WKNR LOOKS TO A NEW LIFE . . . MAY 9, 1970

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1970

WKNR Sets News Sights on Like-minded Creative Personalities; Communicate ‘Newer’ Music Format, Regain Station Appeal, Audience

DETROIT — WKNR, once a powerhouse Top 40 station here, begins the long road back Monday (May 4) with a “personality” concept, a tight playlist, and a new set of jingles that PAMS intends to market under the name “The Sherwood Series,” after the new WKNR national program director.

WKNR May 19, 1970 — **WKNR** May 19, 1970 (click on image 2x for largest detailed view)

The new image of the station is being guided by general manager Frank Maruca: Lee Sherwood, who has become national program director of the budding chain that recently purchased WKNR; and WKNR program director Skip Broussard.

WKNR was, several years ago, the No. 1 young adult station in the market, then lost out to CKLW, a Drake -consulted station. Now, however, CKLW is having to trend more toward a Canadian audience in spite of the fact its signal booms into several major U.S. cities. There had been rumors that WCAR might go rock, but these have failed to materialize and the station is still easy listening in nature.

To fill the gap being created, Lee Sherwood and Skip Broussard hope to develop “a new kind of Top 40 radio.”

The playlist will vary in length-sometimes as long as 38 records. “This is not a lot of records, as compared to the old days of Top 40 radio, but it’s a substantial list for a major market radio station of today,” Sherwood said. “WKNR will, however, be a little more favorable to new records than it has been in the past. In fact, by the second week we’ve been on the air with our new motif, we will have totally wiped out the bad image this station has had so long.

Ron Sherwood, music director, will be listening to all new product, along with Skip Broussard. Broussard has already installed the same research techniques he used in Knoxville and had initiated in Memphis – not just finding out what records are being sold in Detroit, but who’s buying them.

As for the deejays, WKNR will ask them “to use their brains,” Sherwood said. “The time has come . . when we’re in the business of communicating, but no one is. I’ve listened to many, many tapes in recent weeks, but none of the deejays have been able to say anything. Within the framework of the format, there will be times when the WKNR air personality will be encouraged to communicate with the audience.”

The key factor with creating the new image of the station, Sherwood felt, will be the new jingles. “The jingles hasn’t changed since it was introduced on radio -it’s featured a big band sound or a jazz -favored small band. Bill Drake came along and wanted to get more music on the air, so he exploited the acapella jingle; you never had to change them.

“But I got to looking around and I noticed what advertisers were doing. They create a ‘feeling’ for a product as well as selling it.” He referred to the “think young” concept of Pepsi and the “real thing” concept of Coke. “The jingles I’ve just cut at PAMS are similar . . . they’re a life-style. You’ll get a feeling of our station like no other station has ever tried to establish, a certain charisma, an instant emotion response,” he said.

One of the lyrics of the jingles reads: “You’ll never be lonely again – WKNR.”

“When has any radio station told that to a listener?” Sherwood asked. “I think these jingles will revolutionize the radio industry.”

WKNR has been tightening up the basics over the past weeks, he said. “May 4 just heralds the frosting on the cake.”

Select Records

Air personalities are being allowed to select their own records from a basic playlist. Guidelines prevent the playing of two records back-to-back by females,
two soul records, two bubblegum records.

The main drive at WKNR will be to establish something different and refreshing and good. Sherwood was pretty dejected with radio in general. “There are not more than a dozen good stations around the country. We’re one of the few industries who don’t have an art form … there should be art form in radio, but there’s not.

“I hope we can encourage young people to come along and create. This stealing from each other has got to stop. Every station sounds just like another radio station. It sure saves a lot of trouble stealing programming ideas and promotions from somewhere else . . . but it doesn’t help our business. There must be a hundred Somebody W. Morgans in the nation…. I’ve heard more Don Steeles than you could believe. It’s crazy that stealing stations would even steal the names.” END

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Information and news source: Billboard; May 9, 1970

GAVIN REPORT: THE PD – RADIO’S KEY POST . . . MARCH 7, 1964

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964

The Bill Gavin Newsletter (March 7, 1964)

From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor

T H E P R O G R A M D I R E C T O R I S the most important single factor in the success of modern radio. Everyone knows that success is compounded from many different elements: music, deejays, promotion and publicity, news and newsmen, community relations, and production. Each of these elements involves the PD. The way he handles them can make or break a station.

Let us note in passing that the PD may not always exercise decisive control. The station manager determines what degree of responsibility and authority is delegated to the PD. Some few managers find it difficult – if not impossible – to
delegate authority. They control and direct most program functions themselves. In such cases, the title of PD is worn with some discomfort by a man who serves chiefly as both errand boy and whipping boy for the boss.

