Radio Dj Shorts
Description: For nearly two decades in Dallas, a strange, winged elephant creature could be found on car windows, billboards, and the t-shirts of self-proclaimed “Zoo Freaks.” The creature was part of the logo for Dallas radio station KZEW, a station that provided the rock ’n’ roll soundtrack for a generation of locals in the post-Woodstock '70s. KZEW was a pioneer on the FM dial when there were few rockin' FM stations and those that did exist played out tranquilizing music for doctors’ offices. Life at KZEW was a zoo in itself. It was kind of like the Smothers Brothers on LSD had taken over a major broadcast facility, right in the heart of the Bible Belt. The jocks let loose with a diverse blend of rock music and didn't make use of a rigid playlist.
Radio Scotland 242 / 80s Pirate Radio Station Shorts
by CultOfRomance
$21 $27
Radio Aktiva, Aalst Nederland / 80s Radio Station Shorts
by CultOfRomance
$21 $27
Radio Violetta, Belgium / 80s Radio Station Shorts
by CultOfRomance
$21 $27
Description: WMET originally hit the air on March 9, 1959, as WDHF, owned by Hi-Fi systems and record store owner James DeHaan. Its call sign stood for DeHaan Hi-Fi and operated out of DeHaan's store in Evergreen Park, Illinois with its transmitter and tower in Oak Lawn. The station was primarily an easy listening format and would eventually go to a Top 40 model after changing ownership a few times. In 1976, the station's call letters were changed to WMET, while retaining its top 40 format and by 1979 had embraced an album-oriented rock (AOR) format.
Radio Tiger / Defunct 80s European Radio Station Shorts
by CultOfRomance
$21 $27
Radio Albatros Netherlands / Defunct 80s Radio Station Shorts
by CultOfRomance
$21 $27
Description: WLOL-FM was the first commercial classical music station in Minneapolis-St. Paul and was co-located with its AM sister. WLOL dropped classical and changed to "beautiful music" in mid-1973, and transitioned to a pop music format. On December 12, 1981, WLOL changed formats again, this time to Top 40/CHR as 99½ WLOL. The ratings effect was quick to take hold; in the spring 1982, WLOL more than doubled its performance and vaulted into third place in the Twin Cities, led by the revamped "Hines and Berglund" morning show. WLOL dominated Twin Cities radio in the '80s, but a new station arrived that would change the local radio landscape and not only unseat WLOL as the top dog, but lead to the station's demise in 1991.
Radio Citta 103 Bologna Italia / Defunct 80s Rock Radio Shorts
by CultOfRomance
$21 $27
Description: From 1980 through 1986, Houston's KSRR operated as '97 Star FM,' as a largely top 40 station. Late 1986 saw the station relaunched as '97 Rock Houston,' and transitioned to an album oriented rock (AOR) format, using the slogan 'Kick Ass Rock 'N' Roll!' 97 Rock brought in national talent to host a new drive time morning show, and the station successfully competed against the AOR format stations in the Houston market to be the dominant FM radio broadcaster.
Description: WKRP in Cincinnati was a sitcom television series that focused on the misadventures of the staff of a struggling radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta. Many of the characters and even some of the stories (including season 1 episode 7, “Turkeys Away”) are based on people and events at WQXI. This design is based on the t-shirts the crew wore during their annual baseball game against WPIG in season 2, episode 3.
Description: Step back into 1970 when Barret Eugene Hansen first unleashed the Dr. Demento persona on KPPC-FM in Pasadena. This design celebrates the birth of the legendary radio show that turned novelty songs, oddball records, and comedy music into a cult phenomenon. Perfect for fans of vintage broadcasting, quirky pop culture, and the golden age of underground radio.
Description: WQXM 97.9 was a 56,000-watt FM stereo radio station that went on the air in December 1967 from studios at the tower site at 8320 Starkey Road in Seminole. The station was owned by FM Enterprises. Inc., and initially aired a classical music format, which was dropped in 1969 to make way for an elevator music format promoted as Stereo 98. A new transmitter boosted power to 100,000 watts in 1973. Plough Broadcasting acquired WQXM in 1975 and a few years later, the elevator music format was out, an AOR format was in, and the station was rebranded as 98 Rock. This design comes from the 1980 brand update, which was a common sight throughout the Clearwater/Tampa area on billboards and bumper stickers.
Description: The station's new program director, Andy Travis, tries to turn around struggling radio station WKRP by switching its format from dated easy-listening music to rock and roll, despite the well-meaning efforts of the mostly incompetent staff: bumbling station manager Arthur Carlson, greasy sales manager Herb Tarlek and clueless news director Les Nessman. To help bolster ratings, Travis hires a new disc jockey, New Orleans native Gordon Sims (with the on-air persona of Venus Flytrap) and allows spaced-out former major-market DJ John Caravella (with the on-air persona of Dr. Johnny Fever), already doing mornings in the easy-listening format, to be himself on-air. Rounding out the cast are "bombshell" receptionist Jennifer Marlowe.
