Big-D 103

["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@world.std.com>]

This should have gone out yesterday, but somehow got sidetracked.

On 19 Aug 00,, Mark wrote:

>   I also heard that same jingle,and IIRC,another one that has both
>   slogans
> in it.I had WDRC-FM on in the car driving through the Hartford area
> coming and going to Virginia Beach. Last Sunday morning,about 9AM, WBLM
> was blowing " Big D-103" out of the water pretty much from the MA-CT
> border on I-84 to about 30 miles out of Downtown Hartford. It must have
> been conditions that morning, as on the return trip through last night,
> WDRC-FM made it to the Worcester/Auburn line on I-290. Sunday there
> wasn't much pre-1964 music played in the hour or so that we listened. On
> the return trip, we caught some of the special highlights of the 40th
> anniversary weekend, such as a promo announcing the arrival of "Big D" on
> August 18th,1960 at 5AM, and the many giveaways planned on that day. Also
> heard a promo for the "Big D Teen Election" at the Hartford State Armory,
> probably late 60's vintage judging by the content of the promo (what do
> you think about using pot,LSD,the Vietnam War,etc.). A taped phone bit
> from former WDRC personality Jerry Bishop, who indicated he was there
> through most of the 60's, commenting on how much fun he had there and
> giving credit to the late Charlie Parker, WDRC's PD from 1960-1983, for
> making WDRC the great station it was. Heard a few pre-1964 tunes last
> night as well. IMHO this weekend's WDRC 40th anniversary weekend should
> make for some good aircheck opportunities.

I heard that promo, too.   Since one of the questions asked was about
the Vietnam War, I'd say it's definitely from the 60s.  Today, they
seemed to be soft-pedaling the new slogans and emphasizing the Big D
103 slogan, probably because this is the anniversary weekend.

I went on a drive through the Berkshires today and found that the
WDRC-FM signal reached there rather well.  I could still hear the
station loud and clear in Otis, but it started to fade in and out a
bit in Great Barrington.  I finally tuned away from it, especially as
I passed by WSBS in Great Barrington and decided to give a listen.
They seemed to be doing an Adult Standards format, though perhaps a
bit more contemporary standards than most such stations.  Is there
such a format as "hot adult standards"?

In Pittsfield, I heard WTRY in Troy, both on AM and FM.  They call
themselves "Oldies 98," and it must really be fortuitous for that
slogan that they have "98" in both their AM and FM dial positions.

I also heard one of the stations of a religious chain.   I was trying
to see if WMUA reached that far west, and the station I heard sounded
at first like a college station, based on the music style, but I soon
realized that it was all Christian rock music.  I don't remember the
call letters, but this particular station was from Hudson, NY.  I
also listened to WAMC in Albany.  When they did their legal ID, they
listed a station in Great Barrington.  I don't know why they need a
station in Great Barrington, since their Albany reaches there quite
well.  It even reaches Amherst quite well.  They must have it on top
of some mountain, since otherwise, I would expect it to be blocked by
the Berkshires and not make it to the Pioneer Valley.

At the beginning of my trip, I drove by the old Westinghouse factory - - 
in
fact, I drove right up to it -- with the two towers on the roof that are
the remains of WBZA.


===================================================
 A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                        617.367.0468
 15 Court Square                     lawyer@world.std.com
 Boston, MA 02108-2503      http://world.std.com/~lawyer/
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