MCRFB (Billboard) News – Page 17 – Motor City Radio Flashbacks

CKLW RADIO: AN ENGINEER’S PHILOSOPHY . . . FEBRUARY 9, 1974

From the MCRFB NEWS archives: 1974

CKLW Board Engineer Divulges What Makes Good Comradery Running Radio Shows

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jose H. Llombart, an engineer at one of the nation’s leading radio stations — CKLW-AM in Detroit — offers this personal viewpoint on the job of an engineer at a top 40 music station and his relationship to not only the programming but the air personality he works with.

DETROIT — One of the most underrated performers in top 40 radio today is the board engineer, also known as a transcription operator. Generally, broadcast people are not aware of the professional excellence and devotion that these men bring to their jobs. An operator actually runs the show, is responsible for all mistakes, controls operations of the on-air board, rides voice and music levels, knows the format and must have a good sense of timing.

The operators at “The Rock” of the Motor City give all they have, which will be borne out by any air personality who ever practiced his craft here.

Announcers rely on their operators for smooth segues, suggestions for lines, and encouragement, as well as criticism. CKLW-AM operators are an integral part of the broadcasting and are responsible for making a new air personality a part of the Big Eight Sound. Every good operator feels that “it takes two” to make a good show . . . and a good rapport between the two major ingredients on the air is necessary to insure that the show “will cook.”

CKLW-AM’s strong ratings position in Detroit is undisputed and each operator is proud to be a member of the winning team. The Big Eight engineers are marked by their youth and gung-ho attitude; two factors which combine to make CKLW-AM one of the most popular contemporary stations in North America. Most of the air personalities working at the Big Eight never experienced sharing a show with an engineer prior to arriving here.

Now, all of the Big Eight jocks swear by the set up and enjoy the teamwork utilized in producing a highly-rated show. — Jose M. Llombart

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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 9, 1974)

RCA WINDS UP SWINGING 10-DAY TOUR FOR MONKEES . . . SEPTEMBER 17, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

‘The Monkees’ New Disk Released; Single Tied-in With Colgems’ Promotional Tour

NEW YORK — RCA Victor wound up a 10-day promotion spree on behalf of the Monkees’ Colgems release in the Los Angeles area last Sunday, September 11. Victor, which recently set up a distribution deal with Colgems Records took the group on a cross-country trek that began in Los Angeles on September 11 and then went on to Chicago, Boston and New York.

(Click on image for larger detailed view). — *(Click on this image for larger detailed view).*

The final’s day promotion centered on a town near San Diego which changed its name to Clarksville for the Victor campaign. The name tie-in is based on the title of the Monkees’ disk “Last Train To Clarksville.” The record, produced by Don Kirshner, is in the No. 43 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart this week.

The campaign, which was under the direction of Pat Keleher, manager of pop promotion for RCA Victor, was tied in with the premiere of “The Monkees,” a new TV series bowing on NBC on September 12. The promotion in each city included a special showing of one of the series’ pilot segment as well as filmed interviews with members of the group. An added fillip to the promotion in New York was a special late afternoon showing of the segment for teenagers lured to the Broadway Theater by the disk jockeys on WMCA. The group was also there to meet the youngsters.

The Monkees first album has been scheduled for release the week of the TV show’s premier. Victor plans to release a tape cartridge of the LP shortly thereafter. The members of the Monkees are David Jones, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; September 17, 1966)

The Monkees, a' promotional shot: David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith, 1966. — **The Monkees, an early 1966 promotional shot: *David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork* and *Michael Nesmith*.**

GAVIN REPORT: WHO NEEDS IT? PEDDLING ‘DIRTY LYRICS’ RADIO OBJECTIONABLE . . . JUNE 29, 1963

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1963

The Bill Gavin Newsletter (June 29, 1963)

From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor

O U R R E C E N T C O L U M N O F D I R T Y L Y R I C S brought several interesting letters from radio people.

