From the MCRFB news archive: 1982
Plug Pulled on Todd Wallace’s Hot 100 Format at WTWR-FM
DETROIT — Bill Ward, new president of Golden West’s radio division, has pulled the plug on Todd Wallace’s Hot 100 format at WTWR-FM here 15-weeks after its introduction, to take the station into a country format and market an AM-FM Country combination along with WCXI-AM.
John Risher, AM general manager, who takes over the helm for both stations, says the new format will be introduced Monday (May 3) and will share no simulcast hours with WCXI. While each station will have a slightly different approach to country — the AM will be more information, the FM will be more music — Golden West has applied to change the FM call letters to WCXI-FM.
The changes does not mean that the Wallace consulted format did not succeed — the station moved to a 3.5 share in the winter Arbitron, up from 3.0 in the fall when the station was playing oldies — but it represents a concern on the part of Golden West management that the company must consolidate its position. “This is an expensive market to do business in,” says Risher. “We’ve moved into a protective situation for our country format in this market.”
WCXI was seen as a long-range disadvantage to WWWW-FM, which last year switch switched to country and, until the latest Arbitron, was beating WCXI — by as much as a 5.6 share to 3.0 in the fall Arbitron.
Risher points to his new program director Larry Patton as making the difference. WCXI moved up to a 4.1 in the winter book, from 3.4 in the fall. Patton will now program both the AM and FM. WTWR program director Steve Schram is leaving the station. Patton arrived at WCXI in February from WCUZ-AM-FM Grad Rapids, Michigan.
Risher says Patton has given more discipline to the AM’er and made the playlist “much tighter.” He is expected to do the same thing with the FM. Risher says, “We weeded out the non-hits. We cut our library by 1,500 records. We’ve brightened the sound.”
There are several changes in the jock lineup, too, affecting Michael Kelly and Tom Lawrence. Other jocks are being hired, but Risher declined to disclose their identity at press time because not all have informed their present employers.
WTWR general manager Victor Ives will leave the station to return to his native California and an expected post on the Golden West corporate staff. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; May 1, 1982).
