P-U Country 93-1 is moving to...

[Mega Hertz]

As much as I wish the Detroit dial wasn’t loaded with religious garbage or cookie-cutter formats, it seems that the only people who will pony up the cash for terrestrial radio facilities are religious broadcasters. If you ask me, it’s getting to be overkill.

Where I’m at now in Oregon, there are at least SIX different frequencies airing some sort of religious-based programming. Mostly K-Love and Air1. I’ve had the “pleasure” of listening to them; I think I’d rather watch paint dry. Absolutely boring programming. But out here, they eat that shit up. It’s mind boggling.


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Amen. It's so much better when those stations are pumping out quality butt rock. We can never have enough Kansas, Boston, or Pink Floyd on the radio dial.

Yeah, so, you tried that one on me in another forum and it didn't work there, either. Nobody is clamoring for more of that. Idk if you noticed, but this time the station was a country station. I think the aggravation comes from the fact that it's a choice of four 150 song playlist formats or Jesus stations, which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't have a stranglehold on the non-comm dial, also. Trust me, nobody is upset we aren't getting another station that plays the only 150 rock songs released between 1967 and 2023.

They wouldn't be invading the commercial dial if the commercial dial had anything useful on it. What other format should end up here that wouldn't be the same dreck, or some ultra niche format that isnt profitable?

No commercial broadcaster is coming to put a good station on the air. Christian stations by and large have live on-air staff, do community outreach, and create engagement with their listeners. You know, all the things everyone on here clamors for. But they're the ones ruining radio?

That was the meat and potatoes of my point, I can't speak for thatonedude. They were all in a rush to dive in and buy up as many properties as possible, narrowed it all down, fucked up and checked out.

To me, it's absolutely unfathomable that you have a choice of CHR/rap, contemporary country, or a library format of rock or urban. And only in certain years. I am the LAST person that wants to hear fucking More Than a Feeling again or WLLZ promoting a Ratt concert like it's Goddamn 1985. FM did it to itself. But OTOH, nothing says Christiananity these days more than capitalism and owning property.

[thatonedude]

As much as I wish the Detroit dial wasn’t loaded with religious garbage or cookie-cutter formats, it seems that the only people who will pony up the cash for terrestrial radio facilities are religious broadcasters. If you ask me, it’s getting to be overkill.

Where I’m at now in Oregon, there are at least SIX different frequencies airing some sort of religious-based programming. Mostly K-Love and Air1. I’ve had the “pleasure” of listening to them; I think I’d rather watch paint dry. Absolutely boring programming. But out here, they eat that shit up. It’s mind boggling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Amen. It's so much better when those stations are pumping out quality butt rock. We can never have enough Kansas, Boston, or Pink Floyd on the radio dial.

Yeah, so, you tried that one on me in another forum and it didn't work there, either. Nobody is clamoring for more of that. Idk if you noticed, but this time the station was a country station. I think the aggravation comes from the fact that it's a choice of four 150 song playlist formats or Jesus stations, which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't have a stranglehold on the non-comm dial, also. Trust me, nobody is upset we aren't getting another station that plays the only 150 rock songs released between 1967 and 2023.

They wouldn't be invading the commercial dial if the commercial dial had anything useful on it. What other format should end up here that wouldn't be the same dreck, or some ultra niche format that isnt profitable?

No commercial broadcaster is coming to put a good station on the air. Christian stations by and large have live on-air staff, do community outreach, and create engagement with their listeners. You know, all the things everyone on here clamors for. But they're the ones ruining radio?

That was the meat and potatoes of my point, I can't speak for thatonedude. They were all in a rush to dive in and buy up as many properties as possible, narrowed it all down, fucked up and checked out.

To me, it's absolutely unfathomable that you have a choice of CHR/rap, contemporary country, or a library format of rock or urban. And only in certain years. I am the LAST person that wants to hear fucking More Than a Feeling again or WLLZ promoting a Ratt concert like it's Goddamn 1985. FM did it to itself. But OTOH, nothing says Christiananity these days more than capitalism and owning property.

You nailed it.

I think it’s sad that no big ownership group wants to take a risk and maybe stray away from the same 150 songs played day-in, day-out. Nope, the station is tanking, either we put another garbage format on there or we have to sell it to EMF or another religious entity. Creativity? Uniqueness? Fuck that! Let’s just do the same shit we’ve been doing. It’s easier!

I wanted to go into radio at one point, and I have a passion for it to this day. I had friends and family tell me I was a fucking idiot for wanting to do so. Glad I’m in IT now.

Shit, I made more at Burger King than I would have in radio. That’s beyond shameful.


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[Colonel Flagg]

Where did Cumulus park the WDRQ call sign?

WLTI was parked on the daytime AM in Melbourne, FL, and later in New Castle, IN where it remains today.

The parking of old call signs was a "Dickey Lew" practice, so I am a little surprised it continues today.

As far as reviving the DRQ "brand" there really isn't a solid brand (I never liked that term) to revive. WDRQ, in it's beginning, was on FM, when the majority of listening was still on AM. Carl Como and Jerry Clifton did a great job with it, with a lot of promotion, and decent air talent. Beyond that, WDRQ went through numerous personnel changes, ownership changes, and format tweaks. Very early in the '80's, I remember the logo with the chrome pipe lettering and the blue background. Disco was done, and some of the right music adjustments and promotion brought WDRQ back. Another adjustment to more of an Urban/Dance sound worked out for awhile (the bus billboard, seen in Beverly Hills Cop) but WDRQ would always be "the other station"...preset 3 or 4 on your car radio. New owners brought in WLTI in 1985.