Ralph Howard, program director of WOTT, Watertown, New York, comments that “a bad record doesn’t make a bad kid.” He calls attention to some of our old standards whose lyrics can be interpreted in a suggestive vein. “I try to play what sells,” he continues, “and if it does, I’m a winner.”

Steve Joos, program director of WCOL, Columbus, Ohio, writes that his simple solution for the problem of records with unacceptable lyrics is not to play them. He forcefully rejects the thinking that the station has to play a record just because the competition is doing so. He comments that the stations whose ratings are shaky enough to be harmed by the omission of one or two records is in a very bad way.

Jack Sharp, operations manager of KFJZ, Ft. Worth, suggests a “gentleman’s agreement,” among the broadcasters of a community that they will jointly refuse to play an objectionable record. He remarks that this would not be in any sense discriminatory or illegal but would “be merely self-policing that the NAB has been striving for.” “It is no more discriminatory,” he continues, than my top 40 station refusing to play a fiddle-screeching hoedown, nasal, crying-in-my-beer song that has actually sold 4,000 records in my market.”

L E T ‘ S C O N T I N U E W I T H M O R E O F Sharp’s thoughtful letter: “Even if a program director and his competition cannot come to an agreement on a ban, he still does not have a reason to fall back on that tired old excuse that ‘if I don’t play the record, my competitor will, and the kids will go there to hear the record.’

“This, says Sharp, “is the biggest bunch of garbage in radio. The program director who programs strictly because he might lose some listeners is cutting his own throat. I defy that program director to show me a market in the United States where the omission of one record from his playlist will cause the ratings to slip.”

BILLBOARD, June 29, 1963 — BILLBOARD *June 29, 1963*

“One of your correspondents asked the question of where the action should come from, the record industry, or the radio industry. The record industry is far too big ever to police offending labels. So the suggestive records will always show up, and somebody will always play them. The only solution lies in the individual market, and I refuse to believe there are program people out there, anywhere, who will fail to at least discuss the merits of various records with their competitors. They may fail to agree, but they will not fail to listen, discuss and to at least talk.

“After a few bans in major markets, agreed upon in advance by program men, perhaps the offending labels will take a second look at the advisability of attempting to peddle trash. Such is perhaps a long shot, true, but there certainly isn’t any other way to clean up the airways.”

O U R T H A N K S G O E S O U T T O Jack Sharp, Steve Joos, Ralph Howard, and many others in the field who wrote in sharing their views. Obviously, certain other broadcasters are well aware of this problem and are doing something about it. Perhaps their general attitude is best expressed by Bob Osborne, WIL, St. Louis. With reference to an objectionable disk that his station was not playing, of his reply, he says: “Who needs it?” END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; June 29, 1963)

BEATLES REVERBERATES NEW YORK; SHEA STADIUM . . . AUGUST 28, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

‘Beatlemonium at Stadium, Youngsters Get Carried Away’

NEW YORK — The Beatles experienced an impact of their own at Shea Stadium Sunday night, August 15. They faced a screaming crowd of 57,000. The performanced grossed $304,000, according to promoter Sid Bernstein; of this, the Beatles received $160,000.

The excitement started early, the stadium was flooded with screams, shouts, banners displayed throughout the stadium long before the Beatles made their appearance on stage.

Sid Bernstein, 1965 — **SID BERNSTEIN, 1965**

At 9:14 p.m., Sid Bernstein introduced Ed Sullivan on stage who introduced the Beatles. After that, it was impossible to hear the band and flashbulbs popped everywhere. The Beatles kicked off with a tune that sounded, as much as one could hear it, like “Twist And Shout.”

Girls climbed over walls, fainted and cried throughout the 35 minutes as the Beatles performed. The only way you could guess when a song ended and another on began is that the Beatles stopped moving for a moment on stage.

At 9:51 p.m., the Beatles left the stage, climbed into a white station wagon parked nearby and were raced away.

