-
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
The River City Rocker 1280 WGBF
- Thread starter RadioRob
- Start date
> It was thirty years ago a sleepy radio station awoke. Care
> to share some memories?
>
It was a great day for radio. Although I never worked there, I had a couple of buds that did. They were there during the Buddy Scott era. Best story I heard was that during a contest, they melted the local telco switch. Then did it again the next week. Phone company pulled their contest line and they had no phones. So, they took drive through requests at the studios. And for contests they would take their van out to a pay phone somewhere (like the mall) and give out that number for the contest. Didn't take long for WJPS to die. And WJPS had that awful nighttime directional null thorough the mall on the east side of town. Too bad.
Great radio station, great owners, great listeners.
Douglas B.
> to share some memories?
>
It was a great day for radio. Although I never worked there, I had a couple of buds that did. They were there during the Buddy Scott era. Best story I heard was that during a contest, they melted the local telco switch. Then did it again the next week. Phone company pulled their contest line and they had no phones. So, they took drive through requests at the studios. And for contests they would take their van out to a pay phone somewhere (like the mall) and give out that number for the contest. Didn't take long for WJPS to die. And WJPS had that awful nighttime directional null thorough the mall on the east side of town. Too bad.
Great radio station, great owners, great listeners.
Douglas B.
I could get it at night in Western Ohio, screaming jocks, great music! Buddy Scott (if its the same one) seemed to have worked about everywhere (including two WDJX's, one in Dayton, one in Louisville IIRC).
<P ID="signature">______________
Soon to set the world record for recieving Nigerian scam and phising e-mails!</P>
<P ID="signature">______________
Soon to set the world record for recieving Nigerian scam and phising e-mails!</P>
Evansville Ratings 74-77
Mon-Sun 6a-12m 12 plus........A/M 74....A/M 76..A/M 77
1330 AM WJPS (Top 40)*.........20.2.....6.6.....0.8
104.1 FM WIKY (EZ).............15.0.....16.3....27.5
1400 AM WROZ (Country).........14.4.....12.2....8.3
820 AM WIKY (EZ)............... 9.7.....9.4.....8.9
99.5 FM WKDQ (AC).............. 8.6.....9.7.....7.2
1280 AM WGBF (MOR)**........... 6.4.....24.1....26.1
860 AM WSON (Country).......... 4.7.....4.7.....3.1
98.1 FM WRAY (Variety)......... 4.4.....3.3.....3.1
105.3 FM WVHI (Religious)...... 1.9.....0.6.....1.7
1250 AM WRAY (Variety)......... 1.1.....1.4.....1.1
107.1 FM WBNL (Variety)........ 0.8.....0.3.....0.6
1540 AM WBNL (Variety)......... 0.6.....0.3.....0.6
92.5 FM WBKR (Country)......... 1.4.....1.7.....1.7
96.1 FM WSTO (EZ).............. 0.....1.7.....1.7
103.1 FM WHKC (AC)............. 0..... 0 ..... 0
* WJPS becomes MOR by 77
**WGBF switched to Top 40 Fall 75
Mon-Sun 6a-12m 12 plus........A/M 74....A/M 76..A/M 77
1330 AM WJPS (Top 40)*.........20.2.....6.6.....0.8
104.1 FM WIKY (EZ).............15.0.....16.3....27.5
1400 AM WROZ (Country).........14.4.....12.2....8.3
820 AM WIKY (EZ)............... 9.7.....9.4.....8.9
99.5 FM WKDQ (AC).............. 8.6.....9.7.....7.2
1280 AM WGBF (MOR)**........... 6.4.....24.1....26.1
860 AM WSON (Country).......... 4.7.....4.7.....3.1
98.1 FM WRAY (Variety)......... 4.4.....3.3.....3.1
105.3 FM WVHI (Religious)...... 1.9.....0.6.....1.7
1250 AM WRAY (Variety)......... 1.1.....1.4.....1.1
107.1 FM WBNL (Variety)........ 0.8.....0.3.....0.6
1540 AM WBNL (Variety)......... 0.6.....0.3.....0.6
92.5 FM WBKR (Country)......... 1.4.....1.7.....1.7
96.1 FM WSTO (EZ).............. 0.....1.7.....1.7
103.1 FM WHKC (AC)............. 0..... 0 ..... 0
* WJPS becomes MOR by 77
**WGBF switched to Top 40 Fall 75
Buddy worked in Indy at WIFE before WGBF. Jim Wood was the WGBF pd after serving as md at WIFE.
