This is the jock known as Johnny Dark (at his previous gig in Boston at WRKO), here making a special appearance the night before the “NEW WNBC”. GM Bob Pittman wanted a more straight-ahead approach to Top 40 to better compete with WABC, so he blew out the airstaff, including Imus – this was the infamous ‘exile to Cleveland’ experience, and Cousin Bruce Morrow.
On this night before the big format change, ‘Dennis the Menace’ proceeded to throw radio rules out the window. After tonight, personality on 66 WNBC would disappear… till ‘79 when Imus returned. And we know what the 80s wrought…
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This is by far one of my favorite airchecks of ALL time! I actually got to talk to “Dennis” that night, and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I threw a tape in the machine, and let it run for the whole show, and scoped it down to this final form. When I finally got to talk to Johnny Dark, and he admitted to me that it was him doing Dennis The Menace, I told him I had taped it. He naturally wanted a copy, so I met him in the city sometime in late 1977. While I was with Johnny, Ellie Dylan and Harry Nelson came by to visit Johnny. Enjoy this classic Top 40 Aircheck!
I was listening to WNBC that night, from Asheville, NC, in anticipation of what the new format would sound like. When I heard Dennis The Menace, I was excited about the possibilities. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed when I heard the real format, the next day. However, I still enjoyed the new sound and prefered WNnnnnBC over WABC at the time.
I was also listening that night and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I knew the direction they were going (the story had been leaked for quite a while) sso I was surprised to hear this type of radio. I guess I wasn’t sophisticated enough to understand the c oncept of “stunting.”
I would be interested in knowing more about that last week. Most of the jocks ended their tenure around the 29th of August. The new format didn’t begin until Thursday Sept. 1st. Who else was on that week?
Many of the jocks did their final shows, and the “new” jocks did shows without using their names at all. I have many of those airchecks in a composite called “WNBC No Names Please!”
“Many of the jocks did their final shows, and the “new” jocks did shows without using their names at all. I have many of those airchecks in a composite called “WNBC No Names Please!” Could you post that audio here?
Thanx! One of the best, most exciting 12 hours of pure fun on NY radio. If only Bob Pittman had actually programmed this format. Ironically, he uses it to stunt the launch of his “cardboard for the ears” format, the antithesis of Dennis the Menace (Johnny Dark). I couldn’t find Pittman’s girlfriend and worst AM Drive jock ever, Ellie Dylan, on any of these air-checks. Perhaps she even put the recorders back to sleep.