FALL 1970 Ratings/Progressive Myth

[michaelhagerty]

KMR:
The Don Barrett era of K-100 began in late '72....Carson was at KFRC at the time, and was still working for RKO in July 1973, when he was dispatched to KHJ to do mornings for a few days or weeks after Robert W. Morgan quit.
It's possible that Carson went straight over to KIQQ in the old format from his KHJ substitute gig, awaiting Drake's arrival (since he wouldn't have had a non-compete clause in L.A.). As far as I know, he never returned to KFRC after the KHJ emergency (which was filled by Bill Wade and celebrity guests until Charlie Van Dyke's arrival from WLS).
Carson's departure from KFRC created the opening for Dr. Don Rose...after a few weeks' experiment with Beau Weaver in morning drive.
I don't know who did 10P-2A originally...but I can't wait to hear!

---Michael Hagerty
>
> Allow me to disagree with that statement. Jim Carson had
> been with KIQQ since right before the call letter change
> from KFOX-FM, and that happened before Bill and Gene came
> in. Carson was the only holdover from the previous
> soft-rock "K-100" format (in fact, I believe it was
> LARadio.com's Don Barrett who, as then-GM of KIQQ,
> originally hired Carson), although he was moved from
> afternoon drive to overnights.
>
> Here's a trivia question: Who did 10pm-2am originally?
>

 

[miamimadman]

Hi Michael,
Now that would have been the first Day of 1985. We changed Calls in the Beginning of December, lost both our Program Director, and Whittinghill (he was so hurt that Gannett was pulling the plug.) I wound up with Pacific Bell & Neveda Bell, if you lost a Dime in a Payphone, I was the guy who told you I would mail a Check. What a cruel World!
> KIIS did something similar in 1984...with the AM playing the
> same songs in the same sequence as the FM, but with
> different jocks....in that case, the music was more like 15
> seconds apart.
>
> ---Michael Hagerty

 

[michaelhagerty]

Miami:
I stand corrected.
Sorry Whit took it so hard...that was twice in six years for him.

---Michael Hagerty

> Hi Michael,
> Now that would have been the first Day of 1985. We changed
> Calls in the Beginning of December, lost both our Program
> Director, and Whittinghill (he was so hurt that Gannett was
> pulling the plug.) I wound up with Pacific Bell & Neveda
> Bell, if you lost a Dime in a Payphone, I was the guy who
> told you I would mail a Check. What a cruel World!
> > KIIS did something similar in 1984...with the AM playing
> the
> > same songs in the same sequence as the FM, but with
> > different jocks....in that case, the music was more like
> 15
> > seconds apart.
> >
> > ---Michael Hagerty
>

 

[Gregg]

> But first...strangest AM/FM combo was KJ100 Louisville in
> the early 80's.
> They didn't simulcast...but...the music on the AM was 15
> minutes behind
> the FM. They hyped "when you hear your favortie tune on
> KJ100-FM...
> hear it again in minutes on KJ100-AM". Couldn't save the
> AM...
>


There's actually a name for this. It was called "Shadowcasting."

When the FCC would forbid an AM-FM to simulcast but management
wanted to program the same music on the AM and FM, it was
called shadowcasting... especially when the same songs and
commercials were heard on each station, although a few minutes apart.

KIIS-AM-FM did it for a while. In NYC easy listening WPAT-AM-
FM did it as well. KIIS used separate DJs on AM and FM except
for drivetime. But WPAT actually used the same DJs. While the
AM was playing automated music, the DJ could be on the FM and
visa-versa. Same was true for WROW, Albany.

In Providence RI, WPRO AM and FM were for a while both Top 40
stations although I think they didn't shadowcast. The AM and
FM had separate programming and DJs outside of drivetimes,
which were simulcast. The AM gradually became more AC over
time and eventually went all-talk.

And the handful of classical and all-news stations that were
both on AM and FM got waivers to simulcast from the FCC. The
classical stations included WQXR, NY (which for awhile tried
to program the AM and FM separately); KFAC, LA; KKHI and KDFC,
San Francisco; KDB, Santa Barbara; WCRB, Boston.

Two all-news stations also got waivers, WAVA-AM-FM Arlington-
Washington and WBRE-AM-FM Wilkes-Barre PA.



Gregg
[email protected]

 

[miamimadman]

Technically though...

You could be considered correct, as it kicked off December 28th, 1984 at 6 Pm. A Month previous to that, I’m sitting in the “Steam Room” with Gary O at 7:30 AM. I saw him turn white, his Jaw dropped, and he said “My God”. Whittinghill was so upset, and he came to speak with Gary. They hadn’t talked in over 10 Years. I wonder what that was all about?

> Miami: I stand corrected. Sorry Whit took it so hard...that was twice in six >years for him.
> ---Michael Hagerty

 

[michaelhagerty]

Re: Technically though...

What I've heard about Whit was that he carried a grudge just about forever...to the point of being the only one of the old guard at KMPC to boycott its two-day farewell to music programming in 1992. Maybe you can't blame him, though...he made his 30 years at KMPC with management waiting for his retirement for more than half of it. Whittinghill had 4 years at the top...1952-1956. Then it was a string of tough battles with other morning hosts. And from Gary's hiring in 1962 on, they surrounded him with former competitors....making it look like they were preparing to fill his slot tomorrow.

