Radio Spots dot US

BOB LASSITER AIR CHECK
Station: Newsradio 970 WFLA
Date: 3/3/1989

On March 4, 1988, Susquehanna Broadcasting officially took possession of 570 WPLP.

Gordon Obarski was named General Manager, Ed Hartley was appointed Program Director. Eight people were let go that day. I managed to hold onto my job, and for three months, I produced Ed’s hideous morning show. (I’ve never admitted that before, I hope it doesn’t come back to haunt me.)

Shortly afterwards, Susquehanna dropped the WPLP calls, and became WTKN “Now We’re Talkin.’” What an embarrassment. After Ed’s lame attempt at hosting a morning news block, it was the John Eastman Show, followed a guy named Art Snow and his “At Your Service” program. The program line-up went downhill from there.

Three months was all I could stand and I left to join 970 WFLA. Less than a year later, I was producing Bob Lassiter’s show once again.

By March 3, 1989, (exactly one year after the takeover) WTKN’s ratings were a disaster and while they were talking, Arbitron said no one was listening.

Always the benevolent type, Mr. Lassiter hosted the first ever “WTKN Radiothon” designed to raise Time Spent Listening to that station.

Here is that entire three-hour broadcast.

The studio audience… real.

Listeners were encouraged to write in for tickets to see the show live. They were sent a printed ticket to the show, and instructions to bring a lawn chair (because there wasn’t enough seating in the studio) and a Walkman (never enough headphones either!) It may have seemed like the studio audience was slow in responding it wasn’t because they were dull or dim-witted… they were listening to the station post-delay.

By the way, the tapes were recorded in the control room with a feed coming right off the board. In the later segments, you’ll hear 7 second gaps in the program… it wasn’t bad board work on my part, Gary McHenry also monitored the station with a regular radio and did his reports LIVE…so we’d have to stop cold… I’d switch from monitoring Pre-Delay Program to the actual Air feed, wait 7 seconds… and at the exact moment, pull us out of delay and fire the next event. Folks listening at home never had a clue.

RIGHT MOUSE CLICK on the links below and select "SAVE TARGET AS" to download the files to your computer.