First Family Album Went Through Various Changes at Cadence
NEW YORK —Archie Bleyer said last week that it was unfair to condemn any of the firms who turned down “The First Family,” as a substantial number of companies did.
‘The First Family’ comedy album on Cadence Records, 1962.
“When I first heard the album there were only a few demos of some skits and a script outlining the others. A lot of the sketches were unusable; some of them, as far as I was concerned, were not in good taste.”
“Before we ever sat down to record the album we went over every single word in every skit. We tossed many ideas out and changed many of them around. We did our best to make sure everything was in unchallengeable taste. The album didn’t come to us ready to go. It required hard work by all concerned before we had a workable script.
“When anyone knocks the firms who turned down the album, he’s wrong. What they heard was not the material that finally came out on Cadence.
“So they turned it down. Well, I’ve turned down plenty of hits in my time, too. It not what you turn down that matters but what your track record is at the end of the year. Don’t forget, a lot of firms that didn’t accept the album has fine records. That’s what counts in the long run.” END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; January 26, 1963).
Goldstein Appointed Josephson Vice President/Group Program Director at WNIC
DETROIT — “This is one of the toughest AC markets in the country,” says Steve Goldstein, who has been named Program Director of WNIC-FM-AM here. Goldstein is a man who should know. Coming here to program Capitol Cities’ “Hot Hits” outlet WHYT, Goldstein left that post to head the programming of Metromedia’s AC outlet WOMC before accepting the WNIC appointment last week.
Steve Goldstein, photographed here in 2004.
The position is just part of his overall duties with Josephson Broadcasting, for which he now serves as vice president/group PD. “We did some real good things with WOMC, and this is going to be a race, but WNIC continues to be the adult contemporary leader,” Goldstein says. “It’s a strong station with a great morning show and a great night show as well.”
The latter, a sultry AC offering from velvet-toned Alan Almond entitled, “Pillow Talk,” is definitely No. 1 in woman. You’ve got to hear this guy,” enthuses Goldstein.
With WNIC in such a secure position, Goldstein admits the lure and challenge is “the chain working with the other properties and the involvement I’ll have in the future acquisitions we’re planning to make. But right here there are some things we can do with WNIC.” Goldstein would not elaborate on that point.
Josephson also owns Columbus urban/AC combo WVKO/WSNY, Norfolk’s oldies and AOR WNOR-AM-FM, and Milwaukee’s AC- formatted WMGF. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard, November 24, 1984).
Price Communications Buys Josephson’s Detroit Combo
DETROIT — Leading Detroit adult contemporary combo WNIC AM-FM went through a rather sudden change of hands this past Wednesday, June 5, when New York-based Price Communications bought the outlet from Josephson Communications for roughly $19 million.
WNIC-FM logo in 1985
Explaining the reasons for letting the high-billing outlets go, Josephson’s Ed Christian refers to the firm’s “life’s cycle philosophy.” “We bought the station eight years ago for $3,000,000,” he says. “Now we can take that 19,000,000 and buy three new stations for six million and have a million to spare.”
Looking to build Josephson’s network, Christian says the firm will be looking at “less mature radio properties in smaller markets” and possibly a few TV stations. When the FCC approves the WNIC sale, Josephson will still be the proud parent of WMGF Milwaukee, WSNY/WVKO Columbus, WNOR AM-FM Norfolk and WZKC Rochester.
“It was a very quiet transaction because the station was not officially on the sales block,” noted Christian, who adds that the deal was strictly a “win-win” situation.
The latter statement is confirmed by Price Communications head Bob Price. Josephson’s corporate programming vice president Steve Goldstein says he intends to continue handling WNIC programming through a transition period of two to three months, after which he will return to Josephson full-time in order to “go after some new stations.”
As for the future of WNIC, it appears the business will go on as usual after the sale is completed. “The atmosphere around here is pretty optimistic, ” says Goldstein, while Price claims there are no plans to alter the successful AC outlet out of Detroit. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; Jun 15, 1985).
