Steve York, 66 WNBC New York | April 23, 1983

660 New York WNBC

1983 might be considered the year that 66 WNBC finally hit the post as a true Top 40 station. Nights were full of the hits of ’83, one of the top rated shows in New York, and the station was boasting Imus in the Morning and Howard Stern in the afternoon. Having witnessed the demise of WABC almost a year earlier, WNBC finally achieved what it couldn’t all throughout the 70s – ratings superiority over 77 WABC. In addition, while the programming was superb, the station switched to AM Stereo (the Khan system) and it sounded incredible even in mono!

This era is largely forgotten by nearly everyone but its important to remember that while Z-100 launched in 1983, WNBC really took over for a time as THE Top 40 station in the Big Apple. Shortly before WHTZ came on the air, 7-Midnight on WNBC became the Number one station (12+) in the market, something that had eluded the station previously. With a largely California Top 40 sound, no reverb, and a personality based Top 40 sound, WNBC had it all. It only lasted a year or so before talk began to kill the music outside of drive time, but it sure sounded great. Here, Steve York is playing oldies on a 60s Saturday.

WNBC composite graphic from the 80s