REMEMBERING 'HIT RADIO' IN BOSTON, WHTT 103.3

[oldface]

Doug Allen

http://www.wgal.com/weather/542984/detail.html

 

[remaster]

I caught HTT back in the day and always thought it sounded huge. I wonder if XKS or even Z100 gives off the same feeling to kids today.

 

[elvisjock]

Doug Allen

http://www.wgal.com/weather/542984/detail.html

Nice to see him again. He used his real name, Alling, on 'HTT.

Shame on me for forgetting Cindy Bailen (after seeing her so many times on Channel 2 over the years.)

 

[garnet]

The jingle package in question was one produced originally for WGCL in Cleveland. Lee Gillette was a jock and production guy there before going to Boston. The package was actually a local Cleveland band called "Beu Coup" You can find the WGCL versions on this site in the Cleveland section. Killer package, by the way.

 

[Retro]

I will always remember the slogan "Hit Radio 103 WHTT, playing only the the hits!" not necessarily in that order. ;D

Also, btw once WHTT was on the air, I do not recall them playing anything before 1983. Does anyone else remember this at all?

 

[dhoule]

There was Paul Connors in morning drive. I think Gordon (last name I forget) and Kathy Dern did news.

 

[wthorne]

And don't forget the P.D.....Harry Nelson!!!! He and Paul Conners came up here to WJBQ

 

[jlehmann]

When I started, they were using the Hitradio jingles most associated with the station (the package that had the top of hour that features Jay Beau in the exhibit.) We used a completely new package starting in April or May, then used only a few shotguns in the summer, then switched to another new package that was very short-lived, followed (after I left) by the adoption of the Power 103 slogan and imaging they used until the station's demise in 1986.

I found the clip of WHTT using the top of hour cut from JAM's Hitradio 2 package. I'm not sure of the date this was recorded, just something I found online a while back. http://home.comcast.net/~jjlehmann/WHTT-HR2.mp3

 

[WEFWradio]

There's an ABC news reporter named Alex Stone I'll occasionally hear in actualities on WBZ. Is he the same guy that worked at WHTT?

 

[radiorama1]

There's an ABC news reporter named Alex Stone I'll occasionally hear in actualities on WBZ. Is he the same guy that worked at WHTT?

Now, that is a question that has been posed on here before, and there was never a definitive answer...

I'm inclined to say yes. Great set of pipes, and he was a GREAT night-time jock on WHTT. 8)

 

[thirdendorsed]

How much did CBS lose in the mid 80s for it's decision to leave the softrock format it invented to go with the short-lived CHR format on its Boston FM? WMJX was a contemporized beautiful music with vocals when it began, but in a decision much like the JACK-FM move in New York decades later, they decided to kill off the more demographically appealing (at the time) WEEI-FM in favor of being the third Top 40 in a town..

 

[Retro]

They did very well in the beginning, I do not know why they did not do as well later.

 

[elvisjock]

The Alex Stone on ABC is not the same guy. I was in touch with the 'HTT Stone not long ago, when he popped up on Facebook. He's alive and well and living in the midwest.

Gordon Hill and Kathy Doran were the news anchors. Gordon remained with the station through the WMRQ period and for many years on WODS.

Harry Nelson did not program WHTT. He ran WZOU during that period. He later programmed WODS, and Friday lunches at the New York Deli on Summer Street became the norm.

 

[chitchatjf]

Heavier rotation then WXKS and WJMN do currently and a very small playlist.

 

[jake1966]

I seem to recall that WHTT and WNEV (Ch. 7 back in the early 80s) had a simulcast show with music videos. They use to showcase some local bands each week. If so does anyone remember any of the bands?

 

[elvisjock]

Doug Alling was the host of Hot Hit Videos on Channel 7 and Hitradio 103, WHTT.

 

[Retro]

I seem to recall that WHTT and WNEV (Ch. 7 back in the early 80s) had a simulcast show with music videos. They use to showcase some local bands each week. If so does anyone remember any of the bands?

I still have an audio cast version of the all local bands special that they did when they used to have the show. Lots of good music! Too bad I recorded it on a very cheap quality tape. Hey, it sounded good at the time.

 

[Retro]

I just found on tape 2 songs/cut in's that the DJ's at WHTT did:

1-Wrestlemania-Bruuuuuuce Kelly

2-1984 Presential Election-Mike Olson

It was very nice to hear those again!

 

[Garrett]

WHTT vs. Z94 vs. Kiss (as I remember it):

WHTT had tight rotation, heavy reverb, and jinlges. Strong on "pop," mostly the top 20 songs. Never heard anything older than a couple of weeks in a typical day.

WXKS was dance heavy, still had an urban feel, but they cut into WHTT by mixing it up and just going all out, playing heavy rock and hard dance songs back to back, a sort of MTV'sh format. It worked. WMRQ "Q103," did not seem very interesting to me, and seemed like a step backwards with lots of grassy progressive rock songs, low production value, and low energy. Listeners agreed.

Z94 was more Hot AC'sh at first. Not much heavy production value--until WHTT was gone. Then Z94 (and later 'Zou) took over, with very tight rotation, and heavy jingles (but no reverb) beginning yet another battle top 40 battle with WXKS. Z94 was more processed; WXKS had more bass.
WXKS played LP's, and remixed tracks, even older music from the 70s and 60s here and there. Z94 was TIGHT, and only played the short released singles. Everything that Z94 played was also played by Kiss, but not everything on WXKS's playlist made it to Z94's.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

WMRQ "Q103," did not seem very interesting to me, and seemed like a step backwards with lots of grassy progressive rock songs, low production value, and low energy. Listeners agreed.

WMRQ was a completely different type of format. It was an early attempt at "AAA" ("Adult Album Alternative") that had nothing to do with CHR, Top 40, Hit Radio, etc... and it was aimed at a completely different (somewhat older) adult audience which it never really well developed before flipping to much more success with Oldies (WODS) in 1987. Though there was some good air talent on WMRQ, the format was not well executed, it didn't sound like the company put much initiative into WMRQ for programming or promotion during that period. Shortly after 103.3 flipped to Oldies in 1987, WBOS flipped from Country to "AAA" and had somewhat more success with it for a while.