Re: Variety 95 after Mermell/WYCY was not easy listening
> WDNH-FM became became Variety 95 AFTER Bob Mermell's 1st run> around. That happened under the ownership (then partnership)> of Ed Histed and George Schmitt. Also under their ownership,> WDNH-AM became WWCC for "We're Wayne County's Country" It> was a pop and standards country format on the satellite from> SMN (Satellite Music Network). Now, WYCY was an easy> listening station??? Nope. Never. It was a straight forward> AC station, not easy listening. Peter Cetera, Level 42,> Paul Carrack, Bryan Adams, Ace of Base...all 90's type AC. > It was Y105, The Best Mix. Now, actually GOING to the> studios might have made you think it was easy listening but> that's a whole different story... > > > > > > > It was announced on air that Bob Mermell officially> has>> > > retired, meaning that Vince Bennedetto's Bold Gold took>> > > over> > WDNH 95.3 FM Honesdale, WPSN 1590 AM Honesdale,> > WDNB,> 102.1,> > Montecello, and WYCY, 105.3 Hawley> > effective this> >> > afternoon.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It's been>> >> > quite a long run for Bob and his crew, owning the> stations>> > > > twice!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I'd like> to>> > > personally wish Bob the very best in his retirement and>> >> > thank him for making the stations sound great..(after we>> >> > left). They all did an excellent job and those stations>> > are> > something to be proud of.Carl.> > > > So, has> anyone> > heard of any changes in the offing?> > Personally, I> > remember DNH as this over the road AC, perhaps> a> forebearer> > of the Jack format? Somewhere, I have a sample> half hour> > circa 2000-2001 or so. I'll transcribe the songs I> heard> > and pop it up here, along with a halfsie on Sunny 105.> It> > > was a very cool run over the years.First Bob owned it, and> I> > remember WDNH being "Variety 95"..so yeah, you could say> it> > was kind of a Jack format......When Ed took it over, it> kind> > of morphed to a very rock top 40, and I was there for> that. > > I really liked it...it wasn't hip-hop, or rap or anything> > like that, but had a rock edge; take the top 40 songs> that> > were rock and we played them....We actually had a large> > playlist....1590 was a classic country format, much like> > WCDL is now, and then it changed to an EZ pop format..but> we> > had local things on it like Swap Shop and lots of local> news> > and community features.105.3 was owned by Darryl Buckinham> > > who programmed it as an easy listening station, and 102.1> > was Mermells baby.> >> WWCC was a reel-reel format, it was not off the bird....both country format and ez format...we mixed both in house.........Indeed Variety 95 was Mr. Histeds baby, if I inferred something different I'm sorry.....but at the time, most of the music that was "pop" music was mixed like a top 40 station, and Variety 95 was HUGELY popular even in Wylussing!!!!(which is where I first heard it!!) I even have an original Variety 95 Windbreaker jacket! which my wife (God rest her soul) bought for me way back when...that is how I met Ed and his crew back then..............................WYCY was meant to be an ez listening pop station, much like LITE-FM in NYC....I didn't just "visit" the studio. The idea was to be "variety" like DNH, but "lighter" than DNH was. The first song aired was by Cher (by a WDNH alumnus, Rob Gavin!), and it set the tone by playing songs WDNH didn't play, or didn't play often. Darryl Buckinham felt at the time that automation was such that WYCY could be a family affair, and he was right, to an extent. Darryl and his wife did nearly all the selling....what Darryl did best was get out bumper stickers and newspaper advertising, and to our amazement, WYCY did very well.......After deWit purchased WYCY, Mr. Vanderhayden came on board and got some oldies on the air, he did a few programs ala WSGD, and from there WYCY was oldies since then...........WDNH actually is a pretty hot AC now, but I still call it Variety cause you can never predict what you will hear on it (some call it Jack, mack, etc). WPSN (formerly WWCC, Wayne Counties Country) is now Pure Oldies 1590 under Bob, and it is a home grown (not on the bird as reported by a famous local radio reporter!!), and focuses on 50's, and doowop, and early 60's...and it is very well done. You will hear oldies on that station that even I have not heard in years.........and I can not comment too much on 102.1......but here are my general comments for the future GM at the deWit properties (JMHO!!)...1.If WPSN should change (and it has had a lot of formats under Bob's 2nd tour), make it standards and place more of the pure oldies into special shows on 105.3..otherwise don't change Sunny 105).......................2. The compression on 102.1 is too hot, it needs to be toned down.3. I can't see a good reason to change DNH at all, except that announcers should be announcers and salespeople should be in offices. Some can do both, but not all salespeople are onair material.4. Yes it is my fave, but WYCY is pretty damn good for an oldies station and holds up well, if not better than 92.1/100.1......and it is local.The signal is so good it holds up to run-on and interference in Mt. Pocono where it fights with WDAS in Philly.<P ID="signature">______________
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