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September 11,
2001 Aircheck Page
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WPLJ/WWPR 95.5
"Power 95", "Mojo Radio"
FIRST ON AIR: 1970 as WPLJ, WWPR in 1987-1988 and WPLJ again
1989-present
FORMATS: Album oriented rock 1970, CHR (top 40) 1983-1992, gold
AC 1992-96, hot AC 1996-98, modern 1998-present
TRANSMITTER SITE: Empire State Building
NOTABLE PERSONALITIES: Jim Kerr, Pat St. John, Tony Pigg,
Dave Herman, Jimmy Fink, JJ Jackson and Mark Goodman (both of MTV fame), Pat
St. John, Carol Miller, JJ Kennedy, Joey B., Bobby Valentine, Linda Energy, Al
Bandiero, Rocky Allen, Scott Shannon.
A BIT ABOUT WPLJ: From hard edged album oriented rock
to top 40 to "Mojo radio" to its current sound as a Hot AC, WPLJ/WWPR
has certainly been it all over the years.
Prior to 1970, WPLJ was known as WABC-FM and ran a simulcast
of the superstar AM station. It began creating its own separate identity
by running progressive rock and Radio Free New York programs.
By 1970, WPLJ was a full-fledged rock station, playing
nothing but progressive rock. Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling
Stones and The Grateful Dead were commonly on the menu at WPLJ until 1983, when
it switched to a top 40 format competing directly with new kid on the block
WHTZ ("Z-100"). This format change was a year after the demise
of its sister station, WABC 770 which switched to talk in 1982.
WPLJ competed with Z-100 through the 1980s, but never
managed to capture the top 40 audience. In April of 1985, the station
called itself WWPR and used the moniker "Power 95" to identify
itself. It remained Power 95 until 1989, a year after its calls were
changed back to WPLJ. (WWPR’s calls are now found on Urban Contmporary
Power 105). Just after the start of the
next decade, WPLJ used "Mojo Radio" as its identification, treading
the waters of an ill-fated "Rock 40" format that was begun by Scott
Shannon in Los Angeles. "Rock 40" played rock music from
top 40 groups like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Winger and Great White without
jumping into radio unfriendly heavy metal music. The "Mojo
Radio" moniker remained with WPLJ until about 1993.
In the 1990s, WPLJ has flirted with a variety of top 40
hybrids and fragments, and sounds very much like a Hot AC format today.
Perhaps its slogan of "no rap, no hard stuff and no sleepy elevator
music" best describes its identity. It flagrantly pokes fun at rap
music (such IDs as "some people like rap. Some people don't.
This station doesn't"). WPLJ is the closest thing to a modern rock station
in New York.
WPLJ's best-known additions of the last few years are Al
Bandiero's evening shows (he's since moved to WTJM "Jammin' 105"),
the Rocky Allen Showgram (now on WABC AM) and Scott & Todd in the Morning
hosted by Scott Shannon. Shannon is best-known in New York of "Z
Morning Zoo" fame at cross-town rival Z-100 from 1983-89.
EACH ITEM UNDERLINED IS A SOUNDFILE. CLICK IT!!!!.
1980
(REAL AUDIO) Here's a promo claiming WPLJ as "New York's Best
Rock" (REAL AUDIO). It's from the early 1980s--the station's heyday as an album
oriented rock outlet. (Courtesy radioboys.com )
1984
Fast Jimi Roberts on the air in 1984 between "Better Be Good To Me" by Tina
Turner and "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper
1985
From Good Friday of 1985: WPLJ helps promote its new "Power 95"
moniker with the sweeper "a new name for an old friend". The
clip was recorded right after "We Are The World" by USA for Africa
was played simultaneously nationwide. The song following the sweeper is
"One Night in Bangkok" by Murray Head.
1986
Here's a sweeper from 1986 sating "New York's Power Hits, W (Power)
PLJ" between "Your Love" by The Outfield and "Nasty"
by Janet Jackson.
1988
Station ID: Used in the late 1980s It goes "95.5 WPLJ"
WWPR promotion for opening night cast part for the
"Dirty Dancing" concert tour, which took place in the summer of 1988.
From 1988, WWPR
proclaiming "one big hit after another, New York's favorite radio
station"
Weather talkover bed from Mother's Day of 1988
1991
Below are "air checks", actual recordings of the way WWPR/WPLJ
sounded. The air checks are "telescoped", that is, with the
music cut out so you can hear the DJs, jingles, sweepers.
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Fast Jimi Roberts November 1986
This aircheck follows Casey Kasem's
"American Top 40" in November of 1986. Pat St. John
announces the music of the day as well as the Christmas Gift Weekend
contest. He intends to play Bon Jovi, The Bangles, Ben E. King, Peter
Cetera & Amy Grant, Madonna's "new one" (presumably "Open
Your Heart") and Freddie Jackson.
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Pat St. John announces intentions to play
Ben E. King, Wang Chung, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Eddie Money and cuts from the
Bruce Springsteen live album to be released the following day. After the
talkup following "American Top 40", there's a station ID followed by
"Heart Of Rock 'N Roll" by Huey Lewis & The News, "Stand By
Me" by Ben E. King, Animotion's "Obsession", and "Can't
Wait Another Minute" by New Edition. Notice some type of WPLJ jingle
in between each and every song.
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Skyy Walker/Fast Jimi Roberts August of 1988
A commercial goes into an ID for Bobby
Valentine (Skyy Walker is subbing) to George Michael's "Monkey",
"Hungry Eyes" by Eric Carmen, and "Hands to Heaven" by
Breathe. There's a break in the aircheck for commercials (astute
listeners will catch Chevorlet's old slogan "Listen to the Heartbeat of
America" and A&S Department store); a sweeper shouts the calls
"WWPR" followed by "Maniac" by Michael Sembello, "Do
You Love Me?" by The Countours, The Cover Girls' "Inside
Outside". Fast Jimi comes in at 2 PM to announce Foreigner's
"Say You Will". Again, notice how WWPR inserts jingle after
jingle between the music. Also note the extreme variety between the songs
evident of the station's lack of identity and direction.
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MORE SOUND FILES COMING SOON!
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