Radio This Week Back Then #20: June 2-8
Magic 105.4 London and KMPZ "Z98" Memphis
What was on the radio this week…back then. This is a weekly visit back to radio audio from this week in past years for those that enjoy radio history or those working in radio looking for promotional ideas, etc. If you enjoy these weekly audio rewinds, they take a lot of time to put together, so please do me a favor, subscribe, and share and pass it on. Thank you!
Traveling this week means this week’s edition is briefer than usual.
Gold-based AC Magic 105.4 London, June 6 2011
Top 40 KMPZ 98.1 “Z98” Memphis, June 6 1990
“Magic 105.4” Date: Monday, June 6, 2011 11:10AM Format: Gold-based AC DJ: Gary Vincent
I do not normally get excited over most American “lite rock” outlets. They often have predictable music libraries and end up sounding pretty bland. As such, with a lot of gold to mix in with more contemporary songs, Magic is a bit different as it has a pretty large library. It was a good time at Magic at the time of this recording as Magic was sitting at the top of the ratings mountain.
Station Contest and Promotions: Magic was running a “Magic £1,000 Song” contest each weekday where calling in after the song of the day is played would pay off a £1,000. Another promotion was to listen to the morning show for the chance to get a package — a night at a 5 star hotel, dinner at a Michelin star-rate restaurant, and tickets — to the 2011 Queen’s Club (tennis) Championships. As well, coming up later in the summer was “Magic Summer Live” concert headlined by Sir Elton John.
Johnny Nash/”I Can See Clearly Now”
Dido/”Thank You”
Bill Withers/”Lovely Day”
Fleetwood Mac/”Everywhere”
Wonderland/”Starlight”
The Corrs/”Runaway”
Bob Marley & The Wailers/”Is This Love”
Big Mountain/”Baby, I Love Your Way”
Heart/”Alone”
Bruce Channel/”Hey! Baby”
Michael Bublé/”Haven’t Met You Yet”
Mark Ronson (Featuring Amy Winehouse)/”Valerie”
The Beach Boys/”God Only Knows”
Michael Jackson/”The Way You Make Me Feel”
Force MDs/”Tender Love”
The Supremes/”You Can’t Hurry Love”
Don Henley/”The Boys Of Summer”
Natalie Imbruglia/”Torn”
James Morrison/”Broken Strings”
Candi Stanton/”Young Hearts Run Free”
Queen/”We Are The Champions”
Profile
I do not know how to pull technical data for UK facilities to build coverage maps. Fortunately, the regulatory agency, Ofcom, does have some made…
“Z98” Date: Sunday, June 6, 1990 Format: Top 40 DJ: Joey Butler
The 98.1 signal was originally licensed to Osceola AR. In 1986, it moved to a taller tower closer to Memphis and began targeting that market as rock KWLN “the Lion, Rock 98.” KWLN only lasted two years before giving way to KMPZ.
With an African-American population making up more than 50% of the city’s population and 1/3rd of the market, Z98 signed on with a R&B and dance lean to it. Then-GM Don Boyles told Radio & Records (July 15, 1988 edition) on the flip:
"It was not just a cut-and-dried issue. AOR and straight-ahead CHR certainly had potential, but research indicated that the biggest potential was to mirror the marketplace. The makeup of the metro is probably 30-33% black, so a CHR /Urban blend gives us the opportunity to win big, big numbers."
Like KWLN, Z98 ended up lasting a couple of years. In fact, it flipped to oldies three months after this aircheck.
It ended up being able to move directly into the market via changing city of license from Osceola to Millington TN in 1992. See the coverage map below for the before and after coverage.
The Cover Girls/”All That Glitters Isn’t Gold”
Louie Louie/”Sittin’ In The Lap Of Luxury”
Perfect Gentlemen/”Ooh La La (I Can’t Get Over You)”
Milli Vanilli/”Baby, Don’t Forget My Number”
Roxette/”It Must Have Been Love”
Legal ID: KMPZ 98.1 Osceola AR-Memphis
Sweet Sensation/”Love Child”
Human Radio/“Me And Elvis”
Robbie Nevil/”C’est Le Vie”
Wilson Phillips/”Hold On”
Johnny Gill/”Rub You The Right Way”
The U-Krew/”If U Were Mine”
Profile
Today, the 98.1 facility is rock WXMX “98.1 the Max.”
As always, the logos and other intellectual property belong to the stations. The recordings were made from over the air broadcasts.
Do you please have any more airchecks of WPLY Y100, airchecks of WDRE 103.9, and WXJN FM Kix 106 Lewes Delaware?!