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The most formats on one station?
- Thread starter radiosaur
- Start date
I think 680 might win the prize.
AM stations
WHBQ has only had 8--Mutual network, top 40, oldies/AC, news/talk, oldies, oldies/heavy metal, country, sports.
WREC about 4--CBS network, MOR, Music of Your Life, News/Talk.
WMC about 6--NBC network, MOR, Country, News/Talk, Sports, Classic Country
WDIA & WLOK always some form of urban except for the first few months of DIA.
KWAM probably 4--Country, Gospel, Black Gospel, Talk.
WBBP also probably 4--Easy Listening, Country, Christian, Black Gospel
1430 could be a contender--Easy Listening to about 1973, Talk to the mid 1980s. After Sam Phillips sold the station, they were Standards, CNN news, and a bunch of other things prior to Radio Disney. Weren't they even modern rock?
FM
92.9--3 classic hits, active rock, modern rock
94.1 or 94.3-- I think about 8, MOR, top 40, country, easy listening, oldies, country, modern ac, rhythmic ac.
95.7--3 modern rock, oldies, black gospel
97.1-- 2 classical, urban
98.1--5 since moving to Memphis, AOR, top 40, oldies, classic hits, classic rock
98.9-- 3 since moving to Memphis, smooth jazz, urban, variety hits
99.7--4 or 5, AM simulcast, top 40, AOR, top 40, hot AC
101.1--about 5, easy listening, country, black gospel, urban, urban AC
102.7-- maybe 6, easy listening, country, AOR, top 40, AOR, classic rock
103.5-- 1 since moving to Memphis, urban oldies
104.5--3 religion, easy listening, adult contemporary
105.9--3 Drake Chenault hitparade, easy listening, country
107.1--? I think they were black gospel (KFTH), urban AC, modern rock, blues, urban maybe something else.
107.5--? top 40, dance, AAA, top 40. Maybe others
AM stations
WHBQ has only had 8--Mutual network, top 40, oldies/AC, news/talk, oldies, oldies/heavy metal, country, sports.
WREC about 4--CBS network, MOR, Music of Your Life, News/Talk.
WMC about 6--NBC network, MOR, Country, News/Talk, Sports, Classic Country
WDIA & WLOK always some form of urban except for the first few months of DIA.
KWAM probably 4--Country, Gospel, Black Gospel, Talk.
WBBP also probably 4--Easy Listening, Country, Christian, Black Gospel
1430 could be a contender--Easy Listening to about 1973, Talk to the mid 1980s. After Sam Phillips sold the station, they were Standards, CNN news, and a bunch of other things prior to Radio Disney. Weren't they even modern rock?
FM
92.9--3 classic hits, active rock, modern rock
94.1 or 94.3-- I think about 8, MOR, top 40, country, easy listening, oldies, country, modern ac, rhythmic ac.
95.7--3 modern rock, oldies, black gospel
97.1-- 2 classical, urban
98.1--5 since moving to Memphis, AOR, top 40, oldies, classic hits, classic rock
98.9-- 3 since moving to Memphis, smooth jazz, urban, variety hits
99.7--4 or 5, AM simulcast, top 40, AOR, top 40, hot AC
101.1--about 5, easy listening, country, black gospel, urban, urban AC
102.7-- maybe 6, easy listening, country, AOR, top 40, AOR, classic rock
103.5-- 1 since moving to Memphis, urban oldies
104.5--3 religion, easy listening, adult contemporary
105.9--3 Drake Chenault hitparade, easy listening, country
107.1--? I think they were black gospel (KFTH), urban AC, modern rock, blues, urban maybe something else.
107.5--? top 40, dance, AAA, top 40. Maybe others
How many formats has 1210 had? I listened to them when they were oldies, then CCM. I quit listening when they switched to CNN news, and since then I know they've at least had Spanish lanugage programming, The Pig, and now they're easy listening. Weren't there some others as well?
I'd think just about anything owned by Flinn would be at the top of the list.
I'd think just about anything owned by Flinn would be at the top of the list.
L
Lucille
Guest
I have a vague memory of FM100 being an albumn oriented station back in the mid to late 70s. Right before they started the "FM100 Means Music" thing. Did I just dream this?
