'With the continuing May 16th edition of the WPGC News Magazine...'

Jim Elliott was hired by Jim Collins in 1975 from crosstown competitor, WEAM for middays & Music Director at WPGC. He had previously worked in Washington doing late nights at WRC. For a short period of time he did mornings from late Fall, 1975 when 'Columbus' left the station for WLS and early Spring, 1976 when Tim Kelly arrived from WCFL for mornings.

Following the Great Strike That Struck Out in May of 1977, he returned to the station for mornings and was teamed with newsguy, Don O'Day who was brought in from sister First Media station, KYAK. O'Day left the station about a year later to program that very same station.

Newscasts during this time were presented in the listener friendly, 'News Magazine' format, instituted by Program Director, Dan Mason with lots of lifestyle & entertainment related stories (listen for one on a test for what we now know as 'Pay-Per-View' in the first newscast, a story on University of Maryland alumnus, Jim Henson being awarded an honorary doctorate in the second, and filming being started on Bette Midler's first film, 'The Rose' in the third). An interactive story between Elliott & O'Dea was used to lead into the news proper.

By 1978, WPGC's Adult ratings now threatened long time market leader, WMAL (which ultimately lead ABC to blow up album rock WRQX for CHR formatted Q107 a year later). The vast number of teenagers who grew up listening to WPGC in the '60's were now affluent adults with money to spend. And WPGC's Sales force took full advantage of it.

The overwhelmingly high percentage of national spots heard on the staion is very much evident from this aircheck. In the 90 minutes covered from 8:30-10AM on this tape, only two commercials (one for Dannon Yogurt voiced by afternoon man, Scott Carpenter and another for IKM Homes [done by midday man and future WPGC morning man, Dave Foxx] are the only ones not of national or regional origin. Stopsets in morning drive never exceeded two minutes.

Benchmarks used on the morning show included 'Day Off With Pay' in which a listener was awarded a day's pay, and (not heard here) 'Choose Yer Nooz' in which one of three kicker stories was selected by Jim to be read by Don.

The primary station positioner in use at the time was 'WPGC Musicradio 95 FM Stereo and 1580 AM'. Reflecting the growth of FM during the decade, the Legal ID now mentioned the FM first instead of the AM as 'WPGC FM & AM, Morningside'. Jingles in use were JAM's 'Positron' although cuts from earlier packages 'Logoset & 'Priority One' were still in use.

Jock switchovers between shifts were also being used. Listen for one at 10AM with Dave Foxx who offers a topically oriented tie in with the extended rainy weather the Nation's Capitol had been experiencing.

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