I did read the article that MarckD wrote about the anniversary of losing country music in NYC proper with 103.5. If you haven't read it yet go check it out. He certainly is very passionate about country music in that sense. 
I didn't want to respond on that thread about February 10th, 1996, but after a week of stunting with the final day being non stop repetitive heartbeats, the Beat Of New York launched on 103.5 bringing back the legendary call letters of the disco station that was on 92.3 in the late 70's to the mid 80's...WKTU.
For the first 10 years of its run, 'KTU (under PD's Frankie Blue and Jeff Z (Zuchowski) ran a mixed format of disco, freestyle, pop and recurrents along with current based dance music, which tended to get "edgier" during the night. There were mix shows on Fridays and Saturday nights (The "Factory" with various "levels"). The personalities on the station during that run were RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Hollywood Hamilton, Goumba Johnny, Diane Prior, "Broadway" Bill Lee, Freddie Colon, Lisa Taylor, Jewelz. Vic Latino and for a brief while Whoopi Goldberg. Perhaps the biggest moment of that era was early as the station launched the "Last Dance At Studio 54", which was SO hot that people were actually buying tickets (that were given away via phone call ins) on eBay. There were also specials such as the "Studio 54 Clubhouse" featuring Joe Causi and "Freestyle Free For All" featuring freestyle singer Judy Torres.
Things were beginning to change in 2006 as the station was shifting momentum in a new direction. Staples such as Broadway Bill Lee, Vic Latino and Jewelz were gone, the current edgier dance music was gone and more non-dance pop related material and CHR were added to the format. On September 9th of that year 'KTU emerged into a rhythmic A/C playing the more popular rhythmic music. Rob Miller became PD of the station. As some of the original staff stayed on, more staff was added such as Cubby Bryant, Bartel, Jagger, Wendy Wild, Judy Torres. Diane Prior eventually left leaving Hollywood Hamilton and Cindy Vero as the original on-air staff remaining. Eventually along the way more current based rhythmic material was added on, but still being reflected more on a CHR angle as opposed to being edgier. However the ratings have been very successful for the station and is one of the strong points of the Clear Channel cluster.
GRANTED, for me I was very critical about 'KTU back when it launched (and wrongfully so, I can admit that in hindsight). While they WERE playing some edgier dance at that time, to me I felt that it wasn't enough and that they could have done more being that this is New York City with a rich dance music history. Along the journey I thought more of the current dance was going to happen, especially when they added Vic Latino, who was known on dance stations such as Party 105 in Long Island and 95.3 Party down in Orlando. Yet come 2006, I had totally cleared away from the station once the tweak occured.
As of now, I would listen to 'KTU on occasion (if 92.3 Now didn't have something I liked) and for what it is today, and in a small degree you can credit the EDM revolution for this, they are leaning more current but still keeping to what the station had become post 2006.
I know there isn't that many of you that follow 'KTU in here, but as a small "survey" of sorts (and there's no wrong answer except for people who diss the music).......
WHICH KTU DO YOU LIKE BETTER?
a) 1996 - 2006
b) 2006 - present
c) Liked them both...not one better than the other
Thank you.
I didn't want to respond on that thread about February 10th, 1996, but after a week of stunting with the final day being non stop repetitive heartbeats, the Beat Of New York launched on 103.5 bringing back the legendary call letters of the disco station that was on 92.3 in the late 70's to the mid 80's...WKTU.
For the first 10 years of its run, 'KTU (under PD's Frankie Blue and Jeff Z (Zuchowski) ran a mixed format of disco, freestyle, pop and recurrents along with current based dance music, which tended to get "edgier" during the night. There were mix shows on Fridays and Saturday nights (The "Factory" with various "levels"). The personalities on the station during that run were RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Hollywood Hamilton, Goumba Johnny, Diane Prior, "Broadway" Bill Lee, Freddie Colon, Lisa Taylor, Jewelz. Vic Latino and for a brief while Whoopi Goldberg. Perhaps the biggest moment of that era was early as the station launched the "Last Dance At Studio 54", which was SO hot that people were actually buying tickets (that were given away via phone call ins) on eBay. There were also specials such as the "Studio 54 Clubhouse" featuring Joe Causi and "Freestyle Free For All" featuring freestyle singer Judy Torres.
Things were beginning to change in 2006 as the station was shifting momentum in a new direction. Staples such as Broadway Bill Lee, Vic Latino and Jewelz were gone, the current edgier dance music was gone and more non-dance pop related material and CHR were added to the format. On September 9th of that year 'KTU emerged into a rhythmic A/C playing the more popular rhythmic music. Rob Miller became PD of the station. As some of the original staff stayed on, more staff was added such as Cubby Bryant, Bartel, Jagger, Wendy Wild, Judy Torres. Diane Prior eventually left leaving Hollywood Hamilton and Cindy Vero as the original on-air staff remaining. Eventually along the way more current based rhythmic material was added on, but still being reflected more on a CHR angle as opposed to being edgier. However the ratings have been very successful for the station and is one of the strong points of the Clear Channel cluster.
GRANTED, for me I was very critical about 'KTU back when it launched (and wrongfully so, I can admit that in hindsight). While they WERE playing some edgier dance at that time, to me I felt that it wasn't enough and that they could have done more being that this is New York City with a rich dance music history. Along the journey I thought more of the current dance was going to happen, especially when they added Vic Latino, who was known on dance stations such as Party 105 in Long Island and 95.3 Party down in Orlando. Yet come 2006, I had totally cleared away from the station once the tweak occured.
As of now, I would listen to 'KTU on occasion (if 92.3 Now didn't have something I liked) and for what it is today, and in a small degree you can credit the EDM revolution for this, they are leaning more current but still keeping to what the station had become post 2006.
I know there isn't that many of you that follow 'KTU in here, but as a small "survey" of sorts (and there's no wrong answer except for people who diss the music).......
WHICH KTU DO YOU LIKE BETTER?
a) 1996 - 2006
b) 2006 - present
c) Liked them both...not one better than the other
Thank you.