National Personalities

[202Blogs]

I wrote the "attached" for another blog, but thought there may a few here who, like me, remember when radio had personality. People who I listened to, not for the music, but for what they said in-between the songs. Both a a local level as well as on the large market stage. From the Real Don Steele, to KHJ's Robert W. Morgan, to WOWO and Michael O"Shea, to Chicago and John Landeker, Fred Winston, Larry Lujack, Mike & Scooter, Bob Canada, well you get the picture.

I like to stroll down memory lane and remember my version of the "good old days" and shed the negative aspects of today's finger pointing, name calling, etc. Hope you enjoy the look at Don Imus. In the next few days, we drift "local" to the upstate. I promised the editor something on.....Monty Dupuy and Bob Hooper. http://2020mediazone.blogspot.com/

 

[202Blogs]

As promised a post regarding Monty Dupuy...and B93.7 was just uploaded.
Looks like Bob Hooper is next.
Any suggestions for the 3rd in a "local" series? Hunter Herring, Boob Nash.....

http://2020mediazone.blogspot.com/2012/08/radio-local-legend-monty-dupuy.html

 

[Scooter Lesley]

As you probably know, prior to '72, WHYZ-AM was the home of several Monster Personalities: "Kee-mo-sabie" Joe Johnson, Larry Mills,
G.Steven Greene & Charlie Burkett. They ate QOK's lunch, and burned the little bag that they brought it in,...prior to '72. Then, Urban ownership did what they do, and then the #2 WQOK acquired the dump, and sailed($ale-ed) on to be the cash cow that they were; until we, at WANS-AM, launched WANS-FM, the first FM CHR in the GSP market; Fall '79.
The afore mentioned four, were the reasons I got into the business.
When they were on...they...(title, tag & insurance)...OWNED IT!

 

[RobynWattsV2.0]

Scooter,

Since you were working in the market at the time. I have 2 questions to ask you that you may know the answers to.

1): What format did WANS-FM had prior to going live as "All Hit 107". Was it Top 40?

2): What year did Arbitron consolidate Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg into one market? From my understanding, that move, plus FM's rise in popularity, was what eventually killed off AM in the market since the majority of AM stations had full coverage of the entire market, except for WHYZ and WESC-AM (both were 50kW, but daytime only IIRC).

Thanks,
Robyn

 

[Scooter Lesley]

Robyn, here's the answers to your two questions:
#1: I left WRIX-FM in September of '77, to accept an offer from WANS-AM. The station was your standard hometown/county wide popular Top 40 format; like WQOK, and WHYZ were for Greenville.
My first day there mirrored the first episode of WKRP; Truthfully! We all had duties, regarding the FM, which was a SMC Automation system. The format was MOR, "Middle Of The Road": Sinatra, Andy Williams, and etc... We were "Office Listening" then! The idea of Top 40, later CHR/Top 30, never entered our minds, until Greg Fowler launched WKZQ; Myrtle Beach. CHR...loud, clear, and in stereo transmitted into more money than their owners could count. Fowler's success, +plus the talks that would follow, in (GM)Nick's office, would plan the eventual switcheroo. After we errected a new 1000-ft tower, just outside of Liberty>>we went after the Greenville money in late '79, and the rest is history. I used several different air names, during my eight years there, but not Scooter Lesley. Joe "Jammin' Jeff" Hayes has a nice tribute website "107WANS", but it doesn't contain much info from those early years.
#2: I could be easily wrong, but I believe that was launched in 1990, as part of Arbitron's campain to put Birch/Scarbourgh out of business. The latter, was a phone servey based service, that compeated against Arbitron. They had a 70% return, to Arb's 40%. I remember our (WCKN)sales department using both on sales calls. Birch went out in late 1990. This, your second question, is more well-suited,...for some veteran either in sales and/or working at an ad agency.

 

[vchimpanzee]

since the majority of AM stations had full coverage of the entire market, except for WHYZ and WESC-AM (both were 50kW, but daytime only IIRC).

Don't you mean these were the only two stations that covered the whole market?

 

[Al Timiter]

As you probably know, prior to '72, WHYZ-AM...They ate QOK's lunch, and burned the little bag that they brought it in,...prior to '72.

I am more than just slightly familiar with WHYZ but when you say they "ate QOK's lunch," I assume you mean "beat them in the ratings." Could you provide some proof of this?