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WZZP launch

A

absolutruth

Guest
Tomorrow (March 13th) marks 35 years since WZZP launched as Zip 106. I spoke to a former air talent there recently, and even he admitted that the station is mostly forgotten.
 
WZZP started as a Top 40 station (?), but think around 1979 or '80, it morphed into a Soft AC, and later became Lite Rock 106 1/2 in 1984.

It's a shame that Zip is not in the same league of memorable stations as WLTF, Mix and now The Lake.
 
It was the first incarnation of contemp music on the 106.5 frequency, which continues until today. Prior to 'ZZP, it was brokered ethnic program. I think the original lineup was: Bobby Box; Captain Kirk Russell, Bob Payton, Skip O'Brien, Max Heywood, and Steve Brodie. Tom Jeffries, Scott "Smoker" Howitt", Clete Dumpster, Beau Raines came later.
 
I took over for Scott Howitt (evenings) at WZZP in October 1979. Bob McKay was programming, and hired me when Scott left to program 92.3 FM (WRQC-?). Ironically, I also took over for Scott when he left WCGQ, Columbus GA in 1978.

WZZP was somewhat unforgettable, but remember that this was at the start of the switch to FM migration (75-79). When moved to LiteRock 106.5, we ended up at the top of the female demos for years. (I stayed there until 1986.) Jack Casey or Bob Dumphy oversaw the switch from WZZP to LiteRock 106.5 (can't recall which). It was done in a rather hasty way: After word leaked out that we were going to make a format switch, the air staff was called into a quickly arranged meeting one afternoon and told "starting midnight tonight we are LiteRock Less Talk." That was the beginning of liners, and the time when an open mic was becoming controlled.

If I recall correctly, after the switch to LiteRock Ken Morgan had mornings, Ted Lux was in mid-day, Bruce Ryan afternoons, Bobby Thomas held evenings, and I was 10pm-2am... Don't recall who was on overnights then, though I know I moved to that time slot after taking a job with WUAB TV and working 2nd shift as an audio engineer in its production studio (around 1980). I think Jay Hudson joined the team around 1984-85 on overnights. I moved to being an all-around jock who filled in for vacations and did mornings on weekends - due to opening my own video production company.
 
Wow! That is really good insight on how WLTF was launched. I read online that the switch to Lite Rock was a response to the success of WMJI when they were AC. Ken, do you know how the station changed when Dave Popovich became PD? His arrival might have been a turning point at the station.
 
CleveFan said:
...do you know how the station changed when Dave Popovich became PD? His arrival might have been a turning point at the station.
Click to expand...

Dave (who is nicknamed "Skippy") was a driving force behind the new sound. The station really didn't come together until he came onboard. He has this strong ability to analyze competition and counter-program. It was an extreme learning experience for me. I still hold high respect for him, though I shake my head at the direction local broadcasting is heading today. It has completely missed how to properly use new media - a topic I often write about at AudioGraphics.com (http://www.audiographics.com)

As a BTW: WZZP was a disco leaning station at first, then moved to AC before becoming LiteRock.
 
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