Bernstein is offering the Beatles a guarantee of $250,000 for a return two-show engagement next July or August to pit their amplified music against the screams of another stadium full of youngsters. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 28, 1965)

THE BEATLES LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM (Entire Concert Audio) Sunday, AUGUST 15, 1965

BEATLES AT SHEA: August 15, 1965 — **BEATLES AT SHEA!** *August 15, 1965* *(click on image for largest view).*

BEATLES AT SHEA: August 15, 1965 (Click on image 2x for largest view). — **BEATLES AT SHEA!** *August 15, 1965* *(click on image 2x for largest view) Photo: Dan Farrell*

BEATLES AT SHEA! August 15, 1965 (click on image for largest view). — **BEATLES AT SHEA!** *August 15, 1965 (click on image for largest view).*

50TH! BEATLES ‘HELP’ ALBUM GETS INITIAL PRESSING OF MILLION . . . AUGUST 14, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

NEW YORK — An initial pressing of one million albums — reportedly the largest single order in the history of the business — is in the works for “Help,” the Beatles album scheduled to be released by Capitol Records when the United Artists film of the same name opens Wednesday, August 11.

A previous Beatles’ album, “Beatles IV,” had an initial pressing order of 500,000 copies for the LP.

The film will be accompanied by a publicity barrage calculated to blast the American public out of its homes and into the movie houses.

In New York, Murray the K will introduce the British group on his hour-long TV channel Saturday, August 14. The show will be televised in 40 major markets.

The evening after the telecast, the Beatles will make their much-heralded appearance in New York’s Shea Stadium.

Gary Stevens, WMCA disk jockey (formerly WKNR, Detroit) is conducting a “Beatles Stakes” contest, giving away tickets to the Shea Stadium as prizes. Here’s how it works:

From 7-11 p.m., during Stevens’ show, fans telephone the jockey, guess which Beatle will be talking to them next. Tapes of individual Beatles will be talking to them next. Those who make the correct predictions will win a pair of tickets to the concert. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 14, 1964)

THE BEATLES, Shea Stadium (August 20, 1965), ticket stub. — **THE BEATLES CONCERT**, Shea Stadium ticket stub, *August 15, 1965.*

Beatles performing at Shea Stadium, Sunday night, August 15, 1965 — **A BEATLES ’65 CONCERT FLASHBACK:** The Fab Four performing at Shea Stadium, New York City, Sunday night, *August 15, 1965.*

50TH! SUPREMES ALBUM SALES NEARING 300,000 MARK . . . AUGUST 14, 1965

A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1965

DETROIT — The Supremes, hottest property on the Motown line-up, rolled up close to 300,000 orders for their new album, “More Hit By The Supremes,” prior to its release on Thursday, August 27, according to Barney Ales, executive vice-president of Motown Records.

This makes it six albums and six singles for the girls in the year they have been recording with the label — with the first five of the singles each hitting the number one spot on Billboard charts. The sixth single, “Nothing But Heartaches,” is moving up the charts. The Supremes Thursday, July 29, opened a three-week stand at the New York Copacabana.

Ales confirmed that Motown has just signed singer Connie Haynes, who has been doing nightclub and television work recently. She formerly recorded with a female trio under another label. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 14, 1965)

The Supremes performing live on stage at the *Detroit Roostertail*, late-1965.

WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WJLB . . . DECEMBER 18, 1943

From the MCRFB RADIO NEWS scrapbook: 1943

WJLB Tries Sports To Reach Audience – Big on Bowlers

DETROIT (December 11) — WJLB, 250-watt Detroit station, is making an aggressive bid for the thousands of sport fans among Detroit listeners, including the newcomers brought here by war industries.

Catering to bowlers exclusively, a sport that threatened local motion picture theaters during the past few seasons, according to statements of theater operators — is Ten Pin Topics. The show is aired for fifteen minutes at 5:45 P.M. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, just when most bowlers are getting home or driving home. The latter catch the show on their car radios, for Detroit’s working population moves by car. Show is run by Harold Kahl, bowling editor of The Detroit Times. It give unusual local scores and highlights the hundreds of amateur leagues in the city. One leading bowler, such as the first Detroit woman to score 300, is interviewed on each show.