Young folks today may have a skewed view of what album rock was in the late 60's and early 70's. When Burkhart Abrams "Superstars" formatted stations (such as the late WZXR) took hold in the early 80's, the genre narrowed somewhat in it's diversity. FM100 was "progressive" rock back in the day before the AOR term was actually coined. I didn't get much exposure to it in it's heyday, but folks speak of it in reverential terms. The documentation I have seen on it, weekly charts and such, show a very broad playlist, some pop, some heavier rock, but lots of R&B, also. I ran across a poorly recorded tape of early FM 100 and was pleasantly surprised to hear them playing "Too Hard To Handle", by Otis Redding. The closest thing to FM100 in the neck-of-the-woods of my youth would have been WJDX-FM, later WZZQ, where you would be as likely to hear "I'll Fix Your Flat Tire Merle" as you would "Stairway" or "Free Bird".
Oh, another thought on the mid-70's FM100. Before I came to Memphis, I was dating a girl who went to Ole Miss, and she would tell me stories about this wild dj on FM100 who said the most outlandish things. She didn't see how he could get away with it. Sort of how someone would have descibed Howard Stern before he became a corporation. She was referring, of course, to Ron Olson.
When I made my first desperate blitz applying for jobs in Memphis radio, I had the pleasure of talking with then program director Greg Hamilton. While he didn't have any openings, he was very encouraging to a kid looking for a break.
Does anyone remember FM100 broadcasting live music from Overton Square? Perhaps from Trader Dick's or Poets or Solomon Alfreds? The first time I ever heard Keith Sykes, he was doing a live gig on 100.
When I made my first desperate blitz applying for jobs in Memphis radio, I had the pleasure of talking with then program director Greg Hamilton. While he didn't have any openings, he was very encouraging to a kid looking for a break.
Does anyone remember FM100 broadcasting live music from Overton Square? Perhaps from Trader Dick's or Poets or Solomon Alfreds? The first time I ever heard Keith Sykes, he was doing a live gig on 100.
L
littlebigradio
Guest
...I remember listening to a live concert on FM100 that was broadcasts from Lafayaette's Music Room. It was either Billy Joel or Barry Manilow....they were very similar musically back in the early/mid 70's
B
BigSteveG
Guest
Most formats on one station?
Aren't we forgetting WEVL? ;D
Aren't we forgetting WEVL? ;D
What a combo!briancraig said:
Remember when 95.7FM first was created in 1993 was WYYA - simulcasting WXK49 162.475MHz NOAA Weather Radio until 96X launched in the fall.
I remember when 107.1FM simulcasted WDRE-FM's alternative format from New York back in 1993.
When did FM100 segue from adult leaning top 40 to Hot AC? I seem to remember it as around 1989-1990. Am I about right?
R
RadioGeek06
Guest
Speaking of CLASSIC FM100...anyone know where I can download a copy that tune "my radio's picking up FM 100, I hear Memphis calling me home"....classic song from my childhood I'd love to have on my iPOD!
K
KennyBosak
Guest
With all due respect to Randy Lane, the defining era for FM100 was 1979-1982, when Gary Guthrie was PD.
Folks can wax nostalgic all they wish about the era of Jon Scott, but FM100 was a sleeping giant until the arrival of Guthrie from WAKY in Louisville.
Perhaps with a boost from the departure of Rick Dees to L.A. in May 1979, Guthrie was the first PD to bring CHR successfully to the Memphis FM dial.
Gary brought Tom Prestigiacomo with him from Louisville and placed him in the FM100 afternoon spot, where he remains nearly 28 years later. He put Steve Conley in middays in 1981, and Steve logged over 25 years in either middays or mornings. Gary put Bill Hickok and Terrence McKeever together in 1980, and they had a short but successful run in mornings.
During the Gary Guthrie era, FM100 enjoyed a larger slice of the Memphis radio audience than at any other time in its history.
It didn't happen by accident, either. Gary was a master at getting the best performance out of his staff and making FM100 into a fun and community-involved station.
It was Gary who created the above-mentioned "Memphis I'm Coming Home To You" in 1980. Instead of opting for a cookie-cutter two-minute station anthem like the WHBQ "You" theme, Gary sat down and wrote lyrics about real Memphis places and events. When you buy the generic jingle, you don't get references to the Rendezvous or the Tigers vs. Ole Miss. With big props to Pat and Suzanne Taylor, who nailed the vocals, it was Gary's vision that made the song a huge hit on the air and a top-selling single at Pop Tunes.
