Rocky Robbing on WJBQ Scarborough (Portland) Maine | January 1979

97.9 FM Portland, WJBQ, Harry Nelson, Brian Phoenix, Steve Bleecker

Here’s an FM station that sounded lots like an AM station in the respect that the format could have been heard on AM and nobody would have known the difference. Now, I woulda thought this aircheck would just fly right along, but it’s what I would term rather bland. There’s not one jingle. Not much in the way of excitement. The format is executed fine, there’s just something missing here.

Actually, this sounds very much like WRKO. Same hits, same basic approach that RKO was using toward the end of their top 40 days. What this isn’t, is the powerhouse “98 JBQ” screamer I remember hearing on tropo skip from the 80s.

Perhaps one of our listeners can fill in the blanks. What did WJBQ evolve FROM? This is nice, but in your webmaster’s opinion, not much better than anything else heard across New England. Seems to me that Harry Nelson programmed WJBQ at one point… this probably was not during that time.

Comments, anyone?