I would guess that between 1972 and 1985, more than 100 people (maybe more) worked at WDRQ. I can't even name one of the many morning shows on DRQ. One of the more famous DJs who worked there, and probably stayed the longest, was the late Bill Bailey (same guy who was in Grand Rapids)

After leaving the WJBK-TV building, WDRQ was located on the second floor of a building on 8 Mile, just west of the Lodge Freeway. That's where Carl and Jerry started the station. Later, it was on Civic Center Dr in Southfield, in the 3 story white building (now gone) that sat between the Town Center and the Travelers Tower. WLTI was there in the beginning, then moved to the flash-cube style "Watson-Wyatt" building near Telegraph and I-696.

That's your old grizzled radio guy story for today.

Colonel Flagg was never here. Tell your people.

[armchair pd]

93-1 DRQ in the early 2000's under Alex Tear was great radio.

WDRQ died forever when it became Doug FM

[Colonel Flagg]

93-1 DRQ in the early 2000's under Alex Tear was great radio.

WDRQ died forever when it became Doug FM

Yes, I was there at the tail end of Alex's tenure with DRQ 2.0, and for the beginning of Doug FM. I had already "aged out" of DRQ's target audience. I would have been around that age when Jerry Clifton was PD.

Wish I could recall who was PD in '80-'82... WDRQ was really cookin' prior to WHYT and Mike Joseph's "Hot Hits" That's probably why DRQ went in more of a rhythmic direction after that.

[RayQix]

I guess the question is……

Is terrestrial radio dead…..?

If they can’t market it….. and make it pay for itself…. Then yeah I’d say the writing is on the wall for it :-/


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[Mega Hertz]

Being of a certain vintage, DRQ was the top 40 station to listen to from about 1999-2004. I was never too hip for them. To me, it was the last of an era. It was a literal mash of ANY format song that was popular. Pure pop, rap, rock, alternative, ANYTHING went. Fuck, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi were getting plays in 2001. You would NEVER, EVER hear a 25 year old rock band on 95.5 today. Once 95.5 went more rhythmic and DRQ went plain vanilla, it was never the same again. When DRQ died, my enjoyment of CHR was all but done.

[BKRPDM]

93-1 DRQ in the early 2000's under Alex Tear was great radio.

WDRQ died forever when it became Doug FM

Yes, I was there at the tail end of Alex's tenure with DRQ 2.0, and for the beginning of Doug FM. I had already "aged out" of DRQ's target audience. I would have been around that age when Jerry Clifton was PD.

Wish I could recall who was PD in '80-'82... WDRQ was really cookin' prior to WHYT and Mike Joseph's "Hot Hits" That's probably why DRQ went in more of a rhythmic direction after that.

PDs in that time frame were Jim Ryan and Bill Garcia.

[radiofan1974]

Not a fan, but I remember Jay towers morning show on 93.1, mid 90’s ?

[Mega Hertz]

Not a fan, but I remember Jay towers morning show on 93.1, mid 90’s ?

1999-2005

https://youtu.be/52Zl9UOq9sE

[radiofan1974]

Not a fan, but I remember Jay towers morning show on 93.1, mid 90’s ?

1999-2005

https://youtu.be/52Zl9UOq9sE

Thanks, sometimes the years just blend

[Mega Hertz]

Not a fan, but I remember Jay towers morning show on 93.1, mid 90’s ?

1999-2005

https://youtu.be/52Zl9UOq9sE

Thanks, sometimes the years just blend

Back then, Drew and Mike were my morning show, followed closely by Towers and then 89x. 1999 was when DRQ became a full fledged CHR and Towers did mornings.

[radiofan1974]

Not a fan, but I remember Jay towers morning show on 93.1, mid 90’s ?

1999-2005

https://youtu.be/52Zl9UOq9sE

Thanks, sometimes the years just blend

Back then, Drew and Mike were my morning show, followed closely by Towers and then 89x. 1999 was when DRQ became a full fledged CHR and Towers did mornings.

Same here, in watching the videos, pretty much everyone Form Jays show are still in radio, not sure about Mr wholesome though

[armchair pd]

93-1 DRQ in the early 2000's under Alex Tear was great radio.

WDRQ died forever when it became Doug FM

Yes, I was there at the tail end of Alex's tenure with DRQ 2.0, and for the beginning of Doug FM. I had already "aged out" of DRQ's target audience. I would have been around that age when Jerry Clifton was PD.

Wish I could recall who was PD in '80-'82... WDRQ was really cookin' prior to WHYT and Mike Joseph's "Hot Hits" That's probably why DRQ went in more of a rhythmic direction after that.

Might have been Brian White when they went urban in the early 80's.

[armchair pd]

Not a fan, but I remember Jay towers morning show on 93.1, mid 90’s ?

1999-2005

https://youtu.be/52Zl9UOq9sE

Thanks, sometimes the years just blend

Back then, Drew and Mike were my morning show, followed closely by Towers and then 89x. 1999 was when DRQ became a full fledged CHR and Towers did mornings.

Same here, in watching the videos, pretty much everyone Form Jays show are still in radio, not sure about Mr wholesome though

Mr. Wholesome has been out of radio for years.