Re: Globe on John Garabedian

["Joseph Pappalardo" <joepappalardo2001@yahoo.com>]

Here's what I read into the John H beating RKO story.  (I'm just speculating
on some possible scenarios.)

Dick Summer is PD of WMEX....He makes it into a 'touchy feely'
station...gab, gab, gab..and the station starts to go into the toilet.

John H becomes PD and plays the HITS...and the station bounces back.

Now, as an aside, people always look to that year and that book as an
indicator that 'MEX musta been doing some GREAT programming.  Maybe...but
something inside wonders if WRKO was doing some HORRIBLE programming at that
time in order for MEX to make some inroads.

You can have a great team...and a great product.....but usually you need the
other guy to drop the ball and give you an opportunity to show yourself.

Within the last few years I heard a rko aircheck from summer 71....and they
were playing a lot of stuff I couldn't even recognize.

There was a "Big 30 Survey" that Shel was highlighting that looked pretty
psycodelic.  (More like "drugs" and less like "The Dating Game" set.)

My guess is that WRKO was drifting a bit of course....and got caught up in
some of the late 60's (early 70's) scene (hippies, etc.) that was pretty
prevalent.  And that was not the WRKO that we all knew.

Anyway...no facts or great insight.....just speculation.

JP


----- Original Message -----
From: "SteveOrdinetz" <steveord@bit-net.com>

> The one book you're talking about was either the spring or summer '71
> one.  John H. had been appointed PD just before that book began.  I don't
> think WMEX actually beat WRKO, but they came much closer than they usually
> did...perhaps even tying them in some demographics.


From: <DonKelley@aol.com>

> In 1965 he left to go to WPTR in Albany.  By 1969 he was back at WMEX
doing afternoon drive as John H. Garabedian.  Dick Summer, I believe, was PD
at the time.  WMEX called itself "The Human Thing."
>
> By 1971 John had become PD at WMEX.  The ID featured "Also Sprach
Zarathustra" from the "2001: A Sapce Odyssey" soundtrack with John's VO
"Changes...and you have found the new....music!"  WMEX either beat or put a
big dent in WRKO that year.