Gary had been doing mornings at KFWB, as did Wink Martindale after him. Geoff Edwards came over from morning drive at KFI. They tried to bring Bob Crane onto the staff fulltime when his follow-up series to "Hogan's Heroes" crashed and burned (Bob did mornings at KNX from 1956-1965), but Crane decided to pursue acting and only subbed occasionally (which I understand had Whit fuming) and finally, Robert W. Morgan from KHJ and K-100...who after four years in weekends and fill-ins, got the job. Even then, after 30 years at KMPC (Whit started in 1949, three years before Gene Autry bought the station), and at age 66, what I've always heard is that Whittinghill felt like he'd been pushed out before his time.

---Michael Hagerty



> You could be considered correct, as it kicked off December
> 28th, 1984 at 6 Pm. A Month previous to that, I’m sitting in
> the “Steam Room” with Gary O at 7:30 AM. I saw him turn
> white, his Jaw dropped, and he said “My God”. Whittinghill
> was so upset, and he came to speak with Gary. They hadn’t
> talked in over 10 Years. I wonder what that was all about?
>
> > Miami: I stand corrected. Sorry Whit took it so
> hard...that was twice in six >years for him.
> > ---Michael Hagerty
>

 

[miamimadman]

Incredible!

What a nice man he was, at least to me! Thanks Michael.

 

[gr8oldies]

That "shadowcast" was a neat way to simulcast without breaking the no-simulcast rule. Several stations did that, the most recent I ever heard in person was in 1985 hearing an AM and FM version of at-the-time CHR WRBQ, Tampa.<P ID="signature">______________
I'll get back to you when I think of a cute quote</P>

 

[Huff]

Re: FALL 1970 Ratings

BRIAN - you seem to have an amazing repository of historical LA ratings, I'd love to get in touch with you regarding them!!


[email protected]

 

[Marv-L.A.]

Does anyone know when Mark Elliot joined KHJ?

Also, could he be the same Mark Elliott who owns several radio stations in the Ventura/Santa Barbara area? I read recently that he was the VP/GM of Ventura's 'Hot AC' station, Live 105?

 

[BACKnUSSR]

In re-reading these older posts. I'm thankful for how much better and interesting the discussions
have gotten since "I'm right and no one dare disagree" KM Richards left for other pastures.
Billy Crystal's Yankee batting average was better that KM's "prediction" average. Whew.

 

[michael hagerty]

Does anyone know when Mark Elliot joined KHJ?

Also, could he be the same Mark Elliott who owns several radio stations in the Ventura/Santa Barbara area? I read recently that he was the VP/GM of Ventura's 'Hot AC' station, Live 105?

Mark Elliott arrived at KHJ in October of 1970, taking Charlie Tuna's Noon-3PM slot when Robert W. Morgan left for WIND, Chicago and Charlie got the AM Drive slot. Mark stayed in that slot until January of 1973, when he moved to 9AM-12Noon. By May, 1973, he was back to Noon-3PM, but he was gone altogether in July, leaving about the same time Robert W. Morgan, The Real Don Steele and Bill Drake did. He went to (then oldies) KWOW, Pomona and then did a couple of years at KIIS-AM.

Charlie Van Dyke lured Mark back to KHJ in May of 1975 for 9-Noon (they'd worked together at CKLW and KFRC)...and Mark stayed until the summer of 1977, shortly after Charlie left for KLIF in Dallas.

Mark hosted Drake-Chenault's "Weekly Top 30" syndicated show from July 1979-January 1982. Before and after that, he was a frequent guest host for Casey Kasem on American Top 40.

Mark has made so much money in voiceovers (Disney and CBS) that I doubt very much he's working as a GM. He may have investments in radio stations, but I can't find any record of that being the case.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[LV Foghead]

Remembering back, most automobiles in 1970 were still equipped with AM (only) radios. FM radio at that time was basically alot of "beautiful music" stations... The FM "Underground Rock" stations were very uneven, lots of dead air, and basically not very professional sounding. I was actually surprised to see how high KPPC listed in those ratings that were shared. It would still be 2-3 years away before, "Rock N' Stereo, 95 1/2, KLOS" and "The Mighty Met" began to really attract their audiences.
I also have to take exception with the comment that Shadoe Stevens "ruined" KRLA. In reality, I believe Shadoe was a true visionary and leader in creating what AOR stations would soon become (and for that matter what they should be). From his work at KRLA, the upstart KROQ, KMET and then again back to KROQ, he staffed his stations with some of the most talented Air Personalities ever. B. Mitchell Reed, Don Burns, Lee "Baby" Simms, Russ O'Hara, Gregg Shannon, Mikel Hunter, China Smith, Jimmy Rabbitt, etc.... These guys were as interesting to listen to as was the music that they played.
It really is unfortunate today that programmers and stations managers can't deliver the good, quality type programming that we listeners deserve. Or...., perhaps that's why they're all in the toilet right now.

 

[briancraig]

I stand by my statement that in the Fall of 1971, he ruined KRLA. He took a station that was actually competing with the mighty KHJ and turned it into something no one listened to. It wasn't until Art Laboe took over in 1976 that the station made a comeback.