Buffalo radio history questions 2 fm (help)

[Brian_J]

"bilco" brought back memories of my first job in "real radio". Carl Spavento hired me - an overfed college student - to work at WBUF in 1970. I was following in the footsteps of several fellow WSCB (Buffalo State College carrier current) radio geeks - namely Nick Seneca, Tom Pysz, Bill Clay, and others - who were trying to pay for gas and car insurance without working any harder than necessary.

From 1970-74, I worked at WBUF, racking the beautiful music tapes, and making sure that the MUZAK reels kept rolling. I doubt if downtown noticed if the main channel had a problem, but they SURE noticed if the MUZAK went down.

We operated out of the tower site on Cole Road in Boston. I worked 19 hours one winter day because nobody could get up the hill to relieve me. This was the era of large, 2-wheel drive cars with big V-8s - not the optimum snow vehicle. Then again, the drifts filled in along the crest of Cole Road faster than the plows could clear them out.

We originated the news on the Empire State FM Network. It was awe-inspiring to know that when I flipped on that mic at :45 past the hour, my 5-minute rip 'n read newscast from the UPI teletype would be picked up by a tuner at WVOR-FM in Rochester, rebroadcast, picked up by another tuner at WDDS in Syracuse, rebroadcast, and picked up by WFLY in Troy, and rebroadcast once again. Imagine the quality at the far end!

If my experience working Sunday mornings and trying to tune in WVOR for a rebroadcast of the Brighton Community Church services are any indicator, the signal was sketchy at best. I hope that their receiving antennas were better than mine...

The RCA 44 was still there, and I plugged it in many times. It had a warm sound that gave my squeaky, teen-aged voice a semblance of gravitas - at least to MY ears. I believe that the alternative was either an EV 635A, or perhaps an RE-10. It was a LONG time ago.

I left full-time for WDOE in Dunkirk, but still picked up a Sunday shift through the transition from Beautiful Music to Progressive Rock. I believe it was Cal Brady who decided that they had more "involved" progressive jocks available for that Sunday shift sometime in early 1975. I can't say that I minded have one day a week off from that point on.

 

[MediaBoy4Radio]

WBNY-FM 96.1 had its call changed to WJYE when it was sold......This had nothing to do with WBEN......WBNY-FM was put on the air by Ton Talbot who also owned WJJL....ED Little was the first GM/PD........I worked there on weekends.........

Ken Kiedrowski

 

[thebeach33445]

Ken:

Do you know what year WBNY was sold and the calls changed to WJYE?

Thanks T.J.

 

[MediaBoy4Radio]

I believe WBNY became WJYE in early Feb of 79.................

 

[Savage]

Woody Erdman of Ivy Broadcasting System fame (WBIV et al) also put a daytimer on the air in Owego in 1955, WEBO (stood for Woody Erdman Broadcasting Organization.) It's now owned by former WBBF-FM PD David Radigan.

 

[Mike_Saffran]

I remember WUWU FM as a mix of new wave, metal, and mainstream rock. Imports and "new artists" were common. At first they seemed Buffalo's answer to Toronto's Free form/Alt. CFNY (which had loyal listenership in Buffalo, despite a then weak to nearly unlistenable signal).

Remember someone claiming on air they were the first station in N. America to play "A Flock Of Seagulls". It got more mainstream as it went along, and was pretty much a straight forward AOR before the flip.

My hazy memories of WUWU (or “woo-woo”—I’m surprised no one here made reference to this moniker for the benefit of those too young to remember it):

Listening to WUWU as a SUNY Geneseo student in the early ’80s, I recall it having a strong “underground radio” air about it—in part from playing unedited versions of songs containing “swear” words (possibly including Gene Simmons’ “A--hole”). As a bunch of college radio majors, my friends and I were both scandalized by that...and we loved it! (“Can they really play that on the radio??”)

Years later, I briefly worked with a guy who said he used to be known on-air as “The Unknown” (I think), and he did station promotional appearances wearing a brown-paper bag over his head. Classic! (Maybe someone here can elaborate...?) Somewhere in my radio memorabilia I have an old WUWU flier (was there a parrot—or some other kind of bird—icon?).

