK, KKSS MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL KDWB, KSTP KANSAS CITY KWKI, KBEQ HOUSTON KILT-FM, KLOL, KXYZ DALLAS KLIF, KZEW, KFWD DENVER KTLK, KIMN SAN DIEGO KFMB-FM, KGB-FM, KPRI LOS ANGELES KHJ, KMET, KIQQ SEATTLE KJR, KISW, KZOK SAN FRANCISCO KYA, KFRC. Narrated by BILL TODD, WDAI/Chicago.
ISSUE#2 MIAMI INSIDE/OUT: Airchecks of Miami's 96X, WQAM, Zeta 4, WIOD and Y100 (WHYI.) MORNING DRIVE: Dale Dorman WRKO/Boston; Ken Garland WIP/Philadelphia; Dr. Don Rose KFRC/San Francisco. INTERVIEW Bob Gowa talks with KCBQ PD Gerry Peterson in San Diego and features KCBQ airchecks. FAREWELL to WCFL/Chicago's rock format as the station evolves into beautiful music on March 15, l976. Narrated by BOBBY OCEAN KHJ/Los Angeles.
ISSUE#3 SAN FRANCISCO INSIDE/OUT: Airchecks of KLIV, KDIA, KCBS-FM (K-101) KYA and KYA-FM (Y-93.) The Program Directors of each station explains his station's strengths. A profile of KFMB-FM (B-100) in San Diego, An Interview with former BILLBOARD Rado-TV Editor CLAUDE HALL, and the debut of "Industry on Parade." Narrated by MARK DRISCOLL in Minneapolis. (May 1976)
ISSUE#4 ST. LOUIS INSIDE/OUT: Airchecks of KATZ, KXOK, KADI, KADI-FM and KSLQ, include presentations by the PDs of each station. A profile of WVBF in Boston with Program Director BOB CHRISTY, an interview with BOB HAMILTON of the Bob Hamilton Weekly Radio Report, "Industry on Parade" and HY CUMES a "The Adventures of Floating Flash Frizbone-like" radio series. Narrated by J. J. JEFFREY at his "own" station WBLM in Maine. (May 1976)
ISSUE#5 PITTSBURGH INSIDE/OUT: Airchecks of the #9 broadcast market in the U.S. include WKTQ (13Q) introduced by PD Dennis Waters, KDKA, WTAE with popular morning duo O'BRIEN & GARRY, WTAE-FM, and WYDD's "freeform" progressive format introduced by PD STEVE DOWNS. Also an article on radio production techniques presented by KIIS-FM's DON ELLIOT, and Part One of an interview with DON IMUS of WNBC by ALLISON STEELE of WNEW-FM. Narrated by CHUCK BUELL. (June 11, 1976)
ISSUE#6 ATLANTA INSIDE/OUT: Airchecks of 96-rock, introduced by PD DREW MURRAY explaining LEE ABRAM's "Superstar" format, DAN MASON, PD of WZGC (Z-93) talks about the changes at his station, a tune in to WIIN, as well as WAOK with PD FRANK BARROW, and JACK FITZGERALD introduces airchecks of his WQXI and WQXI-FM. JOHN SEBASTIAN, PD of KDWB in St. Paul presents HIS station and ALLISON STEELE continues her DON IMUS interview at WNBC. Narrated by LARRY LUJACK of WCFL in Chicago. (June 25, 1976)
ISSUE#7 CLEVELAND "Turned On:" Airchecks of WGAR presented by CHIC WATKINS, program director, WYN ROSENBERG shows how Cleveland "boogies" to WLYT, PD BILL BAILEY presents his WIXY, WMMS's progressive format is introduced by PD JOHN GORMEN and G-98 is featured with an interview with PD WAYNE SHANE. In addition WHYI (Y-100) in Miami is profiled with current airchecks. Narrated by BBC Radio One's EMPEROR ROSKO. (July 9, 1976)
ISSUE#8 DALLAS "Tuned In:" Airchecks of the #10 U.S. broadcast market with Gordon McLendon's KNUS (99FM) introduced by PD CHRIS HAYES, KVIL, a Dallas legend, Fort Worth's KFJZ presented by PD LARRY JAMES, Operations Director IRA LIPSON presenting KZEW, "The Zoo" with its LP and "crossover single" format, and the station using the "grammatically incorrect" but "oh so true" slogan "The One Dallas Has Grown Up With," KLIF and PD HARRY NELSON. This issue of AMERICAN AIR-CHEXX gave many people their first actual listen to AM STEREO. Narrated by CHARLIE TUNA in Los Angeles. (July 23, 1976)
