In addition to WHBQ in Memphis, and sister stations WRKO Boston, and KHJ Los Angeles, were there any other RKO stations in big markets playing Top 40 in the 60's and 70's?
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WHBQ and sister RKO Stations
- Thread starter AlbumOldies
- Start date
I think 99X in New York was an RKO property and I believe they were Top 40. Erica Farber, now at R&R, was either PD or MD.........late 70s....
If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody here will straighten me out.
If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody here will straighten me out.
You are correct about the New York FM. WOR-FM went to a contemporary music format in 1966 and in October of 1972 switched calls to WXLO, 99X. They were a little early for a FM top 40 in New York and were never much of a threat to WABC.
RKO did top 40 on WHBQ, KHJ, KFRC, WRKO and CKLW. Their other two AM stations were WOR in New York which programmed talk and WGMS in Washington which had a classical format. They wanted to take WGMS rock, but there was a protest among classical lovers and RKO did not want to possibly offend the FCC so they didn't make the format change.
They were forced to sell CKLW in 1970 due to a change in Canadian law.
WHBQ was the best of the RKO top 40s and also the first having switched to the format full time in 1957. I think it really helped WHBQ that they had very good competion in WMPS during the top 40 era. The other RKO stations had fairly weak competitors.
Memphis was such a good radio town back then, not only did we have two very good sounding top 40 stations in WHBQ and WMPS, but also two groundbreaking R & B stations (WDIA and WLOK), one of the most professional sounding early country stations (WMC). a big market sounding full service/MOR (WREC), and one of the earliest FM rock stations (WMC-FM). Very few markets could compete with Memphis when it came to good radio in the 60s and 70s.
RKO did top 40 on WHBQ, KHJ, KFRC, WRKO and CKLW. Their other two AM stations were WOR in New York which programmed talk and WGMS in Washington which had a classical format. They wanted to take WGMS rock, but there was a protest among classical lovers and RKO did not want to possibly offend the FCC so they didn't make the format change.
They were forced to sell CKLW in 1970 due to a change in Canadian law.
WHBQ was the best of the RKO top 40s and also the first having switched to the format full time in 1957. I think it really helped WHBQ that they had very good competion in WMPS during the top 40 era. The other RKO stations had fairly weak competitors.
Memphis was such a good radio town back then, not only did we have two very good sounding top 40 stations in WHBQ and WMPS, but also two groundbreaking R & B stations (WDIA and WLOK), one of the most professional sounding early country stations (WMC). a big market sounding full service/MOR (WREC), and one of the earliest FM rock stations (WMC-FM). Very few markets could compete with Memphis when it came to good radio in the 60s and 70s.
briancraig said:Memphis was such a good radio town back then, not only did we have two very good sounding top 40 stations in WHBQ and WMPS, but also two groundbreaking R & B stations (WDIA and WLOK), one of the most professional sounding early country stations (WMC). a big market sounding full service/MOR (WREC), and one of the earliest FM rock stations (WMC-FM). Very few markets could compete with Memphis when it came to good radio in the 60s and 70s.
AMEN, brother, AMEN ! I've told lot of people here in east Tenn how fortunate I was to grow up in Memphis.
L
littlebigradio
Guest
What made it such a grand era was the fact that the immensely creative programmers and jocks were callng the shots concerning content and promotions......and not beancounters in some corportate office. A day when numbers like "average quarter hour", "TSL", and "cume" were more important than stock prices, cost of sales, spoilage, and yield per minute.
O
oidarman
Guest
interested party said:I think 99X in New York was an RKO property and I believe they were Top 40. Erica Farber, now at R&R, was either PD or MD.........late 70s....
If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody here will straighten me out.
Erica Farber was GM of WXLO.
S
Sandscott
Guest
It is a shame that WHBQ has been a terrible (and I love sports) all sports station for years. They have such a rich history in Memphis and in recent years all they are is a station that you cant tell one show from the next and the same tired ten callers.
O
ocala500
Guest
interested party said:I think 99X in New York was an RKO property and I believe they were Top 40. Erica Farber, now at R&R, was either PD or MD.........late 70s....
If I'm wrong, I'm sure somebody here will straighten me out.
Right, Erica was GM there. Interestingly, Steve Denitz, who is part owner of NEXT MEDIA was the Sales Manager at 99X in those days. Lots of good folks were at RKO.
T
Tenn Radio Boy
Guest
It's great to talk about the way it was, and it's nice to remember how great a radio station used to be.
WHBQ was doomed the day Flinn bought it.
That is exactly the reason I-Pods and Mp3 players are killing the industry.
Personal entertainment choices. You don't have to wait for your favorite song, you don't have to endure endless dribble from a VT'd voice guy or wade through 5 minutes of commercials.
The world has changed. Radio as we knew is six feet under.
WHBQ was doomed the day Flinn bought it.
That is exactly the reason I-Pods and Mp3 players are killing the industry.
Personal entertainment choices. You don't have to wait for your favorite song, you don't have to endure endless dribble from a VT'd voice guy or wade through 5 minutes of commercials.
The world has changed. Radio as we knew is six feet under.
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