J. P. McCARTHY NO. 1 IN MORNINGS; WDEE NO. 3 IN DETROIT: PULSE REPORT APRIL/JUNE 1971
DETROIT — Country music seems to be doing well in Detroit where WDEE is third in the market 6 A.M. through midnight in the April/June Pulse. CKLW and the Paul Drew pack isNo. 1 with 19, WJR comes in with a 17 and nobody touches J. P. McCarthy in the mornings: this guy has a 21 from 6-10. Across the board, WDEE, programmed by John Mazur, has a 7, 8, 6, and 3 (through hours 6-10 A.M.) Breaking the other stations down CKLW has 17, 20, 21 and 14. WABX-FM has 2, 3, 4, 6. WKNR has 3, 3, 6, 5. WRIF-FM has 0, 1, 2, 3. WCHB was pulsed with 4, 4, 5, 10. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; September 18, 1971)
After More Than 3 Year Absence, WJR Returns to the CBS Network
CBS Radio logo 1963.
DETROIT — After a three-and-a-half-year separation, powerhouse WJR has rejoined CBS Radio, thus filling a glaring gap in the network’s nationwide coverage and adding more CBS “names” to the station’s own extensive personality roster.
The move has spelled no radical change so far in WJR station personnel, though much program shifting has been necessitated by the addition of such shows as “Arthur Godfrey Time,” Art Linkletter’s “Houseparty,” the “Garry Moore Show,” Betty Furness’ “Woman’s Word” and dozens of CBS News programs.
WJR-AM 760 newspaper ad for the Jimmy Wood Show; March 30, 1964. (Click on image for larger view)
Biggest move slices Jim Wood’s popular afternoon broadcast of “Showcase,” an easy-going blend of pop music, album instrumental tracks, interviews, from a daily two hours and 15 minutes, cut down to 50 minutes across-the-board. Most of the lost time is being made up, however, on a new “Jim Wood Show,” from 10:05 to 11:00 P.M. The new program includes some of the “Showcase” ingredients with the addition of humorous skits written and enacted by the ‘man-of-many-voices’ Wood.
The long-time WJR music variety show, “Guest House,” has been torn down after nine-years as an evening program landmark, but re-appears almost intact as “The Bud Guest Show” in the 12:30 P.M. through 12:55 P.M. slot, featuring host Guest and the WJR orchestra led by Jimmy Clark. The shift, meanwhile, has knocked out a WJR music-oriented show, “Time Out For Music,” which will now be heard on Saturdays only.
Popular WJR air-personality J. P. McCarthy, considered by record industry personnel as being the Motor City’s top-rated record-spinner, has lost his Saturday afternoon segment of “Music Hall,” but has an extra 15 minutes tacked onto his late-afternoon into early-evening daily stint. His early morning spot is left as unchanged from Monday through Saturday.
A 50,000 watt, clear-channel station, WJR covers more radio homes than any station outside of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles — 15,500,000 people in four States plus an additional 3,000,000 in Canada. One of the nation’s pioneer stations, WJR began broadcasting in 1922 and has since become Detroit’s premier good-music radio station.
WJR has been a CBS affiliate from September, 1935 through May, 1959, when station management split with the network over the new Program Consolidation Plan. The Program Consolidation Plan (or PCP) involved compensating affiliates with free programing which they could sell to local advertisers, rather than paying the station cash for using network programming.
Cash Is Back
WJR goes CBS with these names for 1963: Dallas Townsend; Robert Trout; Stuart Novine; Jerry Coleman; Richard Hottelet; Alexander Kendrick; Douglas Edwards; George Herman; Winston Burdett; Leonard Berstein (pictured left). Arthur Godfrey; Allan Jackson; Art Linkletter; David Schoenbrun; Betty Furness; Garry Moore; Nancy Dickerson; Charles Collingwood; Lowell Thomas; Chris Schenkel (pictured right)
Stations consider it as an unworkable “barter” system, declared it would hurt the industry and gave the network its six-months’ contractual notice. The plan was dropped by CBS early this year and cash compensation was restored, paving the way for this week’s return.
