WIDB History Chapter 18

Inching Ever Closer

   Engineers weren't the only ones in action over break. Jerry had arranged for design and production of the famous "WIDB kissing twins" color poster. This was not only WIDB's first poster, but one of the most memorable. It was designed by Don Henke (then at University Graphics). The poster won an award from the 3M Corporation. The poster was placed in every possible strategic location in dorms, on campus & the strip. Upon return from break, the posters stimulated conversation about the new station.
   Jerry said, "I spent my entire break week there at the station managing, guiding and assisting the construction of this station. I procured supplies, signed purchase orders, soldered and cut wires, (over a 6 foot distance between the board and the equipment rack, there was over a 1/4 mile of wiring) drilled holes in turntable to mount tone arms, etc. Bruce proved himself invaluable during this time."

   Meanwhile, Howie and Tom structured the programming of the new WIDB. There would be a daytime format until 11 pm. "Underground" was after 11. The daytime format required airing of records from certain playlisted cuts at certain times. Jingles, segues, and scripted "raps" were also required. News was scheduled every hour. See attached original format. "Underground" was actually defined in Howie's programming statement (see attached.) It was, essentially, freeform, especially compared to WIDB's daytime format. But it was more focused than "freeform" sounds. Remember, in 1970, AM was still king and a very large number of adolescents and young adults listened to top-40 AM stations. But these stations had very limited playlists, and few played album cuts (non-singles).

   There had been an explosion of prolific talented artistry in music that could not be channeled into hit records. The Grateful Dead was one example. There was a demand for this music, and top-40 AM did not meet this demand. So, in some markets, there were FM stations that went "underground." In Chicago, there was WGLD, the Triad program on WXFM, and a commercialized version on WLS-FM/ WDAI. Ten Years After, Ars Nova, NRBQ, Jefferson Airplane, Velvet Underground, Cream, Hendrix, Doors, Phil Ochs, Mothers of Invention, Band, Bob Dylan, Vanilla Fudge, Electric Prunes and Flag, and Iron Butterfly might be heard on underground at that time. Many in WIDB's target audience were used to having underground as an option. WIDB could only be one station. But, to serve the audience, it was important for underground to be featured.

   Howie perceived underground as non-mainstream. But he did not seek to exclude it. So underground took a 11pm-1am slot, every day at first. By allowing underground an initial slot, Howie prophetically maintained an important future option. Within four years, what was underground in 1970 became the dominant influence on WIDB's most successful programming period. If Howie had excluded this in 1970, this gradual transition would have been impossible without upheaval.

   In 1970, there was some common ground between top-40 and underground. Many regularly listened to both formats at different times. One reason might be the lack of FM in many cars at that time. Some artists were played in both formats. At WIDB, some jock/DJ/air personalities hosted both top-40 and underground shows. Dan Mordini conceived the "Pillowtalk" show. On Friday and Saturday nights from 1-4am, Pillowtalk was to be background music for early morning activities. Also to be featured was "Anodyne," a talk show with a guest, interview, and audience participation.

   The date for the station to "officially" sign on was set: Sunday, April 12, 1970 at 1pm Carbondale time. Test programming continued through the first full week in April. Transmitter testing, equipment wiring, talent practice-- all were proceeding at frenzied pace, simultaneously. The sign-on date was publicized (see document) There was a sharp air of expectation.

   But what had been an attitude of impatience in February turned into near-panic in April. The sign-on deadline had been set, and featured in the Daily Egyptian. The Kissing Twins posters had everyone talking about the new WIDB. There was no turning back. Suddenly, everyone realized how unprepared and unorganized they were. Dan, Bruce, Lew and the rest of the engineers made hourly discoveries of items needed but never anticipated. Remote starts for cart machines and turntables. Links from the telephone into the board so calls could be aired. Remote on-off switches for mics. Relays. Wires. Since few of these items were anticipated in the budget, and it was far too late to seek supplemental funding and go through the purchasing process, Dan and the crew had to come up with the stuff themselves. They were determined to meet the deadline and make everything work.