> I could get it at night in Western Ohio, screaming jocks,
> great music! Buddy Scott (if its the same one) seemed to
> have worked about everywhere (including two WDJX's, one in
> Dayton, one in Louisville IIRC).
>
> I could get it at night in Western Ohio, screaming jocks,
> great music! Buddy Scott (if its the same one) seemed to
> have worked about everywhere (including two WDJX's, one in
> Dayton, one in Louisville IIRC).
>
D
dressplaza
Guest
Re: Evansville Ratings 74-77
> Mon-Sun 6a-12m 12 plus........A/M 74....A/M 76..A/M 77
>
> 1330 AM WJPS (Top 40)*.........20.2.....6.6.....0.8
> 104.1 FM WIKY (EZ).............15.0.....16.3....27.5
> *edit*
> 1280 AM WGBF (MOR)**........... 6.4.....24.1....26.1
>
> * WJPS becomes MOR by 77
> **WGBF switched to Top 40 Fall 75
>
That is insane. Just 100% insane. Could you even pull something like that off today.. going from #1 to #12 in 2 years.. losing 20 points!! I don't know much about Tri-State radio history prior to ohh.. the 90's.. but did WJPS just give up when WGBF flipped? Or was the 1280 signal just that much better.. I know it's decent today.
> Mon-Sun 6a-12m 12 plus........A/M 74....A/M 76..A/M 77
>
> 1330 AM WJPS (Top 40)*.........20.2.....6.6.....0.8
> 104.1 FM WIKY (EZ).............15.0.....16.3....27.5
> *edit*
> 1280 AM WGBF (MOR)**........... 6.4.....24.1....26.1
>
> * WJPS becomes MOR by 77
> **WGBF switched to Top 40 Fall 75
>
That is insane. Just 100% insane. Could you even pull something like that off today.. going from #1 to #12 in 2 years.. losing 20 points!! I don't know much about Tri-State radio history prior to ohh.. the 90's.. but did WJPS just give up when WGBF flipped? Or was the 1280 signal just that much better.. I know it's decent today.
Re: Evansville Ratings 74-77
WROZ went country in 1967 so WJPS was without direct local CHR competition until the arrival of "The River City Rocker". WGBF had an old school Middle Of the Road format until Metro Radio purchased 1280 and changed the format to CHR in 1975. WJPS made it a year before the addition of talk and a change to MOR. WJPS gave up the calls in 1980 and tried country as WKKR. Two years later, country was retired and the WVHI calls and paid religion found a home on 1330 AM after 105.3 FM went country with new calls WYNG.
For the remainder of the late seventies, WGBF battled WIKY for the number one spot. By 1980, WKDQ ended automation for live CHR and a year later WKDQ and WIKY briefly battled for number one. A couple of years later WSTO went live with the start of CHR and by that time WGBF found the AC format. Around 1986, "The River City Rocker" returned to 1280 and sister 103.1FM with an Album Rock format the FM has today. Meanwhile, 1280 went standards in 1990 as WWOK. Five years later the WGBF calls return along with a sports format. It then went News/Talk in a format switch with then LMA partner WGAB.
The daytime signals of 1330 and 1280 are almost the same. The difference is the nighttime signal. The 1330 antenna sight is north of Evansville. The night pattern of 1330 was designed to cover the population and downtown retail center circa the late 40's which was mostly west of Highway 41. The nulls to the southeast (protecting a station in Greenville, SC) produced little if any nighttime signal towards what became the new retail center, Green River Road as well as Newburgh. The towers for 1280 are located on the Eastside and its night pattern even makes it to Owensboro.
WROZ went country in 1967 so WJPS was without direct local CHR competition until the arrival of "The River City Rocker". WGBF had an old school Middle Of the Road format until Metro Radio purchased 1280 and changed the format to CHR in 1975. WJPS made it a year before the addition of talk and a change to MOR. WJPS gave up the calls in 1980 and tried country as WKKR. Two years later, country was retired and the WVHI calls and paid religion found a home on 1330 AM after 105.3 FM went country with new calls WYNG.
For the remainder of the late seventies, WGBF battled WIKY for the number one spot. By 1980, WKDQ ended automation for live CHR and a year later WKDQ and WIKY briefly battled for number one. A couple of years later WSTO went live with the start of CHR and by that time WGBF found the AC format. Around 1986, "The River City Rocker" returned to 1280 and sister 103.1FM with an Album Rock format the FM has today. Meanwhile, 1280 went standards in 1990 as WWOK. Five years later the WGBF calls return along with a sports format. It then went News/Talk in a format switch with then LMA partner WGAB.