Since the schism, the CBS Radio Network had been without a regular outlet in the important Detroit market. The NBC outlet of longstanding is WWJ, the Detroit News station. ABC owns and operates WXYZ and WKMH programs Mutual news and sports shows.
Commenting on the move back to WJR, CBS Radio President Arthur Hull Hayes said, “We welcome the re-affiliation of WJR because it reflects the renewed vigor and indestructible importance of (CBS) network radio” having now been enjoined once again in the Detroit market. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; January 12, 1963)
Vintage WJR-AM 760 newspaper ad for J. P. McCarthy’s “Music Hall” return; December 1964
…Well, Jimmy Durante is still funny — television, they got them every place you go. No one listens to radio anymore. You sit in saloons and watch television. …
A long time ago in the early 1950s, there was WJR. And then there was WJBK. And there he was. Clark Reid earlier on WJR and later on WJBK radio here in Detroit.
Clark Reid. A name as enigmatic as WJBK. A name as synonymous as to what classic Detroit radio was all about, as it were, during the 1950s through the early 1960s here in the Motor City.
Clark Reid introduced himself to Detroit radio way back in 1952, when he first opened the studio microphones on local CBS-affiliate WJR. New in town at the time, Clark made his way north into Detroit from Akron, Ohio. Formerly from Akron’s WAKR, Clark once held the distinction of having replaced the legendary Alan Freed on that station, who moved over to Cleveland’s WJW to launch his legendary “Moondog” shows.
At WJR, Reid was first hired as a personality for the all-night show. While the station’s day-part policy was strictly delegated sustaining CBS network programming and local community fare, Clark was given complete control and freedom in selecting whatever music he wanted to play, so long as it was from the extensive record library at WJR.
One of the highlights of his early days at WJR was on Thursday nights when Reid was doing his “all-request” shows. With the station’s towering 50,000-watt signal, letters of requests would pour in from all over the country. It was “an important show to get a record played on,”Clark once said, as he was constantly “chased by not only by record promotion men, but also the ‘song pluggers.'”
Many of the recording stars who performed in Detroit clubs during those days found their way into the WJR studios. Some of the most popular artists became over-night “guests” on his all-night shows. It was of no consequence that on any particular night, names such as Sammy Davis, Jr., Johnny Ray, Nat King Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Eddie Fisher, Peggy Lee and many others appeared courtesy his shows, which Clark once described as resembling a “Tonight Show” on radio, for the most part, during the four years he was there. Clark recalled once that, “it was just a great experience on WJR because I had complete freedom to do whatever I wanted to do.”
But in late April 1956, Clark Reid made the switch over to WJBK for the morning drive.
Clark Reid photographed here in the WJBK studios in 1956(photo courtesy from the Greg Innis Collection).
Clark was hired from WJR by WJBK Station Manager Harry Lipson immediately after WJBK fired Mickey Schorr, Schorr eventually found his way over to market-competitor WXYZ. At the same time, WJBK decided to move their morning team of Joe Gentile and Ralph Binge for the evening hours instead, while Clark Reid took over reigns as the new host for the morning show on Radio 15.
When he began his early tenure at WJBK, Reid was there working alongside with the legendary Ed McKenzie. Ed McKenzie had been at WJBK since 1937. At the time of Reid’s hiring, Ed was still broadcasting under the moniker “Jack the Bellboy,” a banner McKenzie christened unto himself when he first assumed that title a decade earlier in 1945. Also at WJBK in 1956, Reid was in good company with a new deejay that was “up-and-coming” there. His name? Casey Kasem.
WJBK “Formula 45” Detroit Survey from February 10, 1958 (click on image for larger view).
