Okay, does anybody remember Power 93, the Power Pig in Tampa? When I was down there in December 1989, there were two morning jocks who asked everyone to give the homeless "what they really wanted" for Christmas. Yep, Alcohol! Also, when I was riding through the area on New Year's Eve weekend that year, they were ripping off Bobby McFerrin with their song "Don't Worry; Just Burp!" Anybody wanna comment?
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DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THE POWER PIG?
- Thread starter blackgold
- Start date
blackgold said:
I sure do remember the Power Pig, Power 93.3. At the time the station was so innovative and different that it definately filled a void in the Tamp Bay radio market that, for whatever reason, Q 105 did not recognize nor capitalize on. WRBQ had become rather lame and predictable, but, until WFLZ came on the Tampa Bay radio scene, Q 105 was all the Bay had for CHR/Top 40 radio. By the time WRBQ realized what real competition they had in WFLZ, it was too late, and the "Q" flipped format to country, only to revert to oldies a few years later.
The Power Pig definately made a major impact in Tampa Bay at just the right time.
There is a whole Facebook fan page devoted to remembering the days of The Power Pig!
http://www.facebook.com/thepowerpig
http://www.facebook.com/thepowerpig
http://www.thepowerpig.com also still works, it just forwards to the Facebook page.
Alot of the stuff that was on the old Power Pig tribute site is there including the audio.
(thanks Tommy)
Alot of the stuff that was on the old Power Pig tribute site is there including the audio.
(thanks Tommy)
Yup- I was the first afternoon driver who buried Mason. "Mark The Shark" Larsen. Damn that was FUN.
I was wandering through the building a few days before Z-93 became the Power Pig and Randy Michaels pulled me aside and gave me a preview of the imaging package. I remember it sounded awesome, but then imaging packages almost always sound awesome. It takes a lot more than an imaging package to create a truly great radio station and the Power Pig had it in spades...Tim&Tom, MJ&BJ, Mark the Shark, Hawk Harrison, Gator McCluskey among many others... a great bunch of Radio Barbarians who had what it took to take down the Roman Empire of Tampa Bay radio.
And we had a whole case of Krylon in flourescent pink..and we followed the instructions
Everyone remembers the Power Pig--as perhaps the low point in radio history. Not just in T-SP, but anywhere.
Aggressiveness on steroids. Some of the cruelest on-air moments ever. And, according to the courts, some of the most abusive off-air moments, as well, taking sexual harassment to a new level.
A key player was a friend of mine. When asked about the episode years later he said it was like a frat party gone wild, fueled by too much testosterone and a diet of illegal substances.
Yeah, they beat Q105. But it's not a highlight in Tampa Bay radio.
Aggressiveness on steroids. Some of the cruelest on-air moments ever. And, according to the courts, some of the most abusive off-air moments, as well, taking sexual harassment to a new level.
A key player was a friend of mine. When asked about the episode years later he said it was like a frat party gone wild, fueled by too much testosterone and a diet of illegal substances.
Yeah, they beat Q105. But it's not a highlight in Tampa Bay radio.
It may be a low point in the industry, but to a lot of young listeners it was a highlight. The Power Pig was one of the main reasons I wanted to work in radio. So despite the things you mentioned that may or may not have been happening on the inside, to the outsiders and listeners it was a breath of fresh air.... You wanted to be there and maybe at times felt you were a part of the party. That's the difference. There was a connection between the station, the personalities, and the listeners. ...Even if it was a bad drug. Try finding that connection today.
billalm said:
Hey, look, I do understand. In any market there are people who would love to trash the neighbors yard or spread lies to humiliate a successful rival. And for two years The Power Pig pulled that kind of crap on Q105 and found enough low-life 12-34s in TB who found it funny to bring down WRBQ. It became Randy Michaels' calling card. And RM went on to become a key player in Clear Channel, the company reviled throughout the radio industry.
FWIW, it was effectively over in two years. The GM got exiled to Dayton, lawyers on all sides cashed-in Big Time, The Pig morphed into 93FLZ, and Q & Z became co-owned under CC. The Power Pig successfully destroyed the highest-billing station in Tampa Bay history (to this day) while never coming within $10 million-a-year of WRBQ's billing figures.
It was a Destruction Machine. Like setting off an atom bomb, just for the hell of it.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I believe most the people that worked at The Power Pig during that 2 year "bomb" are for the most part still in the radio business today in some capacity. Many still very successful if I'm not mistaken. I'm sorry if you got caught in the destruction or disagree with what went down. We'll agree to disagree on this one. 