I know of certain managers who handle the program chores very well. I know of others who make a mess of the job. Most of these problem managers assign responsibility without proportionate authority. They give the PD a job to do but fail to back up his decisions. The manager who wants to direct his own programming should honestly admit it, and should take full personal responsibility for the result. It is unfortunately a not infrequent human failing to pass the buck, and to some managers, the PD is simply a built-in alibi for failure.

L O O K A T A N Y O U T S T A N D I N G radio success today and you will probably find a top-notch program director who operates with 100 per cent management backing. Let’s look more closely and see what qualifies the successful PD needs for his job.

BILLBOARD March 7, 1964 — **BILLBOARD** *March 7, 1964*

His most difficult task is directing his deejays. Stars of opera, theater and movies frequently make headlines with their tempermental tantrums. But as a group their egos are no more fragile, expansive or explosive than those of the disk jockey fraternity. How do you persuade a half-dozen or so talented mike men that they are part of a team, and not just individuals trying to enhance their reputations? How do you build their pride in being part of a winning team in preference to pride only in the ratings of their particular shows? How can you persuade a top rated jock that that your occasional corrections are intended helpfully and not fault finding inspired by jealous envy? While formula radio may be a big thing these days, there is no known formula for answering these questions. The best answers can be found in any of those top -rated stations with an unusually low personnel turnover in the program department.

The program director is the idea man. Constructive new programming ideas are the life blood of modern radio. New features, new promotions, new jingles, new devices and techniques – these are all a part of the PD’s job. This doesn’t necessarily mean that he himself must be the sole originator of all new ideas at his stations. Too many good men have stubbed their toes on that ivory tower philosophy. The important thing is that he stimulate a constant interchange of ideas among the people in his department. Then he must know how to put it to work. While the pd need not he the idea creator, he must be the focal point of creativeness and the instigator of good thinking.

A N Y P R O G R A M D I R E C T O R W H O assumes the full authority for selecting his station’s music cannot possibly have enough time left for his other duties. Some PD’s have an assistant who “screens” the new releases and presents the best for his final determination. Such a course is less time consuming. But it has drawbacks. A good PD is not necessarily a good music man. Selection of the right music is
too important to be just a part of a man’s time. It is better done if it is someone’s full time responsibility in the music department.

One occasionally hears the question: Whose side is the PD on? Management’s? or the DJ’s? Whenever you hear such a question, mark it down as coming from a dysfunctional station. There should be no “sides” within a successful station. The only “other” side is outside: the enemy is the competition. The program director is a constant liaison between the front office and the announcer’s booth. The needs and problems of all parties channel through him. He is not a messenger boy, carrying orders in one direction and gripes in the other. He is an interpreter, whose skill is understanding and whose goal is better cooperation. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; March 7, 1964)

FM INFLUENCE ON DISK SALES INCREASING . . . AUGUST 7, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

FM Radio Programming Drawing More Listeners’ Appeal In Most Major Markets

NEW YORK — The ability of radio stations to influence the sale of records is undergoing at present many changes. One of the most interesting facets is that FM stations are growing stronger — literally an explosive growth — in their ability to influence the sales of records, according the the latest Radio Response Ratings’ completed second cycle. They’ve long been strong in the merchandising of classical records and, to some extent, jazz, but now — as the use of FM receiver increases, the medium is also showing power in influencing the sale of rhythm and blues, popular music, and country music product.

As of June 1965, there were a total of 1,293 radio stations on the air, 41 more will soon go on the air (most of which may be currently broadcasting) and 207 had received Federal Communications Commission authorization and were under construction. These figures of the National Association of FM Broadcasters, Washington, indicates the fantastic increase in potential for exposing records over FM stations. As comparison, the NAFMB reports there were 1,191 FM stations as of January, 1965; 850 of these were owned by AM-licensed stations.

The recent order of the FCC requiring separate programming of a majority of the combination AM-FM stations — the deadline has been moved back to December 31 — should only do more to strengthening the effectiveness in FM exposure of records.

Billboard’s new Radio Response Ratings questionnaire now being mailed market-by-market to all major stations in 40 markets has been expanded to provide detailed FM data.

The Detroit market serves as a good example of the growth of FM radio. WGPR-FM, while ranking third in the influencing of R&B product, did account for 7 per cent of the total points in a July 17 Radio Response Rating survey — and this is against long-established AM stations. One reason for the success of the station, according to station manager Floyd M. Jones, is that some 87 per cent of the Negro population of Detroit has FM radios. In the country field, WBBM-FM accounted for 14 per cent of the total points against an AM station.