Two fifteen-minute daily shows hit all other sports fans, with heavy emphasis — about 60 per cent — on horse racing. Morning show at 11:45 is called Scratch Time and headlights track news and little other sports news. Evening show at 5:45 gives complete track results, plus any other seasonal sports. Both are handled by Phil Roberts, formerly a Chicago sports announcer.

Most unusual feature of the WJLB sports angling, however, is a series of 15 to 20 daily spots, irregularly spaced, by Roberts, giving any immediate sports news, with fresh broadcasts of every track report in particular. Roberts breaks into every program except two — Uncle Nick’s Kiddie’s Hour and Ladies’ Matinee, a symphonic program, where the sports flashes would be obviously unsuitable. Some of the spots come in the breaks between shows, but as many break right into a program.

The sports announcements are never race tips but but legitimate news and are handled that way. Station simply feels that the great mass of war workers are sports fans and that they’ll win them to WJLB by keeping them informed on what goes on in the athletic field.

Stations in other parts of the country has tried the idea without too much success, but it’s a private service in Detroit, where hundreds of war plants have their radios turned on for the men and women all throughout the 24 hour day. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 18, 1943)

A MCRFB Note: Missed any of of our previously featured ‘WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES on Motor City Radio Flashbacks? Here’s what we’ve cataloged on the website thus far, to date, you’ll find them ALL HERE.

GAVIN REPORT: HOW CAN I GET A JOB AS A DISK JOCKEY? . . . JULY 13, 1963

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1963

The Bill Gavin Newsletter (July 13, 1963)

From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor

I T N E V E R C E A S E S T O A M A Z E M E how many letters I get ask that question. Quite a few inquiries come from members of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Apparently they like what they’re doing and want to continue this friendly association with records, turntables and microphones in civilian life. This week’s newsletter is directed to these — and other — aspiring young DJ candidates.

Why do you want to be to be a disk jockey? Ask yourself, and be sure that the answers check with the facts. Let’s look at some of the answers:

“DISK JOCKEYS MAKE BIG MONEY.” Two or three big names are said to make over $70,000 a year. Another 200 or so DJ jobs pay upwards of $15,000 a year. However, the big majority of DJ’s in the United States — several thousands of them — earn less than $7,500 a year. You might be surprised to learn how many of this number take home less than $100 a week. (These are my personal estimates and are not based on income tax statistics). The chances are about 10 to 1 you’re ever going to make more than $10,000 a year as a disk jockey. That means that you have to be better than 90 per cent of all the disk jockeys in the country in order to make that kind of salary.

“THE HOURS ARE GREAT!” Three or four hours a day, six days a week, sounds like a breeze. The facts are that most disk jockeys in the country have no union protection on hours or working conditions. Many of them are assigned — so help me! — janitorial work. It’s common in smaller towns for DJ’s to double as salesmen. While this may sound like a fine opportunity to increase income through sales commission, all too often it means a 12-hour day and a total take home pay that averages a little better than over a dollar an hour.

“DISK JOCKEYS ARE LOOKED UP TO AS PRETTY IMPORTANT PEOPLE.” If your record programming can break hits for thousands of sales in your city, you’ll be important to the record people. Recording artists may phone you and say, “Thanks for all your help.” If you build a large teen audience, your name will attract them to your record hops. If you run a high-rated show, you’ll be important to some of the local advertisers. But in the community at large the occupation of the disk jockey does not carry any particular prestige. You’ll be surprised how many people never heard of you.