A clarification here: The Q-105 that went country, never came back. The "Q-105" that is on 104.7 started out as Oldies U-92 right after Z-93 changed to "Power 93 - The Power Pig". Mason took mornings at U-92 and convinced management to flip (country) 104.7 and (oldies) 92.5. 92.5 went Spanish language soon after.jmtillery said:
Jacor bought Eastman and ran it for a year repping Q-105 all the while tweeking what was to come.
P.S. 1380 was in Kahn Stereo for a short time during that period and sounded great during it's simulcast of Q.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
Hey, look, I do understand. In any market there are people who would love to trash the neighbors yard or spread lies to humiliate a successful rival. And for two years The Power Pig pulled that kind of crap on Q105 and found enough low-life 12-34s in TB who found it funny to bring down WRBQ. It became Randy Michaels' calling card. And RM went on to become a key player in Clear Channel, the company reviled throughout the radio industry.
FWIW, it was effectively over in two years. The GM got exiled to Dayton, lawyers on all sides cashed-in Big Time, The Pig morphed into 93FLZ, and Q & Z became co-owned under CC. The Power Pig successfully destroyed the highest-billing station in Tampa Bay history (to this day) while never coming within $10 million-a-year of WRBQ's billing figures.
It was a Destruction Machine. Like setting off an atom bomb, just for the hell of it.
Glad you enjoyed it.
[/quote]
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Interesting story you wrote there radiolistener66... but it's just that, a story. Fiction.
ACTUAL FACTS:
YOU SAID: "it was effectively over in two years". LOL You are wayyyy off.
FACTS:The bottom line is, in 1989 WFLZ changed formats to Top 40.
They used the name Power 93, The Power Pig for FIVE YEARS. In March 1995, the Power Pig name was replaced with "93.3FLZ The New Music Revolution" then later "Tampa Bay's Hit Music Channel". Today, in 2010, 93.3FLZ is still top 40, at the top of the ratings and is #1 in cume by far.
That change in 1989 began WFLZ's 21 year (and still going) run as Tampa Bay's Top 40 station.
YOU SAID: "The Power Pig successfully destroyed the highest-billing station in Tampa Bay history"
FACT: Q105 destroyed THEMSELVES. They were their own destruction machine. Here's the timeline of the self-destructive moves they made:
Sept 1989 - WFLZ flips top 40 as Power Pig
Oct 1989 - Cleveland Wheeler goes on a THREE MONTH vacation. Mason moves to mornings.
Jan 1990 - Cleveland Wheeler doesn't return. Q105 has no comment.
March 1990 - THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END
- Q105 FIRES Mason Dixon, Bobby Rich and Brian Christopher.
- Q105 becomes a totally "jockless" radio station for just over THREE MONTHS in some shifts,
others almost took SIX MONTHS to fill.
- Q105 announces that Cleveland Wheeler & The Q Morning Zoo will return soon, but no is date given.
This is now over six months after he left on a "three month" vacation.
- Shocking most everyone, Q105 decides to directly take on The Power Pig targeting younger demos and by attempting to match the Pig musically. Started calling themselves "A Better Mix of Music and More Of It" and telling listeners to "Just Q It".
I even have quotes from the players involved then....
* Q105 General Manager Michael Horne: "This is just a re-focusing of the format, the SAME format that we've been successful at for 16 years" (NOTE: except for no DJs, still no AM show and new current dance music)
* Power Pig Program Director Marc Chase says: "Q105's moves make no sense to me. this makes it a whole new battle".
* R&R Magazine's Joel Denver: "If Q's targeting is that young, all the adults are going elsewhere."
April 1990 - Jacor bring in Dave Reinhardt as GM.
May 24th, 1990 - New middayer Alicia Kaye is the 1st DJ to crack the mic on Q105 in over 2 months.
June 1990 - Cleveland and QZoo return to mornings, 9 months after he left on vacation.
Oct 22nd 1990 - Cleveland is moved to 1380 AM mornings only. By himself. Told to play "whatever".
March 1991 - Mason Dixon launches Mix 96 described as "where Q105 left off at in March 1990"
April 1993 - Q105 gives up. Flips from Top 40 to country.
TO SUMMARIZE: I'll steal your quote radiolistener66 "Q105 was a self-Destruction Machine. Like setting off an atom bomb, just for the hell of it."
That list above proves that Q105 destroyed themselves.
The Power Pig just helped them do it faster and then took credit for it all.
For those interested, I posted ten of the old "Power Pig Hidden Microphone" promos
on the website today. http://www.thepowerpig.com ENJOY.
FWIW, it was effectively over in two years. The GM got exiled to Dayton, lawyers on all sides cashed-in Big Time, The Pig morphed into 93FLZ, and Q & Z became co-owned under CC. The Power Pig successfully destroyed the highest-billing station in Tampa Bay history (to this day) while never coming within $10 million-a-year of WRBQ's billing figures.