In Buffalo, station WBLK-FM is showing up strong in the influencing of R&B record sales — 33 per cent of the total votes.

WBLK-FM is also doing great runs with country music; the station is ranked third out of four stations that placed in the survey (all others were AM) and earned about 13 per cent of the votes.

Fort Worth, KXOL-FM ranked No. 2 in a field of several AM stations in influencing the sale of popular albums. The station scored 19 per cent of the votes. Both KODA-FM and KQUE-FM have a lot of strength in the popular LP field in Houston. In Miami, WEDR -FM controls 100 per cent of the sales of country music records, according to a Radio Response Rating survey of April 17, 1965.

A radio station in Oklahoma City, KFNB-FM, which also controls 10 per cent of the classical record sales, according to a recent Billboard survey, ranks fourth in influencing popular LP’s, achieving 16 per cent of the votes. KFOG-FM and KPEN-FM in San Francisco do fairly well in exposing popular LP’s; better, in fact, than another AM station there, although the main power lies in the reins of KSFO-Radio, an AM station.

In other markets not covered by the Billboard survey, FM stations are also doing rather well. For example, KAZZ-FM in Austin, Tex., programs many kinds of music to suit many tastes, including Top 40 records, folk, country, Latin American music, Broadway show cast albums, and jazz.

Rim Kelley, who programs KAZZ-FM’s Top 40 material recently told Billboard, “We have found that the Austin market is ready for FM Top 40. It’s fantastic the way our audience catches on. We have adults, even listeners in the 50-year-old bracket, who stay right with us through the Top 40 program. In fact, we get telephone requests from them now and then asking for a special number.”

KKOP-FM, Redondo Beach, Calif., also is programming out of the ordinary classical -jazz routine. Jack Paar, station manager, reported the station now plays a pop -jazz format. KMBC-FM, Kansas City, Mo., relies on a bright good music format, according to station director Chris J. Stolfa. Of course, FM stations are a mainstay in exposing classical and jazz records. Also, folk music records to some extent.

In Philadelphia, WPBS-FM recently pulled in 32,382 pieces of mail in a contest promotion. John McCall, production supervisor at the FM outlet, said, “Too often FM programming is not considered radio, but we at WPBS-FM challenge that concept. We advance radio. . . a new kind of radio, utilizing the best values of both AM and FM, providing the listener, the consumer, with entertainment, information, education, and sales messages in palatable amounts. “There’s a new breed of radio stations a growing, and WPBS is ahead of the pack.”

Team Effort Effective

One of the other major trends that seems to be growing is that the team disk jockey effort is proving highly effective in influencing record sales. A key part of the duo deejay effect with the audience -the element that gives them appeal -is often based upon comedy.

Sitting in the morning slot 6 -10 a.m. each day at WKYC-Radio, Cleveland, is the team of Harry Martin and Specs Howard. Publicity director Meirle Levin said the duo held a tremendous audience in the area because “they’re funny.” The team had been No. I in their category on Pulse survey for about two years, Levin said. Martin and Howard’s comedy routines include “The Drakeulas,” “Sponsor Place,” and “Congo Curt.” But, interspersed with the comedy skits, they play records. Although Joe Mayer of WHK-Radio gave them a close race, the team effort paid off with the No. 1 position in influencing popular single records in the morning spot.

Tim Nolan and Bob Byron of KPRC, Houston, also utilize humor and they ranked No. 1 in exposing and influencing the sale of popular LP’s there in a Billboard survey dated March 21, 1964. One of the farces that has made the team popular with their listeners was, for instance, a “More Snowplows” campaign. Every day – and there are not many – that the temperature drops below 60 degrees in Houston, they urge all listeners to picket City Hall for more snowplows. It snows about as often in Houston as it rains in the Sahara.

Gene Klavan and Dee Finch, of WNEW -Radio, are No. 1 in influencing the sale ofpopular LP’s in New York in the morning. Other duo deejay teams include Tommy Charles and Doug Layton of WAQY-Radio, Birmingham, Ala., who
ranked fourth in influencing the sale of popular singles in that area; Charlie Brown and Irving Harrigan of KLIF -Radio in Dallas, who not only topped the
list in influencing the sale of popular singles in the morning slot, but for the entire day and all popular single deejays, including other deejays on the KLIF-Radio staff who took second (Ken Dowe) and third (Jim Rabbit).

Then, down in New Orleans, Roy Roberts and Jeff Hugg of WSMB-Radio ranked No. 1 in influencing the sale of popular LP’s, a position also held by the station at Billboard’s May 8, 1965 survey.

