RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION
As the month of July 2021 came to an end, an important anniversary in the history of rock ‘n’ roll music was observed by at least one terrestrial radio station. It was also observed on the Sirius XM channel that’s home to three of the four personalities that helped make it an institution. Just past midnight on August 1, 1981, MTV officially signed on the air, available to a lucky few in New Jersey.
By February 1983, however, MTV was growing. It was Channel G on Manhattan Cable systems in New York City. And, it was shaping popular music for a new generation of radio listeners. Among those who perhaps looked to MTV to determine what local listeners wanted was the owner of a Mercedes 450 SL convertible getting attention for an unconventional morning “Zoo” at a radio station in Tampa owned by Gary Edens.
Twenty-four months and one day after MTV’s midnight splash, Scott Shannon signed WHTZ on the air from 333 Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus, N.J.
Today, MTV is remembered for what it was. Shannon, and the station he built, are still going strong and very much part of today’s consumer choices.
HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF
In the early weeks of 1983, seeking out Top 40 hits in New York was a push-button ping-pong battle. WNBC-AM was a home for some of the top songs; Barry Manilow’s rendition of the Cats tune “Memory” was No. 8. WNBC was also, infamously, the Kevin Metheny-run radio station with Don Imus in mornings and Howard Stern in afternoons. Otherwise, the New York Tri-State area was devoid of a true Contemporary Hit Radio station.
Rumor has it a music research test was conducted. Top 40 “wouldn’t work” in Gotham. Yet, MTV was attracting teens eagerly seeking music that connected to them, not their mother. For Milton Maltz, this was clearly a sign that the music tests were faulty.
Meanwhile, in bucolic Tampa, Fla., a dominant FM was perfectly happy with Toni Basil’s “Mickey” at No. 2 on its weekly playlist — a song WNBC wasn’t even playing. There were also songs from Stray Cats, Musical Youth and, notably, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” WNBC wasn’t playing them, either.
The station was WRBQ-FM, “Q105.” And, while it was infamous for its occasional Jimmy Buffett or “yacht rock” tune, it was the invincible FM. At the helm as Program Director: Scott Shannon.
Six months later, Shannon would be tasked with bringing a company known for its ownership of Rocker WMMS-FM in Cleveland its biggest success story to date — if the roll of the dice was the correct one. With the “WHTZ” call letters already leaked to the trade press by June 1983, talk of “Hits 100” coming to New York led the late Larry Berger to react at an already wounded WPLJ, leading to Berger’s shift in music from New Wave and Rock to Top 40.
On July 1, 1983, with one month to go before Maltz’s Malrite Communications closed on its purchase of WVNJ-FM 100.3 in Newark, N.J., it was announced that Shannon had been hired as PD. Speaking to Radio & Records, Malrite’s President at the time, Carl Hirsch, commented, “We did an extensive research job to verify what our number one programming concept was for New York, and CHR was the obvious choice. We then looked to the obvious choice to program the station, and it was Scott … We’re very confident that we’re going to become the most listened -to station in America.”
A 30-day warning was essentially broadcast to the world. Berger had reacted. Still, the arrival of WHTZ on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 1983, heralded a new era for Top 40 radio, reshaping not only New York but many other markets. Who knew after Day One, however, that the impact would be so remarkable. On an old Fisher radio, with a poor signal, the first day of WHTZ was rather mediocre to the ears of an 11-year-old some 90 miles north of Secaucus who could get New York stations via FM cable. Life went on.
Six days later, the boy’s father told him he had to listen to this new station called “Z100.” The morning show was making fun of Mayor Koch; it was something new and refreshing unlike anything else on the dial.
In an era of influencers and social media memes, there’s still nothing that beats “word of mouth.” And, in August 1983, the word of mouth spread like wildfire across the Five Boroughs as the WHTZ transmitter eventually moved to the top of the Empire State Building. While the first day offered a rather safe blend of currents and gold, Z100 was already blazing a music trail not so dissimilar to what MTV accomplished. The difference? Shannon listened to New York, and it responded back with love and adoration. Yes, WPLJ was a direct format competitor. But, WRKS “98.7 Kiss FM” was No. 1. It was the rap station. It’s what everyone in school tuned to when they weren’t watching MTV.
In just 74 days, Z100 was the No. 1 radio station in town. By January 1984, Z100’s market lead was astounding in both the Birch and Arbitron ratings reports. It was No. 1 in Nassau-Suffolk, sending WBLI-FM to No. 2 with its adult-oriented Top 40 blend.
How did it do it? Sure, it played “Maniac” by Michael Sembello so much that Shannon orchestrated a “No ‘Maniac’ Weekend” as a promotion.
The original “Morning Zoo” was goofy, played novelty tunes, and set a tone for the rest of the station.
It had a logo people could share before social media, as a bumper sticker.
But, most importantly, it was playing Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel’s “White Lines” alongside “The Curly Shuffle.”
That was the recipe for instant success, creating not only memories, but long-lasting success that continue in 2021.
Shannon is the morning man at WCBS-FM in New York, and in September 2020 inked a contract extension that will keep him waking up Gotham a little longer. Aside from his two-year excursion on a Pirate ship in Southern California, he’s spent the majority of the last four decades in New York.
Meanwhile, Z100 is firing on all cylinders, with a music mix that remains uniquely New York and features a few gold records amidst the currents. Morning man Elvis Duran has been the “zookeeper emeritus” for more than a quarter century. It’s No. 6 and climbing, based on the June 2021 Nielsen Audio ratings.
MTV? How many times have you heard, “Do they still play music?”
Our answer: “If they do, who’s paying attention?”
In truth, the MTV being remembered today for its Aug. 1, 1981, sign-on largely disappeared in the mid-to-late 1990s, with the appearance of “Ren & Stimpy” and “Beavis & Butthead” yielding to “The Real World” and more non-music video programming. There may be MTV-branded total music video offerings, but they’re hardly impactful.
Scott Shannon remains impactful. Z100 is still one of the most influential Top 40 stations in the world.
Yeah, the 40th anniversary of MTV is nostalgic. But, the 38th anniversary of Z100 is far more meaningful for the recording industry, for the radio industry and for millions of New Yorkers who still tune to 100.3 FM for their favorite music and air personalities.
The views expressed in a RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION are those of the editor-in-chief and not representative of Streamline Publishing, nor its management and associated Media publications.
