I am sure someone knows the official answer.
If not, it would be fun to speculate.
If not, it would be fun to speculate.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
'KB was One of America's Two Great Stations. Which was the other?
- Thread starter Dusty Dale Brooks
- Start date
spt87 said:
That's what I thought too!
B
Bob1370
Guest
It was indeed WJR. Got that confirmed by Jeff Kaye back in '78 when we were working together on WBEN's morning show (he was programming KB at the time they started using the tagline). KB and JR were Capital Cities' two big 50 kW blowtorches before the 1986 ABC merger (when WABC, WLS, and KGO joined the CapCities blowtorch brigade).
Debaser had done a couple SOWNY shows...unfortunately I can't find the one in question (the other one is an hour from '07 with Armstrong and a couple others... www.sowny.ca , then click on "The SOWNY Show" at left and find "August 27" at the very bottom of that page - it's worth an hour of your time to hear) but I remember the topic came up - and DB explained Jeff Kaye's psychology behind that imager: calling 'KB the greatest would come off as arrogant and not believable, but calling it "One Of America's Two Great Stations" would actually be plausible, and even leave you wondering (as I indeed did as a teen) what the other station might be.
Nice to finally hear after all these years it was WJR. That we discuss this 40 years after the fact speaks to Kaye's brilliance as a programmer, IMO.
Nice to finally hear after all these years it was WJR. That we discuss this 40 years after the fact speaks to Kaye's brilliance as a programmer, IMO.
WJR may have used the slogan, but they were never considered the "other" great American station, just like they never considered KB to be the other station. As Chas recalled, it was a psych, pure and simple.
One of the reasons Jeff Kaye was one of the two great North American Program Directors I worked for.
One of the reasons Jeff Kaye was one of the two great North American Program Directors I worked for.
Yeah, that was my understanding of the phrase. Kaye's rationale was, if KB made the claim it was "America's Greatest Radio Station," it would be reflexively disputed by many people - as well as sounding like unjustifiable self-aggrandizement.
Jeff's rubric was to trick the consumer into an assumptive question - e.g., "what's the other one?"
I never understood the phrase to actually refer to any "other station."
Jeff's rubric was to trick the consumer into an assumptive question - e.g., "what's the other one?"
I never understood the phrase to actually refer to any "other station."
WJR was full service and not music based but was a great station in many ways.
Jeff Kaye was indeed brilliant. WKBW in the 1960s was actually good enough to make the claim of being the best but in light of how many other great stations there were at the time, Jeff was right to inject a little humility in to that imaging.
Actually among music stations in the pre-Drake 60s 'KB was realistically in the Top 10 (along with IMO WBZ, WABC, WIBG, WLS, WCFL, KLIF, KJR, KYW (Cleveland), KDKA, and KYA).
WJR may well have been the best full service station at that time. Although WGN, KMOX, and WOR
were really great, too.
Jeff Kaye was indeed brilliant. WKBW in the 1960s was actually good enough to make the claim of being the best but in light of how many other great stations there were at the time, Jeff was right to inject a little humility in to that imaging.
Actually among music stations in the pre-Drake 60s 'KB was realistically in the Top 10 (along with IMO WBZ, WABC, WIBG, WLS, WCFL, KLIF, KJR, KYW (Cleveland), KDKA, and KYA).
WJR may well have been the best full service station at that time. Although WGN, KMOX, and WOR
were really great, too.
For years I thought it was just me and my foggy teenage memories; after all lots of people "our age" have fond memories of the stations they grew up with - if they can remember them.
But after Armstrong died...and I started digging up old airchecks of some of the greatest stations from that golden era...I realized that although there was indeed a lot of great radio...the Jeff Kaye-era 'KB was about as good as it got back then. It was indeed special. The amount of space given to 'KB on this board is a testament to its emotional connection.
I'm thankful I got to hear it in its time...needless to say it had a profound influence.
But after Armstrong died...and I started digging up old airchecks of some of the greatest stations from that golden era...I realized that although there was indeed a lot of great radio...the Jeff Kaye-era 'KB was about as good as it got back then. It was indeed special. The amount of space given to 'KB on this board is a testament to its emotional connection.
I'm thankful I got to hear it in its time...needless to say it had a profound influence.
Dusty Dale Brooks said:
All great stations for sure. For what it's worth, I have a copy of a 50 year old memo from the program director of CHUM in Toronto (that also belongs on any list of great radio stations) to his jocks telling them that the two best Top 40 stations in North America are (were at that time) KFWB in Los Angeles and WKBW in Buffalo. He said they all should get airchecks of KFWB and listen directly across the lake to KB and try harder to sound as good as those two stations, either of which in his opinion would knock off CHUM quickly if they were in Toronto.
Last week, I sent Jeff a link to this thread and was pleased to get his response. Maybe someday he'll join the community here, but until then, he advised:
"...you can reply for me. The slogan they refer to was simply that. It evolved into a big deal. I never had anyone sayy 'Ahhh, You guys are full of sh*t.' They did ask, 'What's the other station?' So In that respect it was a hit. I never even thought of WJR in Detroit."
So there you have it. Funny, when I read this, I can actually hear the certitude in his voice.
"...you can reply for me. The slogan they refer to was simply that. It evolved into a big deal. I never had anyone sayy 'Ahhh, You guys are full of sh*t.' They did ask, 'What's the other station?' So In that respect it was a hit. I never even thought of WJR in Detroit."
So there you have it. Funny, when I read this, I can actually hear the certitude in his voice.
First of all, it's great to hear that Jeff is still around. As I recall, he had some serious health issues. I'd love to hear his take on the current state of the radio business, and where it needs to go from here.
B
Bob1370
Guest
"First of all, it's great to hear that Jeff is still around. As I recall, he had some serious health issues."
If you listen to radio or watch TV in upstate NY (and I'm sure, other places around tarhe Northeast) you'll hear him doing voiceovers for a number of accounts these days.
"I'd love to hear his take on the current state of the radio business, and where it needs to go from here."
Hope he jumps in and shares with us soon--he'll have good ideas and good advice.
If you listen to radio or watch TV in upstate NY (and I'm sure, other places around tarhe Northeast) you'll hear him doing voiceovers for a number of accounts these days.
"I'd love to hear his take on the current state of the radio business, and where it needs to go from here."
Hope he jumps in and shares with us soon--he'll have good ideas and good advice.
Bob radio is so different from the Jeff Kaye days and his philosophy of how to do radio. Where would one start? The sample of KB on Programmer Digest which I think everyone has heard by now says all that needs to be said on the subject!
Mike Sheridan said:
Radio is indeed different from 1972 when that composite was assembled...but deep inside, I think people are the same in that they want someone to make an emotional connection with them. That's the element I bring into the present. Would a 2010 version of "predictable unpredictability" work? It may well, it just wouldn't sound anything at all like 1972.
I agree with Bob, it'd be good to hear Jeff's take on things today. The basic need hasn't changed. Only the methods of fulfilling that need.
Can't believe folks still haven't figured this one out! KB was one of America's "Too" great radio stations! Hearing it rather than reading it sure conveys a different meaning, huh? In my opinion, KB was "The" great radio station! Buddy of mine told me how he actually heard them while in the Navy off the coast of India back in the early 70's - they had one heck of a signal!
- Status