Other data that will be included in the third cycle of Billboard’s survey includes how new records are selected, how many new records are played each week, including the selected station’s playlist information as well. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 7, 1965)

400 ATTEND FUNERAL SERVICES FOR COLE . . . FEBRUARY 27, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

NAT KING COLE REMEMBERED

EDITORIAL

LONG LIVE THE KING

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The King – Nat Cole – truly merited that title. As an all-around entertainer, as an across-the-board artist who appealed to all types of audiences, whether Top 40 or Good Music -he had no peers.

He was also a King in that he was the complete artist. His showmanship came through in all media -records, live performances, TV.

He was great, too, in that he could maintain his niche during an age when freak sounds and fads came to the fore. The public realized that his talent was grounded in musicianship; that his charm derived both from his profound knowledge of jazz and “the roots” and in his polished musical sophistication.

But perhaps the greatest thing about him – the element which really adds luster to his memory – is the fact that he was a gentleman in the true sense; that is, a gentle man.

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Billboard February 27, 1965

NAT KING COLE 1919-1965 — **NAT KING COLE** *1919-1965*

LOS ANGELES — Some 400 friends and relatives of Nat King Cole attended funeral services at St. James Church here, Thursday, (18) in a final tribute to the artist who died of lung cancer Monday (15) at St. John’s Hospital, Santa Monica. Another 3,000 persons waited outside the Episcopal church.

A caravan of limousines brought such celebrities as Jack Benny, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Edie Adams, Gene Barry, Jose Ferrer, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Thomas, Vic Damone, Sammy Davis, Eddie (Rochester) Anderson, Frankie Laine and George Jessel to the church.

When the silver hearse pulled up to the church, pallbearers of the bronze coffin included James Conkling, former president of Warner Bros. Records; Glenn Wallichs, chairman of the board of Capitol Records; Harold Plant, the artist’s business manager, and Henry Miller, Cole’s business agent.

Jack Benny, who delivered the eulogy, called Cole “a great professional who gave so much and had so much to give.” He added: “Here I stand, a man granted so many years of life, good health, a measure of contentment, delivering a eulogy for a man whose span of life was so short. Nat Cole was an institution, a tremendous success as an entertainer, but an even greater success as a man, husband, father and friend.”

After the funeral services, the procession proceeded to Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale for brief interment ceremonies.

Honorary pallbearers included Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Jack Benny, Ricardo Montalban, George Burns, Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, Peter Lawford, Edward G. Robinson, Gov. Edmund G. Brown of California, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York and Count Basie.

Cole leaves his widow, Mrs. Maria Cole; a son, Kelly, and four daughters, Timolin and Casey (twins), and Carol and Natalie. He also leaves two brothers, Edward and Fred, and a sister, Evelyn. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 27, 1965)

‘UNFORGETTABLE’ NAT KING COLE TRULY A KING TO THE LAST . . . FEBRUARY 27, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

REMEMBERING NAT KING COLE

NATION’S STATIONS PAYS TRIBUTE: AIRS HIS SONGS

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NEW YORK — Radio stations across the nation are paying their respects to the man who has provided them with many years of fine programming.

A few of the representative tributes aired last week took the form of “Nat King Cole Day,” at WLIB, New York. Each station personality featured a different type of Cole music, his religious songs, popular ballads, r &b hits and his contributions to jazz.

WIP, Philadelphia, presented a tribute program produced in co-operation with the American Cancer Society.

WHN, New York, one of the first stations to salute Cole, played a different Nat Cole selection every half hour. The Storer outlet on Feb. 3 urged its listeners to send the then gravely ill performer letters and cards of encouragement.

Billboard February 27, 1965

HOLLYWOOD — Very few people in show business knew how seriously ill Nat Cole, who died last week, actually was. The internationally renowned entertainer died nine weeks after entering the hospital for treatment of a bronchial condition.

One of the last times Cole did anything in the public realm occurred Thursday (11) before his death. He was listening to satirist Dick Whittington on KGIL and when Whittington couldn’t remember the name of an actor, Cole phoned him the answer.

Whittington, shocked that Cole was calling, tried to air the conversation but the station’s beeper phone equipment wasn’t working, so he related what Cole said to his afternoon listeners. Under questioning Cole said he was progressing nicely and hoped to be home soon. A short time later Mrs. Cole called to support Cole’s
contention and Whittington was able to air her remarks.

The entertainer was kept secluded in his hospital room but had gone for a car ride the day before his death. Right up until his hospitalization Cole remained one of Capitol Records’ most successful performers. His singles and LP’s were steady chart items, his most recent being “Love,” “I Don’t Want to Be Hurt Anymore” and “My Fair Lady.”