Randy Lane is a successful guy, and he deserves credit for creating morning teams like Mark & Brian and Rumble & Thrower, but those accomplishments are not on his FM100 resume. Post-Gary Guthrie PDs like Randy Lane, Robert John and Garry Wall should be grateful that Gary launched the ship that they were able to sail on.
Otherwise, we might still be listening to album cuts from Wishbone Ash and King Crimson.
Folks can wax nostalgic all they wish about the era of Jon Scott, but FM100 was a sleeping giant until the arrival of Guthrie from WAKY in Louisville.
Perhaps with a boost from the departure of Rick Dees to L.A. in May 1979, Guthrie was the first PD to bring CHR successfully to the Memphis FM dial.
Gary brought Tom Prestigiacomo with him from Louisville and placed him in the FM100 afternoon spot, where he remains nearly 28 years later. He put Steve Conley in middays in 1981, and Steve logged over 25 years in either middays or mornings. Gary put Bill Hickok and Terrence McKeever together in 1980, and they had a short but successful run in mornings.
During the Gary Guthrie era, FM100 enjoyed a larger slice of the Memphis radio audience than at any other time in its history.
It didn't happen by accident, either. Gary was a master at getting the best performance out of his staff and making FM100 into a fun and community-involved station.
It was Gary who created the above-mentioned "Memphis I'm Coming Home To You" in 1980. Instead of opting for a cookie-cutter two-minute station anthem like the WHBQ "You" theme, Gary sat down and wrote lyrics about real Memphis places and events. When you buy the generic jingle, you don't get references to the Rendezvous or the Tigers vs. Ole Miss. With big props to Pat and Suzanne Taylor, who nailed the vocals, it was Gary's vision that made the song a huge hit on the air and a top-selling single at Pop Tunes.
Randy Lane is a successful guy, and he deserves credit for creating morning teams like Mark & Brian and Rumble & Thrower, but those accomplishments are not on his FM100 resume. Post-Gary Guthrie PDs like Randy Lane, Robert John and Garry Wall should be grateful that Gary launched the ship that they were able to sail on.
Otherwise, we might still be listening to album cuts from Wishbone Ash and King Crimson.
I don't agree at all.
Gary was OK, but he was also at the right place at the right ime. If WHBQ had an FM outlet at the time things would have been very different. Gary had a superpower FM exclusive format at a time when listeners were migrating to FM anyway. The forces that took Q down had nothing to do with the product. It was top-notch, but the move to FM and RKO's problems destroyed that station. "Comin' Home" was a nice little imaging coup but it didn't make or break the station.
With the market forces at work at the time, Gary really couldn't lose. The credit goes to the ones after him for maintaining the numbers, but even then except for the attempt of 98.1 and the Z 103 debacle in the 80s, FM 100 has never had head to head competition.
I've known Presto and Steve for years, and I give them thier credit...but at the time, I think Long was right that there was no one on FM 100 that was better than anyone at Q...and Conley came from Q.
In my alternate universe, WHBQ would have migrated to FM and remained a dominator. Dees would have moved on eventually but probably not for a few more years. WMC-FM would have taken the heritage country format from 790.
Gary was OK, but he was also at the right place at the right ime. If WHBQ had an FM outlet at the time things would have been very different. Gary had a superpower FM exclusive format at a time when listeners were migrating to FM anyway. The forces that took Q down had nothing to do with the product. It was top-notch, but the move to FM and RKO's problems destroyed that station. "Comin' Home" was a nice little imaging coup but it didn't make or break the station.
With the market forces at work at the time, Gary really couldn't lose. The credit goes to the ones after him for maintaining the numbers, but even then except for the attempt of 98.1 and the Z 103 debacle in the 80s, FM 100 has never had head to head competition.
I've known Presto and Steve for years, and I give them thier credit...but at the time, I think Long was right that there was no one on FM 100 that was better than anyone at Q...and Conley came from Q.
In my alternate universe, WHBQ would have migrated to FM and remained a dominator. Dees would have moved on eventually but probably not for a few more years. WMC-FM would have taken the heritage country format from 790.
The end of the Robert John era and the start of the Randy Lane era at FM 100 was all about the station trying to survive.
They were still playing Bee Gees and Fleetwood Mac during middays and afternoons. Conley was still featuring 50s and 60s oldies during his lunch show.
