Station(s): 1580 WPGC & 95.5 WPGC-FM
City of License: Morningside MD, serving Metro Washington DC
Format: Top 40
Featured Jock(s): Steve Michaels, Dan Mason
Contributor(s):
Big Apple Airchecks
Lee Chambers
Aircheck Entry: 1,383
WPGC FM and AM Morningside! Hello, just after Twelve Noon with Dan Mason and a Blues Brothers album on the way…
Comments:
Dan Mason – Isn’t he the former CEO, President, etc., of CBS Radio? Well, yes, we sure think so! (Someone out there knows for sure). And here you see how well he fit in to the overall exciting sound of WPGC FM and AM! This is an important aircheck for a number of reasons. Even though this was the Washington DC market, the year was STILL 1978! One could argue that this was the year that FM actually “Made it” to the big time, as far as overall popularity compared to AM radio. Until this time, the AMs had dominance pretty much everywhere all over the U.S. and Canada.
Steve Michaels. Love the voice! While no description came with these airchecks, this sounds very much like Morning Drive. You’ll hear a bit of entertainment news about a minute in, then this quickly moves on into the above-described Dan Mason segment recorded just two days before Christmas, 1978!
Our thanks to Big Apple Airchecks and to Lee Chambers at the WPGC Tribute Site for providing this excellent Aircheck!
You have to respect someone like Dan Mason who worked his way up from jock to Company President. DC indeed was an early “FM market” thanks to the simulcast of l580 and 95.5. the competition back then was l390 WEAM out of Arlington VA and l600 WINX Rockville, 2 good-sounding stations that were limited in covering the entire market. even WTOP when it was on l500 had problems covering the market at night. you could hear it in Maine but not well if at all in Northern Virginia after sunset. the only full-market signals were WMAL 630 and WRC 980. and the top 40 format of 980 was short-lived because NBC wanted the frequency for their NIS (News and Information Service) which didn’t last long either.
That’s him !!! He was the PD at WZGC – Z93 in 1976 and a great jock as well.
Karl Phillips