Cole, who would have been 46 March 17, had been with Capitol over 20 years, selling some 9,000,000 albums, worth $50,000,000. His first hit for the label was “Straighten Up And Fly Right” and he was known for such ballads as “Nature Boy,” “Mona Lisa,” “Red Sails In The Sunset,” “Unforgettable,” “Love You For Sentimental Reasons,” “Too Young” and “Ramblin’ Rose.”

Cole began his career as a jazz pianist, moving to Chicago in the early 1930’s from his home in Montgomery, Ala. He came to California in 1937 and during an engagement at the Swanee Inn in Hollywood with his trio, picked up the nickname “King Cole.” One night a patron insisted that Cole sing so the
pianist complied and remained a singer forever after. From 1938 until 1943 Cole worked on the Coast until he met up with Carlos Gasset, who became his agent.

Gastel brought Cole to Capitol where his records brought him national prominence. Gastet and Cole split up in 1963. In 1962 Cole launched his own record label, KC Records, which never got off the ground.

With a reported annual income of $500,000, Cole was one of the top night club performers in all show business. The only area his being a Negro affected him was in TV. NBC carried a show emceed by Cole from 1956 -1957 but Southern opposition scared sponsors away. He made up for the embarrassment by guesting on all the prestige variety programs. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 27, 1965)

DETROIT COUNTRY WDEE FOLLOWS THE SWING . . . OCTOBER 31, 1970

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1970

Detroit WDEE Seen Setting Template for Country Radio Programming in Decade

NASHVILLE — The format of WDEE in Detroit is not focused just on acquiring the local country music audience of the city, but “the continuing swing of people to country music,” Chuck Renwick, national program director to Storer Broadcasting, told an audience here of radio executives during an annual broadcaster’s meeting of the Country Music Association. The CMA
meeting was held here Saturday (October 17) in conjunction with the yearly birthday celebration of radio station WSM.

WDEE Radio 15 (mid-’70s logo)

“We’d heard of so many radio stations doing variations of country music that we felt there was no right way or no wrong way,” Renwick said. He pointed out that Storer was a little reluctant to take the station country because of its failure with KGBS in Los Angeles with country music programming, but that “we’d got some experience programming country music on WCJW-FM now playing in
Cleveland.”

At the outset, WDEE was programmed record for record until the air personalities got better acquainted with the format; now they build their own shows. A most important factor in building not only a stronger rapport type with country music, but with their audience, is that deejays get on the phone with listeners for 25 -30 minutes after they go off the air. This also builds up a person -to-person relationship with the listeners, Renwick said. He spoke of consistent flow of information, kept brief, aired on the station and played tapes illustrating not only the sound of WDEE, but its jingles, personalities, and music playlist.

In Back Door

Also speaking on programming during the session was Bill Ward, general manager of KBBQ in Burbank (Los Angeles). Ward said that 95 percent radio stations now playing country music “came in the back door . . . they’d tried everything else.” He said that all three of the last stations he’d worked with were this type . . . and that all became successful with country music. The best type of air personality for today’s country station, he felt, was a Top 40 jock out of the midwest because “they grew up in a country environment and know how to pronounce Red Sovine’s name, and know who Bob Wills is.”

He felt that the typical rock format is about as refined as you can get it and that the same thing is happening in country music today. But perhaps country radio stations “ought to take stock – pay some dues -make an investment back into country music in general.”

Irving Hill, general manager of WCMS in Tidewater, Va., spoke of consulting with two radio stations, both in the major 50 markets of the nation, and found that the manager not only didn’t like country music, but didn’t listen to his own
station.

Dan McKinnon, owner of KSON in San Diego, talked of various management problems at the government level then later delved into editorials, pointing out that the on-the-air broadcast of an editorial is only 20 percent of the work; KSON also mails out copies of its editorials to some 500 congressmen, business leaders, and members of the press. He also spoke on a KSON drug-abuse project.

Ads Raise Sales

Bill Hudson of Bill Hudson and Associates, spoke on how effective use of billboard advertising boosts spot sales on WKDA in Nashville. The station features client’s ad along with a station promo on various billboard signs in town. This some method can be used effectively with bus posters, he said.

Dorothy Kuhlman, promotion and publicity expert from station
WHOO, detailed all of the various promotional methods used by the Orlando station, both on-the-air and off-the-air. Moderator George Crump, president of WCMS in Tidewater, Va., said there was a possibility of a second yearly CMA radio meeting, if members wanted it. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; October 31, 1970)

WELCOME TO THE BIG D COUNTRY! * 1970 * WDEE-AM RADIO 15 (Jingle)

THIS WAS THE YEAR THAT WILL BE . . . JANUARY 1, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

Ten Reasons Why 1966 Will Set Bar With New Innovations Within Record-Music Trade Over 1965

The year that was, 1965, is history, but history affects the course of future events. In a year of many notable events in the record-music industry, Billboard has selected 10 whose impact will probably be more fully realized in 1966.