While at WJBK, the station had made the switch going with the Top 40 sound in late 1956. Their new program director, Bob Martin, changed the station’s long playlist to “Formula 45,” which became the station’s catch phrase for the music they played, not just rock and roll, Elvis and Little Richard, but also hits by the Four Lads, Perry Como, Gogi Grant and Pat Boone as well. WJBK was one of the very first major market playing Top 40 in the country then, along with sister-station WIBG, another Storer-owned station in Philadelphia at the time. Eventually, Clark Reid was given the honors hosting the “Formula 45” weekly record countdown, heard every Saturday morning on “the new” WJBK.
It was by then that Clark Reid’s sudden rise in popularity had been well established as a Motor City “favorite” on the dial. He was now center-stage on WJBK and Reid’s radio legacy would continue to flourish during the rest of his broadcasting career here in Detroit.
But after a string of successive years of Top 40 radio on WJBK, from 1956 through 1963, Detroit’s “Radio 15” was closing in on it’s best days, soon to be mirrored in it’s legendary past.
In March 1964, the impact of WKNR’s sudden rise to the top had drastically altered the market picture in Detroit. By July 1964, then in quick decline both in ratings and revenues,WJBK was no longer able to competegoing against WKNR, CKLW and WXYZ as well, losing a ten-month battle to regain a larger market share. In the end, the Storer Broadcasting Company decided to dump WJBK’s Top 40 sound for a more conservative, music format they would phrase as the “Sound of (Just Beautiful) Music.”
WJBK Radio Program Director John M. Grubbs
WJBK’s program director at the time, John Grubbs, stated at the time that “a majority of the people polled are desirous of the type of format we will be launching in August. WJBK’s ‘Sound of (Just Beautiful) Music and Total Information News’ is being designed to incorporate all members of the staff.”
According to Billboard’s May 16, 1964 Radio Response Rating for Detroit, WQTE and WWJ both reported conservative music formats. WCAR and WJR, meanwhile, featured music of the standard variety, culled primarily from albums played. Despite the change of format implemented suddenly at Radio 15, Grubbs was of the belief that, “our air personalities are all top pros and are capable of handling any format (changes).”
WJBK staffers included Marc Avery, Robert E. Lee, Robin Walker and Bobby Layne. And then there was “The Sound of Just Beautiful Music.” The new format change on WJBK took effect on a Sunday morning, August 16, 1964.
Many years ago, Clark had remarked in a trade article that the new format change, “came out of nowhere and I was just devastated. One day we were playing the Beatles and Motown, then, all of a sudden, they had us cuing instrumental cuts by 101 Strings.”
Apparently, the immediate music change would not bode well with Clark Reid. He would remain at WJBK for only a few more months. By early 1965 Clark had removed himself away from the station. He would journey many miles away to Cleveland’s KYW-AM. But the move to Ohio, ultimately, would be the final phase Clark would play out of his legendary broadcast career.
By year’s end in 1965 Clark Reid was back home in Detroit. But this time, as a representative for the Ross Roy Advertising in Oak Park, MI, where he culminated a very successful career with the ad agency for many years thereafter, until his retirement in 1991.
On February 3, 2012, Clark Reid passed away at his home in Novi, MI., surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his wife of 63 years; children Cathy, Jody, David, Libby, and Tim Reid, and his eleven grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at 11 a. m. on Saturday, February 25 at Nardin Park Methodist Church at 11 Mile west of Middlebelt in Farmington Hills.
MCRFB once again pays homage to a great Detroit radio legend as we remember . . . Clark Reid.
MCRFB would like to express our sincere gratitude to Tim Reid for donating the Clark Reid photograph (top) and aircheck for this exhibit. Clark Reid photograph and WJBK survey scan is courtesy the George Griggs collection. The Clark Reid photograph (lower) courtesy of Michigan.com.
NEW CALL LETTERS SOUGHT: WJR-FM Getting Joseph, ‘Hot Hits’
NEW YORK — When consultant Mike Joseph arrives in Detroit the first week in July, he’ll be taking his “Hot Hits” format to WJR-FM, which petitioned the FCC for a call-letter change to WHYT-FM on June 8.
