Re: [neradio] Appropriate last songs (was Re: Fw: ...But RKO rolled me....)

["Melissa O'Neill" <moneill@massed.net>]

>And now that we've stumbled onto famous last moments
>in a station's history, how about when the exalted
>WHDH (850) calls were retired in favor of WEEI, and
>a disgruntled producer had the sound effect of a
>toilet flush as the last thing heard on "WHDH"?
>I actually tuned in and heard it...and only wish I
>had a tape rolling...Not that it was really a proud
>moment in radio. Just uh, "memorable".

I know, this rekindles many former posts, but, if I may -- Can anyone
venture a guess or hypothesis as to how things would have turned out
differently for "Sportsradio 850" had the calls _remained_ WHDH versus
switching to WEEI?

My expression got stuck in 'smirky' for a week when I heard that they were
dumping the venerable calls in favor of WEEI's over at 5 kW 590 kHz.  ("Was
Bill suffering a stoke?  Did he have bad gas?  Was it time to go back to
listening to tapes for a month and ban radio (as we all go through from time
to time)?"  These and other questions, yadda yadda....

By that point in radio time, IMHO, the WEEI calls were all but 'toast'
perception-wise, having gone from venerable news coverage to biznews.  (The
ill effects of "Papa Gino's 590?"  Meanwhile, WHDH was slumping in the
ratings, looking for some shaking-up, but, still very much known by all,
listeners and non-listeners alike, as "WHDH".  Eddie Andelman had made his
mark there in terms of sports (Huddle on Sundays as well as his weeknight
sports show.)  It's long history of flagshipping the big Boston teams was
solid.  As for 590 WEEI, to this guy, when I heard "WEEI" I still thought of
NEWS!  CBS!  (More C in the BS, or something like that.....)

Bill O'Neill

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