Over-the-counter record sales will hit an all-time high when final 1965 figures are tabulated. As of several weeks ago, Billboard’s Record Market Division estimated that sales were up almost 8 per cent over 1964, and this estimate preceded the big Christmas buying spree. Dealers checked this week generally stated that Christmas business was considerably ahead of last year –all of which buttresses the view that 1965 will be a record breaker in sales.

____________

The car tape cartridge development, smouldering for the past three years in
Southern California, erupted on a nationwide scale with the introduction of the Lear Jet Stereo-8 system, spearheaded by RCA Victor and the Ford Motor Co. This opens a vast new market for songs, talent and recordings.

____________

Rack-jobbing, the U. S.-born merchandising concept, burst upon the British market with vigor this year, with the introduction of the Music for Pleasure label by EMI and the International Publishing Corp. This development promises to revolutionize the market there as it has in the U. S.

____________

Civil Aeronautic Board granted TWA approval to lower disk air freight rates, after hearing Mercury’s Irwin Steinberg’s plead the case. This is a giant step toward pacing record distribution with the jet age by allowing long overnight shipments from centralized warehouse points. It promises to revolutionize disk distribution.

____________

The merger of NARM and ARMADA reflects the growing tendency toward centralization of wholesaling functions in the record industry. In the last several years, many distributors entered the rack jobbing field; similarly, there is the tendency of giant rack jobbers to seek distributor status. Therefore, one trade organization covering these facets was a natural development. Jules
Malamud, NARM executive director, is planning a schedule of extended services so as to aid both rack jobbers and distributors.

____________

Country music moved “uptown” reflecting years of work by the Country Music Association. On the heels of the success of WJJD, Chicago, a wave of new top 40-formatted country music stations sprang up across the nation. These included WIRZ, metropolitan New York; WWVA, Wheeling, W. Va; WOAH, Miami, and WEEZ, Chester, Pa. which reaches into Philadelphia.

____________

“The Spirit of Chicago,” a new attitude of greater co-operation between juke box operators and record manufacturers, born during MOA’s September convention, creating the Bill Cannon committee for surveying programming needs and conveying this information to the labels. This resulted in intensified activity in their release of little LP’s to satisfy operations’ adult programming needs.

____________

The repeal of the U. S. excise tax on phonograph records has taken away die
another burden that the record industry has been carrying for many years. It has given records the same educational status which the government has long given books and will help continue the trend to bigger sales.

____________

A ruling by the Federal Communications Commission for AM-FM operations to operate at least 50 per cent of their programming brought about a tremendous increase in potential exposure for records. Many stations separated their programming all the way. In addition, many stations changed their FM to stereo, a factor that could have vast importance on the stereo record business.

____________

At year’s end, the record companies began to latch on to the Mariachi sound popularized by Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass. The Mexican-flavored pop music sound will be getting prime platter time and is being looked on in the trade as the “new sound,” for the time being, anyway. END

So long, 1965! — **SO LONG, 1965!** It was a very good year, according to *Billboard Record Market Division*.

(Information and news source: Billboard; January 1, 1966)

REMEMBERING JOHN LENNON: MEDIA EVENT OF 1980 . . . DECEMBER 20, 1980

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1980

U. S. PRESS, RADIO AND TV, SATURATED WITH NEWS OF LENNON ASSASSINATION

LOS ANGELES — John Lennon’s death exploded into a major media event, surpassing broadcast and print coverage given to Elvis Presley in 1977 and throwing a dark shadow over other gloomy world events.

There was no way to escape the attention the media gave Lennon’s assassination. And in a grisly way the coverage of the ex-Beatle’s untimely death by a handgun outside his Dakota apartment in Manhattan Monday
(December 8) evening resulted in a rush on record shops around the world the next day and through the week to buy his newest and last LP plus catalog titles by the Beatles.

Lennon’s death became the lead story over and over again with news organizations scrambling to find music industry people to talk on camera about Lennon.

JOHN LENNON, 1980 (Getty Images) — **JOHN LENNON, 1980** *(credit: Getty Images; Brian Hamill)*

And the irony of Lennon’s having taped an interview just eight hours before his death for RKO Radio resulted in some advance playing of the interview around the country ahead of its pushed up Sunday (December 14) airing.

A Warner Bros. official stated on an independent L.A. television station that Lennon had 22 songs ready for another LP before going on tour. And David Geffen, head of the label for whom Lennon recorded his first effort in five years, was quoted on a CBS -TV News special titled, “John Lennon: The Dream Is Over” Tuesday (December 9) evening that he felt Lennon’s message in this album, “Double Fantasy,” was centered around his family and love. “It was very tender,” Geffen said.

