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Best (Defunct) Talk Stations

S

smedge2006

How about a list of best talk stations no longer in the format -- many from the days when talk radio was mostly live and local?

Here's my anything-but-complete list:

WERE, Cleveland -- its "People Power" format in the early 70's seems to have been a precursor to later shock talk formats, and it certainly seems to have been a model for the type of talk radio station later developed by companies such as Jacor.

WKAT, Miami -- Miami was one of the first places outside the top 10 markets to have an all-talk radio station. WKAT went to the format in 1970. It was the first Miami home for Neil Rogers -- and the place where he "came out" on the air. You could probably add WNWS and WINZ to the list of great Miami talkers. WGBS, er, not so much. Although it was the first stop for Bob Lassiter.

KGMC and KWBZ, Denver -- the first two stations to hire Alan Berg

WRNG, Atlanta -- incubator of Neal Boortz and Ludlow Porch -- and I think one of the career way stations for Phoenix's Barry Young.

WPLP, Tampa -- The place where aforementioned Lassiter found his niche, matching wits with the early-bird-special and Reaganite crowds. Also the launching pad for Lionel (as a caller).
 
WMCA, New York - When the Straus family owned the station, it was first a great top 40 station then flipped into a fine talk station. You had a liberal (Alex Bennett) and a conservative (Bob Grant) on the same station. You had shows about finance (John Scheuer) and personal issues (Dr. Elise Goldstein). Dr. Joyce Brothers was there in the early 70s. For most of its time as a talk station (1970-1989) it was live and local.

WWDB (96.5 FM) Philadelphia - The talk station that was 30 years ahead of its time by virtue of the fact it was on FM in the 60s and 70s. Talk on FM during those years was very rare. The station was sold in the late 90s and is now just another music station. :(
 
WLUP-AM Chicago. Where Hot Talk originated. Jonathon Brandmeier, Kevin Matthews, Dahl & Meier (the only period when Dahl was even listenable), Danny Bonaduce, Ed Schwartz, Ed Tyll, Chet Coppock. Tom Leykis and Don Vogel as occasional fill-ins. Fell apart only when (a) they brought in Howard Stern and didn't properly promote or program his show locally, and (b) Dahl's drunken behavior finally pissed Meier off to the point of quitting the act on-the-air. WJJD eventually picked up Stern and the syndicated version of Leykis' show, adding Don & Mike in an attempt to recreate The Loop AM, but made the mistake of running all-syndicated in Chicago, a guaranteed formula for failure even today.
 
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