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03.72: Florida Trip Promo 144k
Although advertising per se was prohibited, enterprising members (mainly Robbie, Joel Preston, Mike Murphy, and Sam) kept trying to find ways to get commercials on the air. Every year there was the busload trip to Daytona Beach for Spring Break. The trip promoter wanted exposure on WIDB. So it became a "trade-out." WIDB ran this spot, and in return, WIDB received a free trip for two to Daytona Beach (including a stay at the "fun-filled Sea Dip Motel-- located right on the beach!")
Voices featured here are Robbie, Justin Case (now at WJZ, Baltimore), and James P. Rohr. $89.50 for seven days--and FREE BEER both ways? The free trip for two was the prize given away at the Bowl-a-Thon. Anybody know where the music came from on this one?
05.72: Irwin Cory Traffic Report 288k
This is a rare example of "ad-hoc" on-air production that got recorded and survived. In 1972, SIU was still on quarters, not semesters. Spring Quarter started in March and finished about June 10. Robbie did the morning show (7-10am) every other day during the week. This included holidays, so on Monday, May 30, 1972 (Memorial Day), after a long night of partying, Robbie had to get his butt down to the station and do his show. Long before the "Morning Zoo" concept was invented, some of the members would drop in on Robbie's show to do various bits. One of them was "traffic reports" done by "Flying Officer Irwin Corey." Officer Corey (actually Jim Rohr) had noticed how the old UPI (news) teletype machine had a rhythmic sound just like a helicopter. So, Jim decided to get on the telephone and lean into the clickity-clacking UPI machine and do his traffic reports "live from the WIDB 'copter." (And it really sounded good, too!) Remember, it was Memorial Day, and Jim had enjoyed a long party night too. There was no plan or script; he made it up as he went along. To provide background, Mae Smith and Neely were female-only dorms, and men were not allowed to remain overnight. Men who did had to use the stairways and exit the emergency (side) doors. "VTI," was later renamed as the "School of Technical Careers." The only problem with using the UPI machine was that it would suddenly and unpredictably stop typing. Totally improvising, Jim runs out of material just as this happens. Listen to how he responds on this aircheck from WIDB, 8:40 am, May 30, 1972.
09.72: Cheech and Chong Refrigerator Promo 128k
Few dorm rooms were complete without the miniature refrigerators known as Mini-Kools. They were rented by dorm residents from a non-university entrepreneur, our friend Rich Emdee. They worked the same deal as the Florida trip: WIDB would run the spot, and the station would get two mini-kools to give away. This is the promo for the contest to give away the mini-kools. Becoming the man of many voices, Jim Rohr played both voices in a parody of "Cheech and Chong." Jim also voices a nameless WIDB jock. Sam's voice is almost not heard here.
11.72: Election '72 120k
The first Presidential Election WIDB covered was in November '72. Through the 70's and most of the 80's, WIDB maintained a substantial and industrious news department. Under News Director Cliff Albert, newspersons were dispatched to Senator (Puchinski/Percy), Governor (Walker/Ogilvie), President (Nixon/McGovern) candidates' campaign HQ's in Chicago.
Correspondents included Chris Bury (now at ABC TV Network News), Walt Leisering and Todd Cave (now at Turner Broadcasting/Time/Warner), Mike Slabik, Debbie Santarelli, Bob Comstock, and Rick Bronars. There were live reports from WIDB reporters stationed in Chicago, Springfield, and in Jackson County. Anchoring the coverage at WIDB were Allan J. Friedman, Tom Cooper, and Cliff Albert. On election night, WIDB's regular programming was pre-empted for over four hours by election coverage. Here are some short edited highlights.
12.72: Community Classifieds Promo 96k
To serve listeners, WIDB aired "Community Classifieds," announcements such as seeking rides or riders, lost animals, etc. The voice here is Keith Weinman, who was at WIDB for years first as a newsman, then a jock ("Weinman 'till one"), and later as Program Director. Keith ended up in Denver, doing news at KOA and on TV. This promo, featuring a bed from the "Tooth Fairy" was produced by Sam Glick, who was Program Director at this time, Fall '72. This is from an aircheck of the Kevin J. Potts show. To intro this promo, Kevin mimics the plea of a wasted caller seeking a ride home.
01.73: News Promo 64k
WIDB featured 18 newscasts each and every day of the week. There were 30-36 members in the news department; most did at least one three hour shift each week. WIDB news was there when a five-story construction crane collapsed on a crowd of students changing classes at 10 am; WIDB News was in the middle of the "campus disturbances" in 1970 and 72; WIDB news transmitted immediate draft lottery information; WIDB covered the elections, national and student. News was serious business, and students really relied on WIDB to stay informed. How many stations promo their news department? WIDB did, with WIDB Chief Engineer Phil Hejtmanek's voice, produced by Gary in late 72. In hindsight, the claim, "best news department in Southern Illinois" may not have been an exaggeration.