Lennon was reported as ready to apply for U.S. citizenship next year. Those in the know were quoted as saying he relished the ability to walk around the streets of Manhattan without any incident. And in one taped interview the composer comments how wonderful it is to “be able to go into a restaurant in New York and not be bothered by anyone.” That was impossible in England, he said to a British disk jockey during an interview played on U.S. national TV.

All three networks aired specials Tuesday at 11:30 p.m., providing the visual impact of the man, his music and his influence on people to close out a day which had seen as much airplay for Lennon’s music on the radio as during the halcyon days of the mid 1960s when the Beatles would have anywhere from one to five singles on the best selling charts.

The reaction of Lennon’s fans produced strong visuals for the media: people standing in the rain outside the Dakota apartment house; upwards of 2,000 people at a candle light memorial in Century City in L.A. put together by KLOS-FM and KABC-AM, both ABC owned stations.

Early clippings of the Beatles playing at the Cavern in Liverpool made all the network specials Tuesday. Tom Snyder’s “Tomorrow” show on NBC -TV replayed an earlier interview with Lennon Tuesday. ABC -TV’s “Nightline” show went beyond the normal John Lennon background story to delve into the
subject of gun control. President-elect Ronald Reagan, in a separate instance, noted he didn’t believe Federal gun control was the answer.

People inspired by Lennon’s music commented on camera their pain was linked to the death of John F. Kennedy. “Why do those people who are linked to peace die so violently ?” was a common theme. Some commentators made mention of the fact that many of today’s college age students were too young to have lived through the Beatles ’60s era, but had gotten into Lennon’s music at a later date.

While many people spoke of Lennon’s concern for loving humanity, there were others who found other emotions in his music. As one teary eyed girl said in L.A., clutching her newly purchased Lennon /Ono LP for the TV camera: “You can hear the misery and emotion of teenagers in his music.” “He made you think,” responded a man holding a candle in Century City.

Jack Douglas, the producer of his Geffen LP, commented on CBS -TV
that Lennon’s statement was “how important family is.” To many young people, even those in their 30s who had gone through the anti -Vietnam war protests with Lennon, he was indeed part of their philosophical family.

A LARGE, CONVERGENCE OF LENNON FANS, DAKOTA APTS., DECEMBER 10, 1980 (click on image for larger detailed view). — **A large convergence of Lennon fans gather outside Lennon’s Dakota apartment building where he was shot dead, December 8. Photo, December 10, 1980** *(click on image for larger detailed view)*

And although he brought a toughness, irony and intellectual abrasiveness to his music, Lennon was still a realist about life, as witness this comment broadcast on a network special which replayed a 1969 conversation in which he was asked how he would act if he ran into someone aggressive on the streets: “I believe in running away to live another day,” Lennon parried. “I might talk to him while I was running, though, `hey, peace brother.’ “

In L.A. broadcasters who had known Lennon were important interview subjects. B. Mitch Reed spoke on KABC-AM with host Michael Jackson and later on several local newscasts about his suffering over the news. Casey Kasem was filmed by KNBC-TV redoing the intro to Lennon’s hit single, “Starting Over,” for his “American Top 40” radio program.

In New York Jonathan Schwartz of WNEW-AM offered his own insight into Lennon’s mystique for CBS-TV viewers.

Singer /poet Ron McKuen commented on L.A. TV that Lennon “helped older people understand what was not a nice thing.”

And in London, George Harrison called the killing “the ultimate robbery.” So while newspapers, published banner headlines about the crime and radio DJs spoke mournfully to their listeners (in some cases for television news crews), cash registers were clicking all over the world. Commented Ray Avery, a Glendale, Calif., dealer Wednesday (December 10): “I don’t think there’s a John Lennon record in any store or at any distributor.”

Commerce and grief coexisted. “All you need is love.” END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 20, 1980)

Tuesday night, December 9, 1980 (click on image for largest view). — **Tuesday night, The Dakota, December 9, 1980** *(click on image for largest view)*

TM (JINGLES) PRODUCTIONS MOVES INTO RADIO PROGRAMS . . . AUGUST 19, 1972

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1972

TM Productions Scaling Beyond Jingles Horizon; See Expansion Programming Radio Market Shares

DALLAS — It comes to a great shock to many to learn that T-M (for Tom Merriman) Productions of Dallas, is owned by the famous-articulate conservative, William F. Buckley, Jr.

It surprises even more to learn that this great I-D pioneer and jingle giant is devoting many hours of its efforts into programming, and is becoming a leader in its field.