It was a Destruction Machine. Like setting off an atom bomb, just for the hell of it.
Glad you enjoyed it.
[/quote]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interesting story you wrote there radiolistener66... but it's just that, a story. Fiction.
ACTUAL FACTS:
YOU SAID: "it was effectively over in two years". LOL You are wayyyy off.
FACTS:The bottom line is, in 1989 WFLZ changed formats to Top 40.
They used the name Power 93, The Power Pig for FIVE YEARS. In March 1995, the Power Pig name was replaced with "93.3FLZ The New Music Revolution" then later "Tampa Bay's Hit Music Channel". Today, in 2010, 93.3FLZ is still top 40, at the top of the ratings and is #1 in cume by far.
That change in 1989 began WFLZ's 21 year (and still going) run as Tampa Bay's Top 40 station.
YOU SAID: "The Power Pig successfully destroyed the highest-billing station in Tampa Bay history"
FACT: Q105 destroyed THEMSELVES. They were their own destruction machine. Here's the timeline of the self-destructive moves they made:
Sept 1989 - WFLZ flips top 40 as Power Pig
Oct 1989 - Cleveland Wheeler goes on a THREE MONTH vacation. Mason moves to mornings.
Jan 1990 - Cleveland Wheeler doesn't return. Q105 has no comment.
March 1990 - THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END
- Q105 FIRES Mason Dixon, Bobby Rich and Brian Christopher.
- Q105 becomes a totally "jockless" radio station for just over THREE MONTHS in some shifts,
others almost took SIX MONTHS to fill.
- Q105 announces that Cleveland Wheeler & The Q Morning Zoo will return soon, but no is date given.
This is now over six months after he left on a "three month" vacation.
- Shocking most everyone, Q105 decides to directly take on The Power Pig targeting younger demos and by attempting to match the Pig musically. Started calling themselves "A Better Mix of Music and More Of It" and telling listeners to "Just Q It".
I even have quotes from the players involved then....
* Q105 General Manager Michael Horne: "This is just a re-focusing of the format, the SAME format that we've been successful at for 16 years" (NOTE: except for no DJs, still no AM show and new current dance music)
* Power Pig Program Director Marc Chase says: "Q105's moves make no sense to me. this makes it a whole new battle".
* R&R Magazine's Joel Denver: "If Q's targeting is that young, all the adults are going elsewhere."
April 1990 - Jacor bring in Dave Reinhardt as GM.
May 24th, 1990 - New middayer Alicia Kaye is the 1st DJ to crack the mic on Q105 in over 2 months.
June 1990 - Cleveland and QZoo return to mornings, 9 months after he left on vacation.
Oct 22nd 1990 - Cleveland is moved to 1380 AM mornings only. By himself. Told to play "whatever".
March 1991 - Mason Dixon launches Mix 96 described as "where Q105 left off at in March 1990"
April 1993 - Q105 gives up. Flips from Top 40 to country.
TO SUMMARIZE: I'll steal your quote radiolistener66 "Q105 was a self-Destruction Machine. Like setting off an atom bomb, just for the hell of it."
That list above proves that Q105 destroyed themselves.
The Power Pig just helped them do it faster and then took credit for it all.
For those interested, I posted ten of the old "Power Pig Hidden Microphone" promos
on the website today. http://www.thepowerpig.com ENJOY.
Yes, the takedown of Q105 did destroy that station's 20-million or so billing capability, but it also made it possible for not just another CHR, but for a lot of other formats to be economically viable in the Bay area. Q105 was a diva that sucked the air -- and the money -- out of the room.
With the exception of YNF, most of the other FM's went the "more music" route and steered clear of the mighty Zoo. With the implosion/destruction of the Q, morning personality spread around the FM band. Some of it came from a lot of those ex Q-er's, most of whom have managed to stay employed for the last 20 years or so.
One reason there was so much nervous energy in Tampa talk radio in the second half of the 80's was that it had to fight Q 105's domination of everything. Q105 not only owned the CHR image, it owned the full-service AC image, the news image, and the talk image, depriving the news-talkers of TSL and cume that would have been theirs in other markets.
With the exception of YNF, most of the other FM's went the "more music" route and steered clear of the mighty Zoo. With the implosion/destruction of the Q, morning personality spread around the FM band. Some of it came from a lot of those ex Q-er's, most of whom have managed to stay employed for the last 20 years or so.
One reason there was so much nervous energy in Tampa talk radio in the second half of the 80's was that it had to fight Q 105's domination of everything. Q105 not only owned the CHR image, it owned the full-service AC image, the news image, and the talk image, depriving the news-talkers of TSL and cume that would have been theirs in other markets.
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