WXYZ 1270 Detroit Sound Survey; No. 13 issued July 11, 1966 under Lee Alan, Program Director; WXYZ
(WXYZ 1270 Detroit Sound Survey for July 11, this date 1966; survey courtesy the Jim Heddle Collection. For the previous weekly WXYZ July 4, 1966 survey click here).
“STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER” * The Beatles * CAPITOL Records (MONO; 1967)
BEATLES 1967 FLASHBACK: LOS ANGELES — The Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) has given gold record certification to the Beatles’ newest Capitol single “Strawberry Fields Forever / “Penny Lane.” The award is the 22nd given the British foursome during the past three years. — Billboard Magazine; April 8, 1967
MCRFB AD FLASHBACK : How playing our records and albums stacked up in the ’60s. A consumer product price guide ad for home-entertainment stereo consoles from 1965.
CHICAGO — FM broadcasters termed “stereo” the most exciting programming tool in the medium’s history. “It offers the greatest potential for FM radio and can be the answer to many of your problems,” Jack Kiefer, KMLA-FM, Los Angeles, said last week.
A Sylvania Stereo Ad 1963 (Click image for larger view).
He spoke with a group of FM leaders at a day of panel discussions devoted to the FM medium at last week’s National Association of Broadcasters convention here.
Other salient points made during the discussions:
“Many FM stations are now effectively competing with AM outlets by doing a strong local job,” — James Sondheim, QXR Network, New York.
“Don’t let stereo lull you into a false sense of security. Use good broadcasting techniques — stereo is a tool, not a panacea.” — David Polinger, WTFM, New York.
“Sell your listeners on stereo, (despite) the greatest percentage of receivers are still monaural. We constantly remind our listeners that they broadcast they are about to hear in stereo sounds excellent on their monaural sets, but would so much better on stereo.” — Everett Dillard, WASH, Washington D. C.
Stereo and FM Synoymous
And in comments from the floor, Marie Lurie, WXFM, Chicago, the local QXR outlet, noted that, “to be competitive, stereo and FM will soon be synonymous. It’s FM’s biggest selling point.”
Parker Smith, WVJS and WSTO, Owensboro, KY., pointed out that his station dropped the FM designation in its call letters and substituted the word “stereo.” Smith said his station announced itself as “WSTO-Stereo.”
Panelist agreed that stereo separation offered exciting possibilities for commercials, news, sports, live interviews, as well as traditional recorded music.
Sports in Stereo
Examples of a basketball game with players moving from speaker to speaker, newscasts with announcers switching speakers for different voices, and other possibilities were cited.
Dillard said he felt national advertiser will support an FM stereo station that shows it’s a good broadcasting station. The reference was to FM broadcasters exercising good, competitive broadcast techniques similar to that employed by AM outlets.
Panelist also felt that the day had come when FM should examine all types of programming — not just “fine arts” as many stations were confining themselves to. A show of hands show that a sizeable percentage of FM broadcasters in the audience were using popular music.
Specialized Programming Urged
An FCC spokesman in the audience pointed out that FM stations should concentrate on filling a local community need. In a large market with numerous FM and AM outlets, a particular broadcaster might well decide to program to a specialized audience.
Smaller markets with a fewer stations, however, might well need a more general-type programming, the FCC commissioner said.
Pollinger noted that last year, 20 per cent of the stereo records he received were unsuitable for stereocasting because of distortion. “This year, it’s down to 5 per cent,” he said. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 13, 1963).
MCRFB AD FLASHBACK: The push was on promoting modern home-entertainment stereo products as this Motorola magazine ad reflected in 1962(click image for larger spread). MCRFB AD FLASHBACK: Motorola magazine ad promoting their new line of stereo consoles for 1963 (click image for larger spread).
WXYZ 1270 Detroit Sound Survey; No. 12 issued July 4, 1966 under Lee Alan, Program Director; WXYZ
(WXYZ 1270 Detroit Sound Survey for July 4, this date 1966; survey courtesy the Jim Heddle Collection. For the previous weekly WXYZ June 27, 1966 survey click here).
A MCRFB news brief: 1963
