Favorite Short Lived Format

[Deleted User 15905]

Many short lived formats have passed in Detroit radio. What were your favorite short lived formats? Here’s a few of mine. From the early 2000’s The Groove 105.1, from the mid-90’s Star 97 “The Greatest Hits of the Seventies”, from 1982 “New Music 99.5 WABX” (the new wave format) and one more from the late 90’s WXDG 105.1 “The Edge”.

[Ben Zonia]

My favorite short lived Detroit radio format was WCAR "The Giant 1130", a Top 40 format from 1972 to 1974, consulted by CJ Jones. They started playing a lot of AOR around 1974, thinking they could compete with FM stations with AOR formats.

[TC Talks]

WLBS the only station that matters...

[radiojunkie2002]

105.1 The Groove! Right before they turned to Magic105

[Deleted User 15905]

WLBS the only station that matters...

That was an incredible station. The Disco Era and the New Wave Era of WLBS. Mike Halloran was there during the New Wave format.

[DFELD2005]

WKNR FM - Stereo Island
In 1971, WKNR-FM dropped its progressive rock format to become "Stereo Island," a cross between Beautiful Music and Middle of the Road that could be described as an early form of what would be later be called Soft Adult Contemporary. "Stereo Island" was successful and spawned imitators such as WFMK in Lansing, Michigan.

WKNR-FM Dearborn - Stereo Island Jingles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZmD0HfExms

[Deleted User 15905]

WKNR FM - Stereo Island
In 1971, WKNR-FM dropped its progressive rock format to become "Stereo Island," a cross between Beautiful Music and Middle of the Road that could be described as an early form of what would be later be called Soft Adult Contemporary. "Stereo Island" was successful and spawned imitators such as WFMK in Lansing, Michigan.

WKNR-FM Dearborn - Stereo Island Jingles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZmD0HfExms

Great station for its time. I believe Paul Christy was the brains behind that format

[ShempLives]

As a habitué of Lili's21, I do miss the "new wave" format of WABX, which was followed by (my personal favorite) WLBS, and I have to give "nice try" credit to Jim Harper's short-lived WDTX.

[ZenithCKLW]

I consider Stereo Island on WKNR-FM to have been the original format that ultimately evolved into current WNIC. From what I can tell, WKNR-FM Stereo Island didn't sound much different than WNIC from 1972-1976, and it evolved from there. From Stereo Island, to Rock-n-Easy, to Detroit's Nicest Rock.

For short-lived formats, I am interested to learn more about WXYZ-FM "Love" and WJR-FM "California Radio." I have found the few recordings of those formats to be fascinating. How would you describe those formats?

For short-lived formats on stations I actually remember, my list of favorites are:
-I loved Star 97 FM and its Digital Mix jingle package. I remember hearing that jingle package on WINK-FM Fort Myers around the same time and thought the concept of jingle packages with different lyrics were interesting. I was about 10-13 years old around then.
-The Classic R&B on 1200 WCHB and the 99.9 translator around 2016 or 2017 or so.
-The short-lived revival of Honey Radio on 1290 WHNE.
-I really appreciated and enjoyed The Breeze in the beginning; it didn't sound "hip", but was a breath of fresh air when I wanted to hear something different. Unfortunately, it just became another Adele and Ed Sheeran outlet, although even with that, I'd still welcome it back.
-I kind of enjoyed the short-lived AC format of 102.7 Kiss-FM.
-I grew up on the two attempts of CKLW-FM/CKMR that recreated the original CK sound, and I vividly remember the sounds coming from my family's radio from those time periods. At that time, CKLW-AM was big band, so I'd hear the rock and roll of CKLW-FM with my parents, and the big bands of CKLW-AM with my grandparents. I didn't quite understand what the difference between what CKLW-AM and CKLW-FM was at that age, so the impact and curiosity of those call letters stuck with me.

My least favorites for major stations were: Fresh 100.3, the various formats of 106.7 after W4, CIDR's attempt at AC in the early 2000's.

[Deleted User 15905]

Love 101 was the earliest rock format for WXYZ-FM, I remember someone named Brother John on that station. California Radio WJR-FM 96 was programmed the same as California Radio WOR-FM 98.7 in New York City. Now the shortest lived format in the Detroit area had to be CFXX 94 Fox FM. Four hours a day between 7 and 9 in the morning and between 5 and 7 in the afternoon. The other 20 hours were Big Band Music. Thanks to the CRTC that's what killed a potentially great format at that time which I believe was 1985.

[Editorcj]

Digital Beta, only around for about 5 years it was my favorite tape format to edit on, a lot better than D2.

[Deleted User 15835]

1. I'll have to 2nd 106.7 The D as Varity Hits. The 6 months or so it was on, that was my go to station.

2. Another one I remember from late high school was 97.1 Extreme radio, it wasn't on long. I recall them from the fall of 1998, the station ditched The K-rock name and the constant slams on WRIF then became Extreme radio around August of 98.

They played stuff like 311, Korn, Rage Against The Machine, Hole, Green Day, maybe very early Lim Bizkit, Incubus. The station positioned itself as not being stuck in the past. Howard Stern stayed on but by early 1999, the music started being phased out for talk shows, by late spring of 1999 they were 97.1 FM talk. Cool idea but I can see why it didn't work.

3. 1310 The X. Sort of a mix of talk shows, I recall Dave Barber was on there. I liked the fact it wasn't all one sided shows.

4. 105.1 The Edge, I liked them so much better then 89x. Loved the enthusiasm and how they played flashbacks in regular rotation. I recall the edge secessions and the shriek of the week. Kelly Walker was always my favorite host.

5.98.7 WLLZ as a alternative rock station, ok by this point Wheels was doomed and this was a last ditch effort to save it but I enjoyed it, it reminded me a lot of Buzz 106.5 in Toledo.

That's all I can think of for now.

[Deleted User 15905]

Digital Beta, only around for about 5 years it was my favorite tape format to edit on, a lot better than D2.

How about DAT or Digital Audio Tape? Which lasted about 2 years.

[thekman]

105.1 The Groove! Right before they turned to Magic105

Hey, I know the guy who won the Name The Radio Station contest for 105.1, with The Groove as his entry! I think he still has the oversized souvenir check.