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The WHOLE Tracy Johnson story... AND some other San Diego nuz...

It turns out that Mr. Johnson became the PD of Q106 (KKLQ) fifteen years ago, according to the current issue of R&R.

Does anyone happen to know when he left Q106 for Star 100.7, and if Jeff & Jer left Q106 at the same time or later?

I misinterpreted your remarks with those of someone else regarding CBS Radio's existence & future which I'd seen recently in R&R.
 
This guy's career was made by Jeff & Jer, when they split his star was
fading. See ya big guy.
 
Instead of the wise remarks posted just above, I'll actually answer the question for you (the way I remember it, anyway):

Tracy came along to Q106 approximately 1991 or 92. His first order of business was to mainstream Q106 into a KIIS FM like Top 40, to distinguish themselves from Z90 which had just switched over to Dance Top 40 (a format that was very similar to what Q106 had been doing for many years). He didn't have much time, B100 was moving closer and closer to being a Maisntream CHR. In addtion, key talent, like Murphy and McKeaver had left the station, and a succession of similar morning talent (Murphy and Rumble, etc) had not done the job.

To do this he hired Magic Matt Allan away from KIIS FM in LA, gave the station reverb and even jingles to match KIIS FM's format. This lasted only 3 months however, as Matt Allan and Tracy Johson were constantly at odds. Matt Allan even took his "not enough billboards" complaint to the airwaves.

Sometime in the Summer of 1993, Jeff and Jer were fired from B100 for "talking to another station." That station was Q106. This was Tracy's second attempt to make Q106 successful. But this time, he had to lean the station even more AC. Even more of the heavy Rap music dropped, with many more pop vocal an AC artists were thrown into the playlist. In addition, Tracy added many interactive elelments into Q106, such as a Disco show on Saturday nights, Huge sticker promotions, drivetime flashbacks, and back to back music segments just to name a few.

This worked. But by late in 1994, Gary Edens' company which owned Q106 was in recievership. His stations were sold off to different owners, and 106.5 FM/600 AM (which was a simulcaset) was sold to a local investor named Leon Parma who also owned Rock 102.1 (KIOZ Oceanside), and KGMG 1360. Parma also owned a local beverage company and a stake in the San Diego Pardes.

Things went downhill right about there. One by one, Q106's dominance was taken apart. Par moved KIOZ's managment over, and fired all of the Eden's staff. the simulcast on AM 600 (which helped Q106 in North County and even parts of LA where the signal did not reach). Tracy left and went to B100, along with several sales & programming staff, and some air talent, including Dave Smiley. It wasn't long before everyone who had been at Q106 was at KFMB FM, now called Star100.7. The format was officially Adult Top 40. But in practice, it was the identical format thad had been on Q106, and all the interactive elements were included. Everything, that is except Jeff and Jer.

That changed late in 1996 when Jacor decided it wanted in to the San Diego market. In 1997 they closed on their purchase of Q106, but refused to renegotiate with Jeff and Jer, who went back to work at 100.7, and their old boss Tracy Johnson. Anita Rush had already moved over as well, thus completing the cycle.

And that's pretty much how it stayed until 2005 when 100.7 became JACK.

I'm sure there are more solid facts and dates hind all of this, but these are the events as I recall them. Hope that helps.
 
Garrett---Thank you very much.

I've just read in the newest issue of R&R that Johnson becamed the PD of Q106 in June of 1992.

I BELIEVE that I also read in another recent issue of R&R that Kevin Wetherly had left Q106 to come to LA and take over as the PD at KROQ, but I'll have to double check that.

I also recall reading that one of the co-creators of the JACK-FM format was ex-Q106 PD Garry Wall, and that he and Wetherly have been overseeing LA's JACK-FM since its inception, although I'm not sure in what capacity.

Thanks again!!!!!
 
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