How long did TK-101 (WTTK) 100.7 last? It was supposed to be "progressive country" but was done in a half-assed manner that included primitive automation that often resulted in songs being cut short or being played on top of one another. And playing .38 Special and Crystal Gayle back to back was in no way progressive.
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Which Boston area station had the shortest-lived format?
- Thread starter knapfordsouthern1
- Start date
Just over two years, late 1976 to late 1978. I remember they cut out the mainstream country (such as Crystal Gayle) partway through and stuck to progressive country-rock and lots of southern rock to the end.How long did TK-101 (WTTK) 100.7 last?
I thought it was a horrible format done horribly.Just over two years, late 1976 to late 1978. I remember they cut out the mainstream country (such as Crystal Gayle) partway through and stuck to progressive country-rock and lots of southern rock to the end.
The technical awfulness ruined whatever appeal the music had. Even John Garabedian's glitchy automation on WGTR some five years earlier was better sounding. Plough Broadcasting was looking to get out of Boston anyway, IIRC, and both 1150 and 100.7 suffered,I thought it was a horrible format done horribly.
WCAS played a lot of music that WTTK should have been playing -- Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, etc.
At least major groups like iHeart and Cumulus know how to do mass automation of stations, and have pretty much perfected that kind of set-it-and-forget-it programming.The technical awfulness ruined whatever appeal the music had. Even John Garabedian's glitchy automation on WGTR some five years earlier was better sounding. Plough Broadcasting was looking to get out of Boston anyway, IIRC, and both 1150 and 100.7 suffered,
WCAS played a lot of music that WTTK should have been playing -- Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, etc.
Right, but it's also with technology newer by some 50 years.At least major groups like iHeart and Cumulus know how to do mass automation of stations, and have pretty much perfected that kind of set-it-and-forget-it programming.
And there are times when the automation doesn't work as expected; Exhibit A: WXKS-AM 1200.
I moved far from the Boston area in November 1977 and must have missed the evolution of TK-101's format. I wanted very much to like the station, but all the glitches, the unadventurous and very tight playlist and the lack of any personality prevented that. Did the station ever have live talent or was it automated to the end?Just over two years, late 1976 to late 1978. I remember they cut out the mainstream country (such as Crystal Gayle) partway through and stuck to progressive country-rock and lots of southern rock to the end.
WXKS really has gotten the short end of the stick compared to its siblings (see when it was "Matty's Comedy 1200" for about a year - the mostly-adult-women target audience for Matt Siegel simply wasn't listening to the AM band)And there are times when the automation doesn't work as expected; Exhibit A: WXKS-AM 1200.
WKKU the country format on 1510 didn't last more than 6 months
There was a very brief period of maybe a few weeks several years ago when, possibly between other formats, on 1430 AM (which I think was still then WXKS, now WKOX), Ernie Boch Jr. bought airtime 24/7 just to have the station play a continuous loop of music by his own blues/rock band.
I think it lasted more than a year, but how long did the satellite country format last on 97.7 (when it was WCAV)?
Of course Ernie would do that. I grew up constantly seeing that guy's silly "A Moment with Ernie Boch Jr." PSAs that still air to this day on WGBH and the commercial stations.There was a very brief period of maybe a few weeks several years ago when, possibly between other formats, on 1430 AM (which I think was still then WXKS, now WKOX), Ernie Boch Jr. bought airtime 24/7 just to have the station play a continuous loop of music by his own blues/rock band.
Another one that definitely lasted less than a year was WUMB's folk/Americana programming simulcast on WLYN 1360 for several months.
How long did TK-101 (WTTK) 100.7 last? It was supposed to be "progressive country" but was done in a half-assed manner that included primitive automation that often resulted in songs being cut short or being played on top of one another. And playing .38 Special and Crystal Gayle back to back was in no way progressive.
TK-101 was supposed to go live full time and had some live shifts during the summer of 1977. However the live shifts disappeared after the station went up for sale. Also...TK-101 was drifting much more towards AOR by that time as well. In 1978...TK-101 seemed to be going after WCOZ, WBZ-FM (106.7) and WAAF in terms of the music that they were playing...I moved far from the Boston area in November 1977 and must have missed the evolution of TK-101's format. I wanted very much to like the station, but all the glitches, the unadventurous and very tight playlist and the lack of any personality prevented that. Did the station ever have live talent or was it automated to the end?
Another one that definitely lasted less than a year was WUMB's folk/Americana programming simulcast on WLYN 1360 for several months.
But, it was the only period when WLYN 1360 was in AM Stereo!