Old soundchecks and TV commercials for West MI radio stations

[tc]

KLQ ran a couple of contest during the overnight hours where they would play snippet of a song and you had to call in with the title and artist. They called it the late night quickie.
You could only win every 30 days. Sorry for the confusion.

That was probably Mary McKarrack or Pam Roberts, Darla was on the Q Morning Zoo.

[weathernut]

Pam Roberts! You are correct TC!

[MWmetalhead]

I love this 98 WGRD aircheck from 1990:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wpv6lJ4ypU&t=73s

Loved the Z100 jingle package they used at the time. WGRD's implementation of it sounded particularly good. The one WFGR used sounded good, but I liked the GRD version quite a bit more.

I miss when live DJs used to take song suggestions.

[sdaddy]

Not an aircheck, but i found this browsing West Michigan Twitter.

Wayback to 83-85 times

[Honeyman]

Sure this has been posted sometime in the past, but wanted to contribute something.

https://youtu.be/OdbbFVqZkgI

[MWmetalhead]

Look how young Tony Gates looks! (1:45 mark of the video.)

[Honeyman]

Look how young Tony Gates looks! (1:45 mark of the video.)

I was working at WLAV-AM during that time. A few things....

That was filmed shortly before Doc Donovan passed away.

Laurie DeYoung is now a popular morning country DJ in Baltimore and has been for decades.

[originalzzmfmjock]

Thanks for posting that clip Honeyman. I haven't seen that before. 1979 was the year that WLAV-FM really became a powerhouse radio station in Grand Rapids/West Michigan. Spring of 1979 was the first time LAV-FM posted numbers that made them the #1 12 plus station in the market.

[MWmetalhead]

Some great ratings data can be found here:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Ratings-Directories.htm

By fall '88, WKLQ had fallen to 10th place in A25 to 54 but was first place with teens (not much money to be had there). The flip away from CHR is making sense now.

WGRD was 7th in A25 to 54. WSNX was 13th. WJFM was #1 in 25-54 (!!!)

WODJ signing on with Oldies would soon take quite a bit of wind out of JFM's sails. KLQ going rock likely hurt them, too. Not long after Rick, Darla and Jay took over mornings at KLQ, they became invincible.

See page 91 of 118:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-R ... all-88.pdf

[MWmetalhead]

By spring 1990, WGRD was flying high with an 11.5 share!!! They were #1 in 18 to 34 and 18 to 49 but only sixth place with 25 to 54, which likely suggests the 25 to 54 race was very tight.

WODJ was #1 in 25 to 54. WCUZ-FM was #2.

WLAV-FM was still a respectable #4 in the money demo, but WKLQ was on their heels. WLAV did post an impressive second place in 18 to 34, trailing only WGRD (who probably had a massive share of that demo).

One would think WODJ's quick rise to success would have harmed WLHT, but surprisingly through the very late 80s and early 90s, WLHT was almost always a top 3 station in the demos that mattered.

WJFM was struggling by this point. Surprisingly, 96.1 WYXX managed unusually strong 12+ and 25 to 54 showings in the spring '90 book, cracking the top 10 overall and finishing 7th in 25 to 54.

WMUS-FM evidently had a poor showing, as it didn't make the top 10 in 12+ share.

WSNX was starting to get a bit of traction with young adults at this point but likely trailed the leaders by a mile (and then some) in terms of AQH share. They really weren't a factor in the GR market at the time.

[andymuskegon]

https://youtu.be/HduTDBtM8j0

[MWmetalhead]

Pretty impressive that KLQ kept to its fourplay themed weekend even during Outta Control.

1995 was a tough year for that station but it still sounded great in the music dayparts.

[andymuskegon]

Pretty impressive that KLQ kept to its fourplay themed weekend even during Outta Control.

1995 was a tough year for that station but it still sounded great in the music dayparts.

it was never stipulated, but what the hell

[RockerTim]

Outta Control Saturday nights - hell yeah! Andy - that was a great show and got some good heavy stuff on the air that I would not have heard anywhere else around here. Your show was always cranked up in the truck after a night at the races in Marne.

[OBRYAN77]

What do I do with these old airchecks? As I grow older and saved these for years. It comes to a point where they just take up space. The kids don't want them. Except the ones with Dad's voice. I hate to see them eventually in a land fill. I've enjoyed listening to them through the years and I would certainly like to share them. They need to be preserved as part of Grand Rapids radio history. I thought I would compile a list of what I have.
WGRD 1974 Top 98 of 74 with Gary Hoffman
WGRD 7-31-84 98 Rock with Sean Stevens middays. Spots with Bob Berry and JJ Duling.
WGRD Jan 1989 with Jim Jackson and Maria Knight. Live remote with Frosty from Wild Steve's Stereo.
WGRD 1-17-90
WGRD 1-11-91
WKLQ 11-18-85 Hit Rock KLQ with Chris Mitchell. KLQ was so new. The spots were from retailers in Holland by Robert J. Wright and Mike Tinnis.
WKLQ 1-14-88 In the night time with double D. Danny Douglas
WKLQ 9-4-88 with Danny Douglas.
WJFM 11-18-85 All Hit 93 with Big Dave Fuller.
LAV FM 1982 with Tim Steele
LAV FM 1983 Aris in for Allison
LAV FM 1983 with Kev's all night cafe.
LAV FM 12-30-88
WLAV The History of LAV FM 15 years. Narrated by Matt Shafer Powell.
WCXT X105 Hart 1983.