Tom Merriman, T-M Productions, Dallas, 1972. (Click on image for largest possible view). — **Tom Merriman,** T-M Productions, Dallas, 1972. *(Click on image for largest possible view).*

Back at the beginning, Merriman got into the jingle business. That was in 1955. At that time, he and Bill Meeks (president of the rival PAMS) were working for the Mc Clendon station (in Dallas), and they made jingles together for the Liberty Network. It was something of a simultaneous idea to go on their own.

Merriman first formed the Commercial Recording Corporation, which he later sold, and formed Tom Merriman, Inc. He retained it until a year ago when it was sold to Star Broadcasting, Inc., owned by Buckley. But the company continues to function as in the past, with management left as the same.

T-M services about 600 stations each year with station I-D’s for the most part, with its staff of 25. Merriman still does most of the writing. Others are management, singers and sales personnel. All instrumentation is done in Los Angeles.

Business isn’t bad at all. The last year’s gross was $1,362,000. Considering the competition, it’s an indicator it’s pretty strong.

But Jim Long, who joined forces with Merriman a few years ago, and is executive vice president of T-M, has started some new moves. He has form T-M Programming, Inc. And he is president of this division.

Already this outlet is programming 30 important stations around the nation, all in the field of Easy Listening. But Long is about to move in the rock aspect. Two of the T-M studios in Dallas are set up strictly for this programming service. There are four studios in all.

A *Commercial Recording Corporation* ad **circa 1961**. *(Click on image for largest view)*

Long feels that the real future is in broadcasting, and in programming for broadcasting. So he has devised an ambitious and somewhat complicated program of carrying this out.

He also has what he calls a Custom Commercial Service, with 150 clients for whom pre-recorded commercials have been done. He utilizes these to carry out a training program for stations which use his service. Basically, one of his people go in and meet with the sales staff, explaining in detail how the service works. They conduct seminars on custom commercials. The sales force may call in prospective clients to attend the seminars. The custom commercials are then played, and can be applied to a specific product or dealer (used-car sales, filling stations, ad infinitum), and the custom commercial is then made ready for air play.

While Merriman does most of the creative work with the I-D’s (he writes virtually all of them, produces, and does just about everything else), Long works on the other phase of the operation. He is quietly taking over, and fast becoming one of the leading programmers everywhere.

Chances are he’ll be calling on you. He feels he can get potential new clients fully automated, save a lot of money, and improve programming to boot. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 19, 1972)

STEREO 8 PAK: RADIO FRANK’S ‘PLEASE HANDLE’. . . . JULY 1, 1967

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1967

Radio Frank Hub for Auto Tape Player Units and Cartridges in Dearborn for 1967

DETROIT — A “please handle” policy on tape cartridges has created a booming business for Radio Frank, a Dearborn-based, 2-way mobile phone and tape outlet here. “First, we tried keeping the cartridges back of the counter,” said owner Frank Meckrock. “But we now we put them out front where customers handle them. First thing you know, the customer is picking up two or three extra cartridges he never intended to buy.”

If Radio Frank returned the cartridges behind the counter, “business would drop 50 per cent,” Meckrock said. Pilferage is rare, but if a clerk suspects anyone of thinking of pocketing a cartridge without paying for it, the store clerk gives them extra special service and attention.

**Tom Shannon CKLW 1967** *(click image for larger view)*

Radio Frank, relying heavily on radio promotion, has been moving anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 tape cartridges a month and installing player units at the rate about 200 per month. Most of the business — “about 25 to 1” — is 8-track, Meckrock said. The firm promotes heavily on radio, mostly on weekends when people “have got money in their pockets,” including the major deejay shows of CKLW and WCHB in Detroit.

Tom Shannon on CKLW does an excellent job in marketing cartridges, Meckrock said. The radio advertising pulls 30-40 people into the store on a Saturday. About the middle of May, business tapered off a little bit . . . “there were only three to four cars waiting at a time in line in the alley behind our building to have units installed. We used to have 30-40 cars waiting out there like, for a car wash,” he said. Radio Frank installs units in six cars at a time, “doing this, all day.”

Overall, however, business has been very good. The firm is located on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, in “Ford Country.” Executives at Ford Motor Company get their cars free and all have tape cartridge players; they buy a lot of their cartridges from Radio Frank. The firm was mostly involved in the car radio business until about four years ago when it started selling 4-track units and cartridges.

“I thought at one time that the 4-track business was good,” but 8-track has far passed it.” he said. Meckrock got into the 8-track business in August 1965.

When he used to buy on 4-track cartridges, he bought the music he like personally. Some of those cartridges were still around, he says, and now he buys only the product that would sell. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; July 1, 1967)