The daytime signals of 1330 and 1280 are almost the same. The difference is the nighttime signal. The 1330 antenna sight is north of Evansville. The night pattern of 1330 was designed to cover the population and downtown retail center circa the late 40's which was mostly west of Highway 41. The nulls to the southeast (protecting a station in Greenville, SC) produced little if any nighttime signal towards what became the new retail center, Green River Road as well as Newburgh. The towers for 1280 are located on the Eastside and its night pattern even makes it to Owensboro.
Re: Evansville Ratings 74-77
Not really insane, just a case of a well programmed station kicking the sh*t out of a fat, happy and previously unchallenged station. WJPS was caught napping when the 'GBF crew rolled into town. Hot jocks, great music, and did they ever promote. And 'GBF had a sales staff that was young, hungry and wouldn't take no for an answer. Most great radio wars are won on the street, and that means promotions and sales. Sure WJPS had a crap signal at night, but they were also overwhelmed on the air and steamrolled on the street. At 'GBF there was energy and excitement you don't find on the air nowadays.
If their ever was a tale of a station taking a town by storm, this was it.
Douglas B.
> That is insane. Just 100% insane. Could you even pull
> something like that off today.. going from #1 to #12 in 2
> years.. losing 20 points!! I don't know much about
> Tri-State radio history prior to ohh.. the 90's.. but did
> WJPS just give up when WGBF flipped? Or was the 1280 signal
> just that much better.. I know it's decent today.
>
Not really insane, just a case of a well programmed station kicking the sh*t out of a fat, happy and previously unchallenged station. WJPS was caught napping when the 'GBF crew rolled into town. Hot jocks, great music, and did they ever promote. And 'GBF had a sales staff that was young, hungry and wouldn't take no for an answer. Most great radio wars are won on the street, and that means promotions and sales. Sure WJPS had a crap signal at night, but they were also overwhelmed on the air and steamrolled on the street. At 'GBF there was energy and excitement you don't find on the air nowadays.
If their ever was a tale of a station taking a town by storm, this was it.
Douglas B.
> That is insane. Just 100% insane. Could you even pull
> something like that off today.. going from #1 to #12 in 2
> years.. losing 20 points!! I don't know much about
> Tri-State radio history prior to ohh.. the 90's.. but did
> WJPS just give up when WGBF flipped? Or was the 1280 signal
> just that much better.. I know it's decent today.
>
It's been a long time since anyone posted on this 'One of the last great CHR/Top-40' successes" as FM became the main music flow! If Metro had put the CHR on a closer to the hub frequency, A "Class-B" or "C-2" across the river, it would have made the transition well... The main flow of 'GBF came out of the fall of Don Burden's WIFE in Indy (great station in its day)... Buddy Scott, Jim Wood, Charlie Quinn, Dave Denver (Ric Lippencott), J.J. Jackson (John David Spangler), "Dirty Harry" Lyles, Mike "Mother Bear" Kelly" and many more... I learned much from these real radio guys.... When there was a boycott up at WNDE, Scott Wheeler even came down and did a couple of shifts... Wow! I can honestly say that in that era, it was a better presentation than the fading WIFE, WNDE and WAKY over in Louisville.... I was lucky to be the 'KID' doing the playback of the programs and in the 'Cash Cruiser' for two way reports on giving away cash and prizes... I wish I'd been a little more experienced in age... But, it still gives me some fodder to get an FM somewhere and use the principles of formatics to SHAKE UP an working class regional market... I do remember the PD from 'JPS sending a condolence to Jim Wood... As 'GBF was setting up the Labor Day of '75 to EXPLOAD the hit radio side of the market.... Something like: "It will be fun watching all of you at 'GBF slide down the slippery pole! What are Indy guys doing in Evansville? I will be fun beating you in our back yard!!!" Signed; "The Jerks At 'JPS"... I asked Jerry ('JPS) before he passed (became a good radio friend) about he confessed it was a legit prank... IT BACKFIRED! I have some stories from the 'JPS crew! I will share later... If Mr. Geyer knew what he did, he woud have hit the roof at 4th and Sycamore in Downtown Evansville! R.I.P... Jerry Smith (Evansville's James Oliver Stagg, not to be confused with the Chicago's J.O.S... I will share my other training of interest from John A. and John D. Engelbrecht's WIKY... I worked in that building three times at WIKY, WJPS-FM and WOLF Country..... "Skip" taking a pandemic break from the low sales world of RADIO...
- Status