Joseph confirmed Thursday that he would “monitor and research” the Motor City market for WJR, but it’s premature for him to commit to a new station sound. The Capitol Cities property is now a beautiful music outlet in the Detroit market.
WHYT-FM studios situated on the 21st floor of the Fisher Building in 1986.(Click on image for larger view; photo courtesy Gary Berkowitz).
Joseph normally lives in the market he’s consulting for a six-month period. But he says the length of his stay in Detroit will be “open ended.” The consultant last worked on the city scene in 1963, when he engineered a one-book turnaround for WKNR-FM, which simulcast the Top 40 sound he instituted for WKNR-AM during that time.
WJR-FM general manager Roger J. Longwell was in Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio on Wednesday, and was unavailable for comments on Joseph’s hiring. But WJR-FM sales manager Roger G. Sisson confirmed that the station had petitioned the FCC for new call letters and that other Motor City stations have been notified.
WHYT airstaff in 1986: Capt. Rick Jagger; Mark Jackson; Mike Benson; Jennifer Stevens; Bob Shuman; Dirk Hunt; Bobby Mitchell; J.J. Walker; Michael Waite and Bob Stuart. Kneeling: Hal Buttermore and Gary Berkowitz. (Click on image for larger view; photo courtesy Gary Berkowitz).
Joseph’s arrival “proves again that Detroit is the most volatile market in the country,” according to Elaine R. Baker, vice-president and general manager of WOMC-FM (104.3), an adult contemporary Metromedia outlet in Detroit. “I suspect the stations in the market will take a wait-and-see attitude.”
Baker says she doesn’t anticipate a format change at WOMC at present, although she notes that “aggressive management always look at new possibilities. But we’re adult contemporary and that’s where we are today.” Asked about any possibility for change “tomorrow” at WOMC-FM, the station executive replied, “I don’t have a crystal ball.” END
(Information and news source: Billboard; July 3, 1982).
WKNR, WJR Hitting Pay Dirt in Detroit, Thanks to Two Air Personalities
DETROIT — Two deejays — one in the Top 40 field and the other from a ‘middle-of-the-road’ easy music station, are basically responsible for the tremendous success of radio stations WKNR and WJR here in influencing the sales of records…. and may be largely responsible for the success of their respective radio stations in reaching a large audience.
J. P. McCarthy WJR circa 1965
WJR station manager James H. Quello, said that his good music station was proud of J. P. McCarthy. “He’s the number one radio personality in town. Everybody knows him and he’s in good part responsible… a major factor… in influencing the sale of LP’s in Detroit.”
According to Billboard’s Radio Response Rating Survey last week of the Detroit radio market — ranked the country’s fifth radio market — McCarthy was rated No. 1 in influencing radio listeners to purchase popular LPs. The station was rated first in the same category, but what makes it a unique situation is that the station gained strength to capture the top position since a similar Billboard survey of May 16, 1964, had placed WJR in second-place behind WCAR.
And the reason, according to Quello, is the power of McCarthy. McCarthy had been with the station at one time, then left WJR in Detroit to work for another radio station in San Francisco. He returned back to Detroit since the last Billboard survey. He’s so effective that WJR placed him on mornings in their 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. time-frame, and he returns for the 3:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. drive time. “After all, this is the motor city of the world… a big car place,” Quello went on to say. McCarthy features mostly MOR records, Quello said, “but we’re programming more contemporary music now, anything short of rock and roll.”
In influencing the sale of popular LP recordings, the major stations, in order, are WJR, WCAR, WWJ, and WJBK. WJR and WCAR has most of the power; in fact, WJR’s McCarthy had 52 per cent of the total points in Billboard’s survey, followed by WCAR deejay Joe Bacarella with 36 per cent overall.
WJR, incidentally, tied for second-place with WWJ in influencing the sale of conservative type records, was No. 1 in influencing the sale of classical records, and showed up fairly well as a power in influencing the sale of folk records as well.
