The final broadcast of WCCC. What, really can one say? Another one bites the dust, perhaps? Mike Karolyi brought so many people who worked at “The Rock” into the studio that it sounded more like a typical morning show. Voices coming and going. Laughter. Tears. Voices who literally choked up on the mic. To say it was an emotional day on Assylum St. would be an understatement.
The story is, that Marlin Broadcating, a very small company, was and is as of this writing, selling its last radio stations. On August 4, the date of this recording, at 5pm, Educational Media Foundation took over programming, turning 106.9 into a straight satellite feed of Contemporary Christian “K-Love”. It was the end of the line for all those who ever set foot in the legendary Rock & Roll studios of WCCC, and all those who ever wanted to be on the air there.
Part 2 of this amazing broadcast starts out with Karolyi interviewing his boss, Vice President and General Manager Boyd Arnold. Arnold gives his recollections of his years at The Rock which began in 1998. Before that, he ran crosstown former format competitor 105.9 WHCN. Following Arnold, Brent, from the band Shinedown calls in. Brent is on for about 15 minutes, thanking the radio station for giving the band vital recognition and airplay. He says that unlike the people at CCC, he’s not sad. He’s angry and says so in so many words.
The music played in between interviews is all Alternative/Grunge fare, as Mike Karolyi breaks from the Classic Rock format that only took hold the previous Autumn. Each song seems to be greeted with thunderous applause – apparently, the Classic Rock format was not a hit with the airstaff, nor with the audience. WCCCs ratings dropped to a pitiful 3 share – one reason why the station went to EMF, apparently. Note: All the music heard in this program, and all commercials have been taken out. Except for a few airings of the spot for the NEW 102.9 DRC (WDRC-FM), which was sold and the airstaff let go only a week earlier, changing formats to 70s/80s/90s Classic Hits.
So, it was a tough couple of weeks for Hartford radio, both listeners and radio people.
Here’s a few important, relevant links to news articles about the changes.
From Scott Fybush’s Northeast Radio Watch: NERW 8/4/2014: Another Independent Goes Down
From Radioinsight.com: WCCC-FM Hartford To Be Sold
