This is likely a story best told by those who were there. Courtesy of Contributor Robyn Watts, from Cassette (East Coast Airchecks #32 Hot Night Jox 1), here’s a HOT aircheck of a not so typical sounding CHR station. Z103 is certainly playing all the hits, true variety from Rock to late 80s Hip-Hop.
This had to have been a ratings success. The night jock’s name is Rocketman, but he only mentions it twice (and that’s refreshing in and of itself!). Z103 certainly has a good jingle package but its not overused. In fact, there are a few dead segues heard in this. On the schedule is “Night Fight”, where two new songs battle it out for number one. Listeners vote… sounds very similar to another aircheck we have of CHR WGH-FM “97 Star” doing “Battle of the Bands” in 1987.
Our visitors will certainly have much more to say about this but for now, enjoy this slice of, guessing here, 1989 on Z103!
So What Happened To Z1O3?
Around this same time an urban-leaning top 40 signed on as Hot 101.5. As I recall they were a strong challenger in the ratings. A lot of CHR stations at the time were starting to lean more adult, and Z103 became WUMX, Mix 103.1. I left shortly after. Later the station hopped on the country bandwagon and has been country since then.
Holy crap, that’s me. This would actually have had to be 1990 or ’91. I joined Z103 in March of 1990 and left in July 1991. The station flipped to Mix 103.1 in spring 1991, if I remember right. From here I went to WNFI I-100 in Daytona Beach (1991 thru mid 1992), then to country B-94.5 Orlando (1992-1994), then to WRMF in West Palm for six months… then to Rooster Country 107 in Jacksonville from 1995-thru 2001. Finally, in June of 2001 I moved here to KIIM-FM Tucson and have been here in afternoons ever since.
DYING to know where you got this audio – as I don’t have a copy in my personal collection. Would love it if you could make it available for me to download. Send me an email if possible.
Man, I’ve come a long way. It’s a little humbling to hear this blast from the past. Thanks.
Wow what memories…if I recall I was on the air before Rocketman and used the surname Jimmy Jamm. Within 2 years I was out of radio…
I was doing 10p-2a for most of the time I was there, but I can’t remember if we did the “night fight” every night after 10, or if maybe I was filling in for you?
Must’ve been a Friday night as there is at least one reference to the weekend.