WPGC 26th Anniversary Show

Waylon Richards had previously worked in California, Omaha, Tulsa, Kansas City, Dallas & San Antonio and joined WPGC following the Great Strike That Struck Out in the Summer of 1977 from WGCL in Cleveland.

Initially he did late nights 9p-1a then moved to 6-10p when Program Director, Dan Mason took himself off the air to tend to National Program Director duties for First Media. With the arrival on Don Geronimo in the Fall of 1979, he moved to 10p-2a. He left WPGC in 1982 for mornings in Baltimore at B104. Today he runs his own advertising agency in San Diego.

First, let's dispense with the factual error that 10/20/80 was WPGC's actual 26th Anniversary. In fact, a Construction Permit was issued by the FCC to Washington electronics engineer and former FCC employee, Harry Hayman on November 12th, 1953. (The FM had been on the air since January 18, 1948 as WBUZ-FM). The tower for WPGC-AM was erected in April, 1954 and broadcasts began on April 24, 1954 from a studio in Morningside on the farm of Duval B. Evans on Walters Lane off Suitland Road.

Having said all that, the Fall ratings period made an excellent excuse to celebrate the long standing heritage of the station. Other than a couple of old jingles on this aircheck, not much else is offered in the way of featuring the station's past but for Waylon mentioning former WPGC Program Director and afternoon guy, Charlie Shoe.

The rest of this tape is pretty straightforward and reflective of the times, particularly with respect to the battle for supremacy with Q107. The station's primary positioning statement, 'WPGC, Continuous Music' alludes to the more music battle underway as does the '30 minutes of continuous music every hour after 10AM' pledge.

Likewise, a 'WPGC Wants To Make You Rich' promo by midday man (and future WPGC morning man) Dave Foxx illustrates the no holds barred skirmishes common between the two competitors. Speaking of Dave, he couldn't speak, having had oral surgery the weekend before. Waylon fills in admirably for him here.

Coinciding with the alleged 26th Anniversary, contesting included WPGC Birthday Suits and tickets to Frank Sinatra's first film in ten years, 'First Deadly Sin'. Other benchmarks of the midday show included Office of the Day and the Mystery Song of the Day.

Other than a live read spot for RC Cola by Waylon and a recorded one by morning news guy, Scott Woodside for Harriman Ford, every single commercial is agency produced and is of National or Regional origin, including one for Red Rose Tea. The pipes heard on the tag at the end of it is none other than Asst. Program Director (and future WPGC Program Director), Steve Kingston.

 

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