When the station became “The Bear” a few years later, I still loved tuning in here in Rochester—and especially occasionally hearing my Geneseo college buddy Tracey Spencer on the air.

 

[Oddjob]

Growing up as a teen in Ontario, I listened exclusively to Buffalo FM rock. First was WBUF, which was very free-form prog rock, almost like a college radio station. But what were the call letters of my other fave which used a pre-recorded format (announcer included) and played what we would now call "classic rock" (BTO, Queen, Elton, Stones etc.)? The years would be 75-77 or 78 at least.

 

[Element9]

Growing up as a teen in Ontario, I listened exclusively to Buffalo FM rock. First was WBUF, which was very free-form prog rock, almost like a college radio station. But what were the call letters of my other fave which used a pre-recorded format (announcer included) and played what we would now call "classic rock" (BTO, Queen, Elton, Stones etc.)? The years would be 75-77 or 78 at least.

Just guessing, by your description, it could have been "Rock 102" which was WBEN-FM, later WMJQ, now WTSS.

 

[Play Freebird]

Growing up as a teen in Ontario, I listened exclusively to Buffalo FM rock. First was WBUF, which was very free-form prog rock, almost like a college radio station. But what were the call letters of my other fave which used a pre-recorded format (announcer included) and played what we would now call "classic rock" (BTO, Queen, Elton, Stones etc.)? The years would be 75-77 or 78 at least.

You're probably thinking of "Rock 102" WBEN-FM, which ran the syndicated TM Stereo Rock format. This was carried on many FM stations in the mid '70s, including WPXY Rochester, WKFM, Fulton (now WBBS), WNOZ Cortland (now WIII), and WGFM Schenectady (sister of WGY) to name just a few.

When Jerry Klabunde, former CE of WBEN, gave me a tour of the new studios in 1975, he mentioned that Rock 102's automation system was the biggest ever used for that format. This allowed use of the "400 Series" tapes, which included album tracks not normally played on Top 40 stations.

There's a good description of the Stereo Rock format and some airchecks here:

http://www.lkyradio.com/WQHI.htm

 

[biggguy]

Growing up as a teen in Ontario, I listened exclusively to Buffalo FM rock. First was WBUF, which was very free-form prog rock, almost like a college radio station. But what were the call letters of my other fave which used a pre-recorded format (announcer included) and played what we would now call "classic rock" (BTO, Queen, Elton, Stones etc.)? The years would be 75-77 or 78 at least.

You're probably thinking of "Rock 102" WBEN-FM, which ran the syndicated TM Stereo Rock format. This was carried on many FM stations in the mid '70s, including WPXY Rochester, WKFM, Fulton (now WBBS), WNOZ Cortland (now WIII), and WGFM Schenectady (sister of WGY) to name just a few.

When Jerry Klabunde, former CE of WBEN, gave me a tour of the new studios in 1975, he mentioned that Rock 102's automation system was the biggest ever used for that format. This allowed use of the "400 Series" tapes, which included album tracks not normally played on Top 40 stations.

There's a good description of the Stereo Rock format and some airchecks here:

http://www.lkyradio.com/WQHI.htm

IIRC, WPXY never used the TM "Stereo Rock" package. When they flipped fron WROC-FM in the late 70s, the original WPXY was some sort of beautiful music package, where they called themselves "Pixie", and in the early '80s, they flipped again to some sort of strange sort of AC (I remember it well.....only CHR on FM in Rochester, where I was living was WHFM in those days- if you liked the TM package, you dialed up WBEN-FM in Buffalo, which was a real blowtorch in those days) where they played a lot of music you never heard anywhere else, along with automated announcer tracks that for me were a great sleep aid.