   Tom and Howie were attempting to establish a coherent format, recruit, train and schedule on-air personnel, and get them some practice. The schedule was patchwork. The station was to operate 7am-1am, later on weekends. There were irregular shifts. Some were two, three, four hours. Every "jock" had to have an "engineer" or board operator. Although this is a foreign concept today, almost no jocks "comboed." The jock sat in a booth, with the "engineer" across the glass. The jock would cue the engineer to hit the jingle, spot, record, news, etc. The rationale for this was that it would be easier to teach jocking and board operation separately, that this was a more professional arrangement (the way it was done at major market hit stations) and would allow the engineer and jock to better concentrate on each of their own separate tasks without distraction. But this meant that there had to be two separate schedules; one for jocks and one for board operators.

   Tom and Howie were training and scheduling jocks. Someone had to train and schedule the board operators. Some felt this should be an Engineering Department task. But Dan and the guys were a little busy. So, at first, the board operators were mainly off-duty jocks, or wanna-be jocks.

   Programming and format didn't mean much without music. There had to be a playlist. Where were the records? Jim Hoffman was music director. How was the record library going to be set up? Who would have access? There were already record disappearance problems. Jim's suggestion that no one be allowed to bring their own records into the station (so no one would be legitimately carrying any records out) met with vehement protest from the "underground" jocks. (see attached document ).

   Any format needs production to back it up. Howie wanted jingles. He pirated some from the Drake-Chenault format ("Solid Gold Rock & Roll"). Howie was familiar with these from WOR, New York. He made up "personal" jingles (where the jingle says the name of the jock) using the opening psychedelic notes of the Supremes' "Reflections." Howie decided to continue a concept from the WLTH format; the top of the hour spoken (recorded) ID skillfully mixed by the engineer over the bridge of a top ten record (tight to the vocal--or else!) The concept here was to subtly bond the record intro with the station ID, so when listeners encountered the same record elsewhere, they would "hear" the original station ID, bonded with the record. Sound ridiculous? Believe it or not, Howie stuck with this and really made it work--too well! The original "hip phrase" Howie used was: "WLTH, Carbondale, IS boss" By the spring of 1970, "boss" was a little passé, even for Howie. Besides, WIDB had already been designated as "Together Radio." Jerry claimed he and Dave Hanke came up with the term while working on the original "Together Radio" poster. Jerry said it sprang from his characterization of the WIDB crew in general, "We felt a certain energy as a group, and this connected us. Thus the term, "Together Radio." Our frequency, 600 kHz, was listed on many AM radios as just "6." Thus, the slogan "Together Six."" So, the new ID became: "W...I-D-B, Carbondale...IS...together" To make this work, the right voice was essential. The first version was done by Richard Rieman. This was usable, but lacked the dramatic depth later provided by Dan Sheldon. (audio file) This ID continued in use for over five years. Even today, when certain old hit songs come on, many of us clearly "hear" the ID bonded to the bridge of the song.

   For many at WIDB, trying to use this ID correctly was the first introduction to the concept of "tightness." The top of the hour ID, (used also at the bottom of the hour at times) and the on-duty person's execution of it (or lack thereof) became a kind of focal point at the station. There was a healthy competition; who DID do it the best? Each hour, a hush would fall over the station when the ID started because everyone wanted to listen. There was a collective pride when the result was good: everyone felt good. The reverse was true for bad stuff. There was constant feedback unrestricted by departmental boundaries. Just because you were Music Director, for example, you still might have something to say about newscasts. The pride in the station ID was related to the preoccupation with jingles. Hit radio stations at that time ALL had jingles. Howie, Tom, Jerry, and all staff heads wanted WIDB to sound as professional as possible. Jerry emphasized, "We didn't just want to be the best station in Carbondale. We wanted to measure ourselves against the best stations in the country. At the time, those were not even the Chicago stations, but the New York stations such as WABC." A New York or Chicago standard meant fancy jingles, which usually cost big bucks. There were ways, creative ways, unusual ways, around this. More later. But for WIDB to be "good," (and for staff experience), jingles were essential.

   There was a lot of time and effort spent on producing, editing, carting, practicing, and explaining jingles. See attached for WIDB original jingle list. The station's goal was to present a professional program service immediately upon official sign-on, and establish the station as a major campus fixture before Spring Quarter ended in June. While Howie and Tom were working on jocks, format, and jingles, Jim was working on records and playlists, Dan and the crew on wiring and equipment, Charlie Muren was seeking publicity, but there was another important area of programing--news. This area was one of the original motivators for WIDB, but in the frenzied panic of pre-sign on, it was relegated to secondary status. News would, almost immediately after sign on, present WIDB with its greatest opportunity and challenge.

end of Chapter 18