SUPER Q HIT NO. 01 * Grand Funk Railroad * WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 02 * Isley Brothers *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 03 * Cheech and Chong *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 08 * Jim Croce *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 12 * The Stories *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 14 * Gilbert O’Sullivan *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 17 * War *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 21 * Rolling Stones *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q HIT NO. 23 * Sly & The Family Stone *WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
SUPER Q ALBUMS * LOS COCHINOS “Sargent Stadanko” * WDRQ FM 93 09/24/73
These were the records you bought. Many hits listed here were the most popular singles heard played on FM Top 40 radio, September 1973, and on the No. 1 FM radio station (then) in the Motor City — the “Super Q,” WDRQ-FM.
URBAN PROGRAMMER JIM SNOWDEN WILL REMAIN STATION PD
DETROIT — Well-known urban programmer Jim Snowden will remain in his PD seat at WDRQ here when the station drops it urban output for Transtar’s “Formula 41” adult contemporary service in the next two to three weeks.
Snowden, most recently morning man at Inner City’s WBLS New York, was unavailable to comment on his seemingly strange decision at press time. Amaturo Group radio president Monte Lang, however, is quick to mention that Snowden’s background “includes working with many different formats,” and says Snowden “just loves this city, and we’re proud to say he is staying.”
While Lang claims that WDRQ was profitable as an urban station, he adds, “We were dissapointed with its success penetrating the market.” Explaining the choice of Transtar’s service, Lang says, “We’ve been happy with the success of ‘Formula 41’ at our WJQY Ft. Lauderdale, and saw the opportunity to do the same in Detroit.”
With the new adult programming, WDRQ will be re-christened with a yet undetermined set of calls (possibly WLTI) and will likely be clothed in a new image. “I’m not pounding my chest that this will be an overnight success,” says Lang, who cite’s all of Detroit’s adult stations as WDRQ’s new competition. “They are all terrific.”
Formula 41, being one of the lightest AC programs on the market, Lang intends to position the new WDRQ as a “very relaxing station targeted at listeners who prefer Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond and leaning toward easy listening,” against what he calls “the higher energy” adult outlets in Detroit.
Overseeing WDRQ’s new direction is forger general sales manager Jeff Slette, who steps into the general manager role after Chuck Borchard’s resignation earlier this month over what Lang calls “philosophical differences.” END
(Information and news source, Billboard; April 20, 1985).
DETROIT (June 10, 1971) — Al Casey has been slated to program Bartell’s St. Louis operation, which is still pending FCC approval, so he’s in Detroit programming WDRQ-FM.Andy Wilson is music director. Ron Thompson and Jay Stone are among the air personalities at the new Top 40 station in the Motor City. George Wilson, national director of Bartell, is managing WDRQ-FM. END.
DETROIT (August 1, 1981) — Bill Garcia, has been hired away from WDRQ-FM Detroit to be program director at WOMC-FM. Garcia has been moving the Hot 100 formatted WDRQ into a more adult contemporary mode and into direct competition with Metromedia’s WOMC. Charter Broadcasting has WDRQ on the block. Garcia succeeds Dave Shafer, who’s moved over to WCZY-FM, which is running the syndicated Shulke II vocal-oriented Beautiful music format. END.
DETROIT (January 30, 1982) — Alan Furst is the new program director at WEEP-AM in Pittsburgh, succeeding Barry Mardit, who has moved on to become program director at WWWW-FM in Detroit. Mardit succeeds Dene Hallan, who has left to become program director at WHN-AM New York (Billboard; December 12). Furst continues to work the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.air shift. Furst is not the only new program director in the Motor City. Cliff Winston has taken over full programming duties at WDRQ-FM. Operations director at “The Q” Rick Torcasso has transferred to KSLQ-FM to program that station. Both WDRQ and KSLQ are owned by Charter Broadcasting. Torcasso succeeds John Larabee, who left the station. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard Magazine. All excerpts culled as was published from the dated editions noted above).