Both Gain
Bob Green WKNR circa 1965
The top position in the sale of popular record singles was again captured by radio station WKNR and its popular disk-jockey, Bob Green. In fact, both station and deejay gained in strength. WKNR radio was rated at 33 per cent in May 16, 1964, but increased its influence to 44 per cent as of last week. Green increased two points to 30 per cent.
WKNR radio station manager Walter Patterson said the Top 40 station isn’t doing anything different, “but we are fortunate in accumulating listeners.” A recent Pulse study showed that the 24-hour Detroit station as reaching 292,900 separate households during a given day.
“We’re not cocky, but we watch our position closely and never let up,” Patterson said. While the station does believe in strong air-personalities, — “some are and some are not” — it also practices “playing more music and keeping talk to a minimum.” The station’s “sound” is very important,” Patterson said.
WKMH the former, now WKNR, featured a “middle-of-the-road” music format until November 1, 1963, when it went Top 40. “We’ve pulled the fastest turnaround of any station in the country,” Patterson said. “What’s happening is the more we go, the more we get.” The station plays the top 31 records and distributes 99,000 copies of the station’s own survey guide of featured songs and hits. Patterson also said the station has a “refrigerator full” of promotions and uses them as the need arises.
Also in the Top 40 market, radio station CKLW has increased its power in influencing the sales of records since the last Billboard survey. The market saw WJBK change format from Top 40, where it ranked No. 2 last May, to good music. In May 1964, it was No. 4; now it ranks second. Dave Shafer and Tom Shannon of CKLW now rank second and third behind WKNR’s Bob Green.
John Gordon, the program director of CKLW, received the Billboard nod as most co-operative in exposing new records.
Close in R&B Field
In the R&B field in the Detroit market, it was a close race, but WCHB radio came out on top in influencing record sales. WCHB had 49 per cent, WJLB had 44 per cent and FM station WGPR had 7 per cent. WJLB ranked first last May.
Ernie Durham WCHB
Bill Williams, program director at WCHB, attributed the station’s increase in influence to a “much tighter format that was launched in January.” The station also went 24-hours in April. Williams said deejays on WCHB are now faster with delivery than before. “We play 35 of the top-selling R&B records, interspersed with every third record with one we think is a good prospect for a potential hit-maker to climb-up the chart.” This has made the station very important in getting listeners to go out and buy more into the R&B product,” Williams said.
“This is a good R&B market, its the home of the Motown sound,” he said, adding that he liked to think of his market as the entire population of Detroit. WJLB, however, scored with the top disc-jockey — Ernie Durham — in the power of influencing record sales. In fact, Durham almost captured the whole thing with a 44 per cent influence in the Detroit R&B market. The second-place honors goes out to Le Baron Taylor of WCHB, who held the No. 2 spot at 27 per cent.
Interesting to note is that an FM station, WBRB-FM is now showing muscles in influencing the sales of country music records. The field is still dominated by country powerhouse WEXL, which still came up with 86 per cent of the total points, but it’s no longer a one-station field. WBRB showed up with a 14 per cent; it’s a new station since the last Billboard survey. Bill Samples, of WEXL, is still the No. 1 deejay in the motor town getting country music records sold. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; July 24, 1965)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1971
DETROIT — Country music seems to be doing well in Detroit where WDEE is third in the market 6 A.M. through midnight in the April/June Pulse. CKLW and the Paul Drew pack is No. 1 with 19, WJR comes in with a 17 and nobody touches J. P. McCarthy in the mornings: this guy has a 21 from 6-10. Across the board, WDEE, programmed by John Mazur, has a 7, 8, 6, and 3 (through hours 6-10 A.M.) Breaking the other stations down CKLW has 17, 20, 21 and 14. WABX-FM has 2, 3, 4, 6. WKNR has 3, 3, 6, 5. WRIF-FM has 0, 1, 2, 3. WCHB was pulsed with 4, 4, 5, 10. END
