Embarrassing Moments in Media
(Editor’s note: Jim Griffey sent this embarrassing moment from the old days of K104 when he was known as JJ Sanford. Maybe he still might use that for special gigs. Anyway, I thought it was fun enough to share. If you have a moment you remember, please share it by writing emgr@verizon.net. Please no moments that plays on a person’s disability. I had a few of those sent to me and they don’t belong in print)
I'd like to share one from my K104 days.
In April of 1986, K104 had a $10,000 cash giveaway promotion. We were to have a cash cube set up outside of JC Penney in Millcreek Mall. For a few weeks beforehand we were qualifying listeners on-air...and having all of them show up at JC Penney on a certain night. They would then pick a key and if their key opened the padlock on the cube, they win the cash. This got massive promotion...JC Penney had a special sale that night...Operations Manager Bill Shannon and General Manager Howard Nemenz emceed dressed as the Blues Brothers...it was a HUGE event.
Well, the big night came...the qualifiers gathered along with many family and friends...we showed the "winning key" opening the padlock, then placed the key in a bin along with other keys. One by one each contestant tried their key...each one failed to open the lock. Tension built as the night wore on and the keys were picked. Finally we were down to the last two...and neither key opened the lock. After three hours...NO WINNER!! Some had left after their keys were unsuccessful, but many stayed on to see who would win.
What happened? Well, instead of using actual keys like you'd get at a hardware store, we used the less expensive "pressed keys." And we found out that they basically were good for one use and one use only.
In the end we had to call everyone back a second time...this time using REAL keys...and we finally got a winner.
We had commemorative visor caps printed up saying "I survived the K104 3 hour key party...April 30, 1986."
I still have mine hanging on the wall of my office
--Jim Griffey (AKA JJ Sanford)
Congress passed a law on February 1, 2006, setting a final deadline for the DTV transition of February 17, 2009. Most television stations will continue broadcasting both analog and digital programming until February 17, 2009, when all analog broadcasting will stop.." FCC http://www.dtv.gov/
If you have had an embarrassing moment in Erie media or remember one and would like to share it, write me at EMGR@verizon.net You must include your real first and last name.
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16 comments:
Jack,
JJ is still alive and well on Erie's CLassic Rock, Z102.3
K-104, now that was a great Erie radio station. There was not a station before or since that compares. Too bad we cant shoot down the Star and bring back the K. K-104 You Got It!
The greatest Erie radio station was not located in Erie or even in the USA. During the 60s and 70s, it was CKLW (The Big 8). With a 50 KW signal, it usually came in like a "local" throughout the day and night.
Click on http://www.thebig8.net/ for old times sake.
That's the key point. K104 was a great ERIE radio station. It was locally programmed and staffed both on air and off by many people that were Erie natives. Sadly in this corporate-run radio landscape, a station such as this no longer exists.
Same old broken record (no pun intended). Why does the city of license matter, as long as the content is (was) compelling ?
WCCK-FM [K104], whose call letters by the way were chosen to resemble CKLW at least in part, was arguably the best of the radio stations licensed to the Erie area during the time period in question. But so what ? It's like a choice between attending a baseball game between the 2 top teams in the Glenwood League, or the 2 top teams in the Major League Baseball National League. No contest. I'd take the latter and so would most anyone else except perhaps a small bunch of Erie sandlot (read that as broqadcasting, if you wish) groupies with an axe to grind.
You sound like those people who buy American-made autos just because they are 'made here'. Well, big deal!
I don't care if the radio station I listen to is in the some ornate artdeco broadcast facility in the heart of downtown Erie tended by tens or even hundreds of 'local' staffers, or whether it is voicetracked over the Internet from 1000 miles away and played out from a server in a rack cabinet at the transmitter shack. As long as it plays what I like to hear, it gets my vote.
Gee Jack you seem to be censoring a lot of posts lately. What's the matter Jackie? If someone disagrees with your Digital opinion you silence their opinion? Whatever happened to the first amendment, comrade?
il duce..
If the poster is not respective of other people or can't provide sources of his own facts. They get axed. Also for any language not appropriate. And it is my blog and I state at the very top what that I have a viewpoint. Anyone who doesn't like it... doesn't have to read it.
I spent 5 years on air at K104 from 1983-1988 and then moved 'down the hall' to program WEYZ. My hard work paid off as, by 1990, our 12+ numbers were a tad higher than K104. In fact, in 1992, WEYZ was a top 5 national finalist for the Marconi Award. But, by then, Bill Shannon, Howard Nemenz, JJ, Andy Pressman and others I respected were long gone. The K104 powers that be from 1989 on were a bunch of yahoos from Rochester and Buffalo and Youngstown.
Ron Rondo who was PD of pre-K104 WCCK, had worked with Bill Hennes who had programmed CKLW at one time. Thus, the idea to program something similiar.
My history with WCCK (pre-K104 actually dates back to my teens in 1975 when I was a WCCK Beach Boy on Presque Isle handing out LP's etc.
Eriedjguy....
I remember the Beachboy days at Presque Isle. Would you be willing to write a memory that I could post with your name?
I find it interesting that most of the comments are based on memories. Perhaps I should leave the embarassing moments and concentrate on media memories. Seems you guys like that tone more and want to remember. Fine with me.
Someone with the knowledge should do a web site on Erie radio history. All the different stations & DJ's.
Chris Tarbell (used to work with K104 and JET) started a site a few years ago for those 2 stations but don't think he's done anything with it in a couple years. I contributed what I could from K104 (including a 1987 TV spot.)
http://erieradio.tripod.com
Would love to see tributes to WWYN 1260, WRIE 1330, WJET at 1400 and WWGO at 1450.
WRIE 1330 had some fine personalities in the 70's...Bill Lacey...Joe Palka...Andy Pressman (who I had the pleasure of working with at K104) Smokey Burns...Jim King...Kenny Nolan (great sense of humor...very dry)...
My favorite Erie radio station, though was WWGO-FM. From mid 1969 through late 1970 they were the greatest station musically. They had no qualms about playing everything from the Carpenters to Jethro Tull. And every night after 10pm it was "GO Underground" with Pat Christopher (and occasionally Dan Geary)...psychedelic rock at it's finest. King Crimson anyone??? It was the BEST!!!
Do you remember the house giveaways promotions for K-104.
I seem to remember having all the qualified contestants together and as they started to line up one of the first few keys opened the door.The station wanted to draw it out a bit but didn't happen.
Am i correct about this story?
Doug...you have that story dead right. I was involved with the house give-a-way s Pepsi was the main sponsor. And yes,.. the first key. Yes the station wanted to drag it out a bit and did so the following year. Can't control a chance. It is against the law or you have a lottery. Thanks for the memories.
Hey all...
Love the Erie radio banter...I was there for the house giveaways, K104 Haunted House, and I am still working on the Erie radio website. If you know the whereabouts of some old-time DJ's from Erie, please let me know.
Chris Tarbell
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