WLEV 96.1 Easton PA June 1975

[stevations]

Here is an aircheck of WLEV when they were a Drake Chenault automated Hit Parade format

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EQZ_JAvdzs

 

[JanB959]

When I worked at WLEV, starting in 1982, the Drake Chenault Format was still in operation. The huge machine, with numerous tape decks that played the music and time checks, along with cart carousels and selctors, was lovingly named "Herman." Ted Weider did much of the voice work at that time. From time to time it got "glitchy" and played two things at once. It was incredibly interesting to watch, back in the day. The sister station, WEST, was much more interesting, really. With old time DJ's who had been there forever. One older gentleman had played the organ for live shows.

 

[stevations]

Interesting.....as you noticed from this aircheck that sometimes the commercial or PSA would start too soon at the end of the song and would not flow well with the begining of the commercial, weather or PSA. Then there would be a second of silence at other times going into the next song. In radio a second too soon or too late sounds messy. Generally it was good radio and you just got used to these little quirks as a regular listener. Many people liked the automated format so you could listen to the whole song without the DJ talking over the begining or end of a song. Most DJs did not like the format since it meant less DJ jobs. I remember Bob Charger saying automation was ruining radio...turns out satellite and other things were worse but he did have a point that it was a direction of things to come.