That hung around for a couple of years. I'm a little foggy on this, but WPXY was never CHR until they went completely live. There were actually 3 CHRs on FM in little Rochester in the mid 80s for a bit- WMJQ (went country as WBEE), WPXY, and the evergreen WHFM (went country as WZKC, was oldies for years as WKLX/WBBF- FM, and is now WBZA). Only WPXY survived, but I'm sorry to say I had them on last time I was in Rochester, and they're a shell of their former selves (although what station isn't these days).

 

[Bob1370]

"When Jerry Klabunde, former CE of WBEN, gave me a tour of the new studios in 1975, he mentioned that Rock 102's automation system was the biggest ever used for that format. This allowed use of the "400 Series" tapes, which included album tracks not normally played on Top 40 stations."

Ahh, the automation, which was across the main hall from the news control studio in the WBEN AM/FM studio complex at 2077 Elmwood. There were actually two generations of it...one smaller system that was moved to a back storeroom, hooked up as a spare, and later sold to WPXY for the later days of their automated existence, and the bigger one that functioned as WBEN-FM's main programming source from about 1977 through 1980-81. Both were named FRED, acronym for F***ing Ridiculous Electronic Device. I think Dave May, who wore a lot of hats over a 20 year period at WBEN as assistant chief engineer, chief engineer, production voice and late morning talk show host, came up with that one.

Larry Levite, owner of WBEN AM/FM from 1978 through the early 90s, was no fan of automation. So he and PD Bob Wood gradually phased out automated operations, starting with a live-assist morning show with Roger Christian (who still does middays at Star almost 30 years later) and then moving in stages toward a full schedule of live-hosted shows in a hot AC-bordering-on-CHR format by the early 80s--not a lot different from the station you're hearing at 102.5 today. Going live got the station much better ratings and revenue, more than enough to justify the added payroll costs. (We already had more than enough studio space and gear to get the job done, so all we needed to add was the people.) It was a good idea, executed well.

 

[Kal]

Speaking of WBUF ...


"92.9 featured beautiful up until 1974"

Indeed it was "The Home of the Blended Sound" in MONO, created by Buffalo Radio Legend Carl Spevento, who was there working for 'Uncle Al' forever in the '60's and '70's and returned as a new anchor for years!