06.77: Quads Alley Promo 128k
By 1977 advertising were in full operation. WIDB's production department had several producers who were
competent, effective, and also creative. Here's Luke Banks' production featuring Mike Hillstrom and others. |
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03.73 Bowl-a-Thon Promo 152k
The Daytona Beach/Spring Break trip had to be given away at the Bowl-a-Thon in March. The jocks got wasted and bowled, total pins only were counted, and the winner entry was the listener who came closest to guessing total pins. It was one of the first events that took the station into the community for entertainment purposes. Produced by Sam and Gary, this features Michael K. Murphy (now at WSCR), W. Clark Pettit (now farming in New Jersey), Michael J. Cheylewski, Sam and Keith Weinman, as well as Phil Hejtmanek.
12.72: My 2¢ Worth 240k
This is the closest that WIDB came to an editorial and it was a small step in the marathon campaign for WIDB to gain authorization to sell advertising. It requires an explanation of the complex political situation.
WIDB's first four years were funded exclusively by student activity fee allocations. These were decided by the Student Senate. Joel Preston became WIDB General Manager in Spring, 72. WIDB's fee allocation request and budget for the next (72-3) year was presented by Joel to Student Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Conlisk. After many late-night red-eyed negotiating sessions involving Joel and John, WIDB emerged from the budget process with $25,000, a 250% increase from the previous year! Despite the Student Senate's allocation of $25,000 to WIDB, in May, 72, the university administration refused to honor this. Instead, Dean of Students George Mace determined one day in June, 72, that the allocation process was flawed. Mace decided that it would be better to let all students vote for each student club that would be funded.
So, over summer, Mace mailed "ballots" to 18,000 or so students. The "ballots" listed "major" student organizations first, and "lesser" organizations last, alphabetically. Of course, WIDB was not allowed by Mace to be a "major" organization. Those were SGAC (now SPC), the yearbook, the Daily Egyptian. If you searched for "WIDB," it was not on the ballot! It was actually listed second to last, on the third page of the ballot, under "S," as "Student Radio Station."
Mace promised that the ballots would count only if at least 50% would be returned. But when only 12% showed up, he proceeded to use them anyway, and under his sagely determined process, WIDB would receive the princely sum of $2750.00 for the entire 72-3 broadcast year.
WIDB (and other student groups') members were outraged. Joel was REALLY pissed. He had played the game and won, but Mace took the prize away, and then Mace lied. More than any other administrative act, this cemented Joel's resolve that WIDB would sell advertising.
Joel had previously sought authorization to sell advertising after the administration ordered WIDB to "cease and desist" airing commercials. Violation of this would cause WIDB's account to be frozen, and WIDB might lose its right to use its studio. So Joel was required to seek approval.
Joel realized that WIDB's yearly activity fee allocations would always be at the mercy of bumbling administrative bozos like Mace. The solution was to establish an independent source of income--ad revenue.
Joel's repeated requests for approval for WIDB's proposal to sell advertising (the ad proposal) were shunted aside, buck-passed and not acted upon by the administration. Joel was told he needed to get approval from the Board of Trustees and their agenda was full for a few years.
WIDB's survival was at stake. The station could not operate for more than a few months with $2750. The administration had choked off 90% of the station's duly allocated funds. The administration had choked off WIDB's alternate revenue source--advertising. The administration even choked off WIDB's right to be heard by the Board of Trustees. But Joel and WIDB refused to give in.
Instead, Joel went on the attack. In early December, he held a press conference and announced that at the end of December, WIDB would run out of funds and go off the air if its ad proposal was not passed that month by the Board of Trustees.
This was a big story. It was on the front page of the DE, and it was THE hot topic on campus. Meanwhile, most of the Student Senators were irritated with Mace for what he did to their allocation process. Many senators were friendly with Joel. One, Buzz Talbot, hatched a secret plan with Joel to support the station.
Under the guise of a spontaneous, grassroots, student organization, Buzz and Joel purchased large ads in the DE asserting student outrage at the administration causing the threatened demise of WIDB. In the ad, the "Students to Save WIDB" implored readers to join their protest to the administration by sending in letters. The ad provided a sample letter which could be copied or cut out, signed and sent via free campus mail to the Board of Trustees.
Joel decided that if WIDB was going to be strangled, it would go down fighting and with a big bang. He used WIDB to disseminate propaganda.
This finally brings us to the audio selection here--"My 2 Cents worth." It was invented by Joel for this very purpose--to advance WIDB's interests. Listen as Joel artfully dances around the issues, while keeping the controversy at the forefront.
Incidentally, the Board got hundreds of letters. Joel's plan, in a left-handed way, worked, and it paved the way for a lengthy two year administrative war. Details to come in history.
03.73: Burning Spear Promo 80k
WIDB featured special black-oriented programs. Originally, there was a "Soul Show" that featured soul music. It was first done by Rob "Ol' Blood" White, later by Leo Knott (The Dynamic LTL), Algie (Slim Goodie) Moore, Reggie Mack, and many others. In 1973, Soul Director Melvin Taylor persuaded Sam as program director to add another black oriented show. It would follow the soul show, play more albums, jazz, and blues. It would be called the "Burning Spear." Again demonstrating his versatility, Jim Rohr voices this promo, with Gary producing. The female voice is Gail Wooten.
Gee, not a single mention of the riots!
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