[JAM / PAMSMember]

WABC New York was America's biggest top-40 music station for most of the 1960s and '70s. It had millions of fans, and influenced an entire generation of people in the radio business. At noon on May 10, 1982 the “Musicradio” format ended and WABC became a news-talk station. As one who literally grew up listening to this station, I remember the emotions of that day very well.

To mark the 26th anniversary of the format change, I have posted a video on YouTube of the report that WCBS-TV aired on their local newscast that evening. Those of you who were around at that time might enjoy the nostalgia; and those of you who missed it should watch just to see what the world of radio was like back then. Enjoy.

Watch the video

[gameswizardMember]

great video Jon.

[IainJohnstonMember]

Magic!
(Gasp! – Is it REALLY as far back as 1982 that 77 became talk?!?!?)

[ratnobMember]

Superb. Makes me emotional all these years on and all these miles away.
Geoff B

[SeanMartin]

Radio sure was an emotional environment and I see there that Ron felt that emotion. As a programme host it was all about building the bond between the station, the host and the listener – so much has changed in mainstream radio since that it's even a rarity for the presenter to have an on-air name.
-s

[martinlesterMember]

Thanks for posting its amazing how time fly's by !!

[Bigdave]

Thanks Jon – a great video showing us Brits what it was like to lose an all time great in the name of progress. Although it's not really happened here ,if you wanted to equate it to something, it would be on the scale of Radio 1 going to talk in the 80's.

BTW,Anybody notice Kevin Metheny in there at WNBC? If you've ever seen Howard Stern's movie “Private Parts”,you'll realise that Paul Giamatti's character Kenny is more than part based on Metheny.

Metheny also ordered the package “Nothing But Class” too..

[JAM / PAMSMemberAuthor]

Metheny also narrates the demo “Nothing But Class” too..

Actually, the front of that demo is narrated by Don Imus (Imus in the Morning). Kevin Metheny is mentioned in the narration, but his voice is not heard.

The character in the Private Parts movie was actually a combination of 2 or 3 different people. Remember, even though it's based on true events, everything in the movie was exaggerated for comedic effect. None of the NBC management guys were that crazy.

[Bigdave]

Oops!

That's what you get from too little coffee early in the morning,and not enough sleep,Jon! Of course,it is Don Imus.

As you'll now see,I've edited the above now to show this…

For those who haven't seen it,the movie shows a overblown version of the events described by Stern in the original book of the same name,and there's dramatic licence too..but as everybody knows,all of us bought the DVD just for the JAM cuts on it!

[Barras]

I know, I should be making some intellectual comment about the format change and the death of music radio in NYC but look at all those lovely WABC carts of jingles and promos !!!

That`s when radio studios were REAL radio studios, a good presenter/jock/announcer, a microphone, turntables, reel-to-reel machine, cart machines and racks and racks of carts.

Thanks for the video Jon, tops !

David Barras

PS – re: Private Parts – the funniest bit I always remember was when Stern had to practise saying WNBC..

[Author]

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