An aside to the beautiful music on WBUF was that it constantly ran 2 sub-carriers, that broadcast Muzak into stores back in the analog days. I recall changing the tapes during my shift at the x-mitter site, between reading news on 'The Empire State FM Network"! (WBUF, WVOR, WDDS and WFLY) in the early '70s.! Anyone else recall that?

~~~~~~~~~~~~
'But 92.9 became Foxy 93 in the early '80s."

Not so. 92.9 was WBUF when I got there in 1983 and stayed WBUF and on the top of the ratings book or quite near it for nearly a decade. 'Foxy 93' must have been before 1983.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That leads us to today with Jack" ... in my opinion, 'They may play what they want' but they don't know Jack %#&! Just another floundering format! There is NO accounting for poor taste!

The people who might know more about WBUF (92.9), who frequent the board are Larry White and Paul Warren. Larry? Paul? Over to you!

 

[qman]

WPXY-FM featured the TM Rock format briefly in 1980 & 1981 before switching to a soft AC automation format in the summer of that year. They went live in January of 1983 and was the leader in the CHR formal during the 1980s. They ARE no longer as good as they once were IMHO.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Really enjoyed the recollections, Kal. WBUF also went through a "B-93" Album Rock phase when Robert Liggett owned the place, competing with 97 Rock. It then morphed into Foxy 93, (WFXZ?) which was short lived. Did Al Wertheimer "call the note" on Liggett? Wertheimer brought the station back to WBUF and the beginning of an amazing run as a full service AC station that for years dominated Buffalo ratings and billing until...

 

[Jinglefreak]

The previous post was correct about WPXY. I have an aircheck of the Beautiful Music format of PIXY 98 in early 1979. Then, later in that same year, they made the switch to TM Stereo Rock, using the same PIXY 98 liners. I also have an aircheck of this format. It's sounds OK - they used the TM SR-5 jingle package (all male TM singers, singing in unison, no harmonies - kind of a "power" jingle appealing to men, I guess). Rock 102 was using the SR-6 package (short stinger shotgun type jingles) during that time, until they made the switch to TM's Alternative package in late '79, early '80.

From what I can tell, Rock 102 was much better run that Pixy 98, even though they had the same automation package. In the aforementioned WPXY aircheck, it is apparant that the engineer is "asleep at the switch"! The SR-100 tape (currents, backannounced) has run out. The SR-200 (gold, 26 total cuts) has ALSO run out! All that is left is the SR-300 tape (recurrents) and they are playing one right after the other, within the 2-3 second pause between each cut. You can even (faintly) hear the automation system "calling" for the other tapes after each cut, but hi-ho, no one is home! :-(

 

[biggguy]

Then, later in that same year, they made the switch to TM Stereo Rock, using the same PIXY 98 liners. I also have an aircheck of this format. It's sounds OK - they used the TM SR-5 jingle package (all male TM singers, singing in unison, no harmonies - kind of a "power" jingle appealing to men, I guess). Rock 102 was using the SR-6 package (short stinger shotgun type jingles) during that time, until they made the switch to TM's Alternative package in late '79, early '80.

From what I can tell, Rock 102 was much better run that Pixy 98, even though they had the same automation package.

I stand corrected......I never knew WPXY had TM....., and until 1997, outside of a few months in Buffalo, had lived in Rochester all my life. However, I don't feel dumb- it turns out PXY's TM days were while I was in Buffalo, hence my lack of knowledge. You do learn something new every day!

Does anyone have any knowledge of the AC automation at PXY that replaced it? I swear it repeated music more than any other automation that I have ever heard...and half the stuff they played was not played anywhere else at the time.

 

[Kal]

Really enjoyed the recollections, Kal. ... Did Al Wertheimer "call the note" on Liggett? Wertheimer brought the station back to WBUF and the beginning of an amazing run as a full service AC station that for years dominated Buffalo ratings and billing until...

Just Past ... that may have been the case. I worked at WBUF twice. First, early on in my alleged career doing the Beautiful Music thing in the very early '70's and then came back as Production Director in 1983 for a nine year run, both times working for 'Uncle Al' but the first time as an employee of 'Functional Communications' and the second time for 'Lincoln Broadcasting'.

Thanks for remembering the "amazing run as a full service AC station that for years dominated Buffalo ratings". It seems that everytime 92.9 or WBUF is mentioned, it always about 'FOXY' or 'Jack' ... nice to see someone remembers our 'run for the roses!' I thought we were a pretty good sounding station with some legendary talent. (I CAN name names! LOL)

Kal

 

[Bob1370]

"both times working for 'Uncle Al' but the first time as an employee of 'Functional Communications' and the second time for 'Lincoln Broadcasting'.

Lincoln Broadcasting would've been Bud Wertheimer's later partnership with Rochester radio personality Jack Palvino. They also owned WVOR, WHAM (AM) and WHTK (AM) in Rochester. They later sold out in the 90s; WBUF went to CBS (and eventually to Regent), the Rochester stations to Randy Michaels' Jacor organization, which in turn was gobbled up by Clear Channel.

 

[Kal]

Lincoln Broadcasting would've been Bud Wertheimer's later partnership with Rochester radio personality Jack Palvino.

True, again! But back in the day when 'Uncle Al' came to town, he was considered the bossman! Perhaps only the titular 'Chairman of the Board' but he was shown the respect he earned through the years ... at least by most of the folks who worked at WBUF!

Kal

 

[heydaybegone]

True, again! But back in the day when 'Uncle Al' came to town, he was considered the bossman! Perhaps only the titular 'Chairman of the Board' but he was shown the respect he earned through the years ... at least by most of the folks who worked at WBUF!

KAL - having spent a majority of my career (17 years ago) with "Uncle Al", I was never in a position to refer to him in that manner!! However, you are correct in your "praises" regarding that often forgotten period of time (Which included the Mix 92.9 flip), and working for Lincoln (Bud & Jack).