“THERE ARE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES IN RADIO.” There are opportunities in any business for constructive ideas and accomplishment. In radio there is still room for new techniques and ideas, but not as much room as there was a few years ago. Station managers in general are a pretty conservative group, and appear to be getting more so. There’s a growing tendency to restrict the freedom of deejays and to control things more closely from the front office. This is especially true of the top stations in large cities. Only in the growing field of FM radio we find a willingness to experiment. In AM radio it’s mostly a matter of giving the boss what he wants. Several DJ friends of mine — good men at important stations — are so fed up with stereotyped policies and front office control that they’re quietly looking around for berth in some smaller operation, where they’ll have a chance to make more use of their knowledge and ability. The best way to put your good ideas to work is to own a radio station yourself.

I F , A F T E R R E A D I N G T H I S F A R you still want to be a disk jockey, you should know that there are always jobs available in smaller cities and markets. As an inexperienced beginner trying to get in the field you will probably be wasting your time looking for a big city job. Besides, in a smaller market, you’ll have a chance to learn a lot more about radio in general.

Just how you locate these openings is up to you. If you know any record promotion people, they might tip you about some place where you can apply. You could also jump in your car and go driving through the hinterlands, monitoring local stations as you go. You might not come up with a job, but you’d learn a lot about radio. But then again, there are special training schools that help their graduates find DJ jobs. Some of these are good, others are phonies. Be sure to check out the track record before you decide to enroll in one.

Finding a job isn’t as important as growing with it. Don’t let the excitement of air work trap you in a blind alley after you’re 45. You’ll find more old age security with a desk job than behind a mike.

Good luck! END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; July 13, 1963)

50TH! NUMBER ONE A HABIT FOR SUPREMES . . . JUNE 12, 1965

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965

DETROIT FEMALE TRIO MAKES IT FIVE-IN-A-ROW

NEW YORK — The Supremes, Motown Records artists, have made it five in a row. Billboard’s Hot 100 chart this week reveals their “Back In My Arms Again” is perched in the No. 1 position — their fifth consecutive big hit.

They landed in the top position last year with “Where Did Our Love Go” August 8 and stayed there two weeks.

“Baby Love” reached the top October 31 for a four week spell. “Come See About Me” actually hit the top twice — December 19 and again January 16 after riding the No. 2 spot for three weeks. “Stop In The Name Of Love” spent two weeks in the No. 1 position beginning March 20. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; June 12, 1965)

50 YEARS AGO: The Supremes graced the cover of Ebony, June, 1965. — **50 YEARS AGO: A look back** when the Supremes first graced the cover of Ebony, June, 1965.

IT’S BEACH BOYS OVER BEATLES: U.K. READER POLL . . . DECEMBER 10, 1966

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1966

LONDON — The Beach Boys, crowning the re-emergence of American artists in the British charts following the domination by British talent since 1963, by astonishingly beating the Beatles in the annual reader poll conducted by the 250,000 circulation U. K. consumer pop weekly, New Musical Express.

The Beach Boys toured the U.K., minus Brian Wilson, November,1966. — **The Beach Boys** toured the U.K.(minus Brian Wilson) November, 1966 *(click on image for largest view)*

In the world’s outstanding vocal group section of the poll, the Beach Boys out voted the Beatles and all other British groups. The results- based largely on a teenage consumer response — was probably influenced by the U. S. group’s chart top success with “Good Vibrations” at voting time, whereas the Beatles have not had a single release since early-August. In addition, the Beach Boys had just toured Britain, while the Beatles have not toured here once this year.

The sensational success of the Beach Boys, however, is being taken as a portent that the popularity of the top British groups of the last three years is past its peak. The Beatles’ failure to secure the top place in the world section was matched by the Rolling Stones conspicuous failure to capture a top placing, being beaten in the rhythm and blues group section by Spencer Davis.

But on the distaff side, the British girls for the first time took first, second and third places in the outstanding female singer section, with Dusty Springfield winning the title, followed by Cilla Black and Petula Clark. Elvis Presley beat Cliff Richards as both world’s outstanding musical personality and outstanding male singer. END

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Information and news source: Billboard; December 10, 1966