Suddenly at night they were all Top 40 pop hits and no AC or Hot AC or Adult AC records in the mix.
They also didn't know how to take the 98 invasion. 98 messed with FM 100 on the phones, on the streets and in the minds of listeners.
Randy is an okay programmer (with great hair) but his legacy is one of treading water while searching for a station identity.
They were still playing Bee Gees and Fleetwood Mac during middays and afternoons. Conley was still featuring 50s and 60s oldies during his lunch show.
Suddenly at night they were all Top 40 pop hits and no AC or Hot AC or Adult AC records in the mix.
They also didn't know how to take the 98 invasion. 98 messed with FM 100 on the phones, on the streets and in the minds of listeners.
Randy is an okay programmer (with great hair) but his legacy is one of treading water while searching for a station identity.
The end of the Robert John era and the start of the Randy Lane era at FM 100 was all about the station trying to survive.
...and survive they did, even today. And they were by FAR the top biller in the market for many years to come.
They were still playing Bee Gees and Fleetwood Mac during middays and afternoons. Conley was still featuring 50s and 60s oldies during his lunch show.
Suddenly at night they were all Top 40 pop hits and no AC or Hot AC or Adult AC records in the mix.
Yep. Dayparting worked quite well then. Not so much anymore.
They also didn't know how to take the 98 invasion. 98 messed with FM 100 on the phones, on the streets and in the minds of listeners.
...and isn't around today.
Randy is an okay programmer (with great hair) but his legacy is one of treading water while searching for a station identity.
Randy was the last programmer that gave FM 100 a real identity. Those problems started later and remain today. But he did have great hair.
I still maintain the original versions of a Top-40 FM 100 would have been trashed by WHBQ on an equal playing field. I DO think the late 80s - early 90s FM 100 was one of America's great radio stations and I am proud to have been a large part of that. Today, sadly, you are right...they seem to be a station in search of an identity.
...and survive they did, even today. And they were by FAR the top biller in the market for many years to come.
They were still playing Bee Gees and Fleetwood Mac during middays and afternoons. Conley was still featuring 50s and 60s oldies during his lunch show.
Suddenly at night they were all Top 40 pop hits and no AC or Hot AC or Adult AC records in the mix.
Yep. Dayparting worked quite well then. Not so much anymore.
They also didn't know how to take the 98 invasion. 98 messed with FM 100 on the phones, on the streets and in the minds of listeners.
...and isn't around today.
Randy is an okay programmer (with great hair) but his legacy is one of treading water while searching for a station identity.
Randy was the last programmer that gave FM 100 a real identity. Those problems started later and remain today. But he did have great hair.
I still maintain the original versions of a Top-40 FM 100 would have been trashed by WHBQ on an equal playing field. I DO think the late 80s - early 90s FM 100 was one of America's great radio stations and I am proud to have been a large part of that. Today, sadly, you are right...they seem to be a station in search of an identity.
I think around 1989-1990, many existing top 40 stations in the country were trying to identify themselves. With many playing r&b and hip hop songs in the mix of other popular rock songs, top 40 stations at the time had to develop a format that would only play pop and rock songs that were considered popular. Hence, many of them turned to the newly formed Hot AC format. I remember many long term top 40 stations in the country that converted at the same time. FM100 and Star 94 in Atlanta are just two that I can think of right off. I remember FM100 being an adult leaning top 40 back in the 80s. When I would compare the countdown shows at the time (Rick Dees and Casey Kasem) FM100's playlist was tame compared to what would play on the countdowns. Anyone remember AT40 Sunday Mornings and Dees on Sunday nights - Memories! My boombox recorded tape of FM100 in 1984 has Tom Prestigiacomo playing...
Hall and Oates - Method of Love
Huey Lewis and the News - Heart and Soul
Bryan Adams - Run to You
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Kenny Loggins - Footloose
The Beetles - Hard Days Night
Meatloaf
I recorded one of the last Weekly Top 40's from 2001 on FM100. I wish they would bring Dees back!
Hall and Oates - Method of Love
Huey Lewis and the News - Heart and Soul
Bryan Adams - Run to You
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Kenny Loggins - Footloose
The Beetles - Hard Days Night
Meatloaf
I recorded one of the last Weekly Top 40's from 2001 on FM100. I wish they would bring Dees back!
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