ISSUE #9 PROVIDENCE "In Depth:" Airchecks of the U.S.' #25 radio market include WGNG introduced by its PD BOB MARSHALL (a terrific aircheck of the famous "Doctor" GRADY BROCK is included in the WGNG composite, TODD CHASE presenting his WPBJ, "The BIG BANGER," WPRO with its PD JAY CLARK, as well as the FM side of WPRO with its PD GARY BERKOWITZ. Issue #9 then moves over to the #27 radio marker, INDIANAPOLIS and BILL HENNES at WNDE. There is an interview by BOB HAMILTON with JIMI FOX, PD of the then- newly-signed on KTNQ, "Ten-Q" in Los Angeles followed by the debut of "Talent Telescope" with WNEW-FM's ALLISON STEELE, who focuses on TWO TOP talents, offering background bios and airchecks of WRKO/Boston's MIKE ADAMS, and WQXI/Atlanta's COYOTE McCLOUD. Narration is by a WRPO/Providence alumnus himself, BOB DEARBORN, who DJed at WPRO in 1964/65 following his start in radio at Hamilton's CKOC. (September 10, 1976)
ISSUE#10 SEATTLE, "Sonic Seattle" with a tune in to KISW, an album-rocker, with PD LEE MICHAELS introducing. Then legendary Top 40 rocker KJR with an aircheck segment hosted by PD STEVE WEST. NORM GREGORY PD of KZOK presents his album-rock station, and, finally, KING offered by PD ALAN MASON. American Air-Chexx then travels to Orlando and WLOF with a market background and consultant JOE MONTIONE talks about his station. Then onward to NEW HAVEN, Connecticut and CHUCK MARTIN, PD of WAVZ's airchecks. Programmer E. ALVIN DAVIS then hosts a conference call with other Program Directors with the topic of "Programming Priorities." Narration is by CHARLIE FOXX. (September 24, 1976)
ISSUE#11 CHICAGO "Checked Out:" with a tune in to 5 Chicago stations as AMERICAN AIR-CHEXX departed from its emphasis on contemporary-only stations. First was WIND before it became "Simplemente Lo Mejor," and was a talk station under PD ALAN MITCHELL, who presents airchecks of DAVE BAUM, FRED BARTON and ED SCHWARTZ among others at the #3 broadcast market's chief talker. Then JOHN PLATT introduces his then-most-unique album oulet, WXRT, where DJs like himself and TERRI HEMMERT were allowed freedom to program music from the best of all types of music. One of the souvenir bumper stickers on our AIRCHECK FACTORY wall says "WMAQ IS GONNA MAKE ME RICH," which was an interesting promotion under PD BOB PITTMAN, who introduces the "sociologically, rather than psychologically"-programmed 50,000 watt outlet, and presents DJs like ELLIE DYLAN and LEE SHERWOOD on one of those rare day-after days when the local home football team, The Bears, had won. At WBBM-FM PD TONY PHILLIPS explains his "mellow pop" format and offers airchecks including morning man GREG BROWN, and, finally, former WCFL PD GARY PRICE, now PD of WDHF explains his Top 40 rock format with a demographic of 12-34 and the #3 rating in the U.S.' third largest market! It's then the first in what had been planned historical perspectives, had AMERICAN AIR-CHEXX remained on the scene, with CLASSIC CKLW, and some of its famous DJs. Then another "Adventures of Hy Cumes" and finally ALLISON STEELE presents a biographical retrospective of two Kellies: TIM and TOM. In Washington D.C. at WPGC, TIM KELLY and in San Diego, at KFMB-FM (B-100) the famous TOM KELLY. Narration is by CHUCK MORGAN in Montréal. (October 8, 1976)
ISSUE #12 KANSAS CITY "Special:" as AMERICAN AIR-CHEXX deviates from only presenting contemporary stations, we hear KCMO introduced by PD RON CASEY, then "Great Country" KCKN from Kansas City, Kansas, across the State line these two cities share, as PD GARY BRAZIELE talks about his station, sharing air samples. Then STEVE DELL, PD, introduces his KMBZ, a listen to WHB, and the BOB LAURENCE, on his first gig as PD, talks about programming at KBEQ, offering program samples. From KLIF in Dallas PD JIM DAVIS presents the "TALE OF TAINTED SUCCESS." Then an interesting approach: in PHOENIX, Dave Alpren presents 3 different DJs on 3 contemporary stations on the SAME day in the SAME hour in afternoon drive. At KRIZ, PD ALAN McLAUGHLIN talks about the long-time PHOENIX rocker, and introduces his afternoon drive talent ART WEBB. At KRUX PD RICHARD REED offers background and PM Driver BARRY MICHAELS. The third contemporary station, in the SAME hour on the SAME day in 1976, is KUPD. Issue #12 then offers an in-depth interview with the famous CASEY KASEM. Narration is by HUMBLE HARV MILLER. (This was the final issue of American Air-Chexx.)
