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May 22, 2023 11:54 am  #1


Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

I discovered this purely by accident and it's not often I recommend a show that's only airing once at 2 AM on Friday morning. But while this special about Top 40 radio is by no means new - it's more than a decade old - I've never seen it before and I'm betting many here haven't either. But the preview looks incredible. 

It's called "Airplay: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio," and it's a documentary that features some of the all time greats recalling how Top 40 saved radio as the TV era threatened to steal audiences away. Among the people being interviewed are many who are no longer with us, including Dan Ingram, Casey Kasem and Philly legend Jerry Blavat. Dick Biondi, who is thankfully still around and the subject of his own documentary, is in it, too. 

And that's just a partial list. 

According to Channel 17, it:

"documents the history of rock radio - from the AM deejays to the FM pioneers who fanned the flames of the '60s, to the silencing of rock radio by the government and big-business interests, to its promise of rebirth on satellite radio. AIRPLAY shares the story of the 50-year struggle for the soul of music radio, told by the deejays and the artists they made stars. Musicians include: Crosby, Stills and Nash, Grace Slick, Little Steven Van Zandt, Bob Weir and Ray Manzarek (The Doors). In addition, legendary disc jockeys talk about the hits and the history they made together through interviews, archival footage and airchecks, some never seen or heard on television before."

The trailer site adds this:


"When rock radio lost its soul, a flame went out. We pay tribute to its unsung heroes-and the promise of a rebirth on satellite radio. Airplay is a story of love and war, told by the deejays and the artists they made. It celebrates a time when we all listened together and the music changed our lives."

While I'm not sure the "satellite era" it touts so hopefully ever came to pass, this is a Must See DVR event for sure. It airs June 2 at 2 AM, right before the rebroadcast of the Fanny documentary. From the trailer below, this looks pretty entertaining. I'm not sure how I missed it all those years ago, but this is definitely worth a look. 

 

 

May 22, 2023 1:51 pm  #2


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

In searching around for more info on this special, I discovered they have a website tied to the documentary with hundreds of clips and interviews with some of the biggest names in Top 40 history. 

There are dozens of legendary jocks including Dan Ingram, Dick Biondi, Rick Dees, Shotgun Tom Kelly, Cousin Brucie, Joey Reynolds, Scott Muni, Norm N. Nite, Rick Shaw, Pat St. John, Scott Shannon, Dick Purtan, Les Marshak (who famously was called in the middle of the night when Roby Yonge was fired by WABC mid-show for taking phone calls on the "Paul is dead" rumours) and Charlie Tuna, who explains how he got his famous on-air moniker. 

And that's just a small list. Each one talks in brief clips about their time in radio and some bizarre things that happened along the way. Reynolds, for example, relates the story of how he cheated to win a radio announcer contest and his first ever "job," but was caught by the one thing he hadn't considered!

You can find them all and pick your fave at this page.

     Thread Starter
 

May 22, 2023 3:28 pm  #3


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

By the way, just noticed this on the always worthwhile Oldies Board:

WNED's "American Masters" will be spotlighting the career of Little Richard on an upcoming episode. It's scheduled to air June 2nd as well, but in primetime. I believe Channel 17 does show that one with the rest of the network. Its provocative title: "Little Richard: The King & Queen of Rock and Roll."

It airs at 9PM Friday night, June 2nd, with repeats the following Monday at midnight, Wed., June 7 at 12:30 PM and Sunday, June 11 at 10 PM. A preview trailer is available, but requires a VPN set to the U.S. 


     Thread Starter
 

May 22, 2023 6:23 pm  #4


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

Airplay is on WNED 17.1, so not available on my Rogers Ignite. Too bad, I would have liked to see the documentary.

 

May 22, 2023 7:13 pm  #5


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

You don't get Channel 17 on Rogers Ignite? Why? That's a major station and I'm surprised they don't provide it. Do you have any access to a PBS station, like Detroit? How does Rogers explain shutting its customers out of one of the longest existing channels from Buffalo?

Sometimes after it gets shown over the air, they'll briefly put it up on their website for limited streaming. Not sure if they'll do that with a film this old, but it might be worth a look on their site in early June to see if it's there and viewable via a VPN.

     Thread Starter
 

May 23, 2023 12:11 pm  #6


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

I get WNED channel 17 on my Rogers Ignite. I don't get channel 17.1, which I'm presuming is one of their HD tier stations. I've looked at all of June 1 and 2 for the program, on my Ignite guide, but it's not there. AFAIK, WNED is the only PBS station airing this documentary. I do get PBS Detroit and PBS Seattle. Searching online doesn't show any other PBS station. I'll keep looking as June 2 approaches just in case the guide is in error - which would be no surprise.

 

May 23, 2023 12:36 pm  #7


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

Good news, then. Channel 17.1 is the main PBS feed, and not a sidebar digital channel (like 17.2 or 17.3.) So you should be able to record it when it airs after all. 

     Thread Starter
 

May 25, 2023 7:25 pm  #8


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

I just checked my DVR's TV guide, which is updated every Thursday, and this show is not listed as running at 2 AM on June 2nd, with alternate programming displayed instead. If you're seeing that, my best advice is to ignore it. 

This is from WNED-TV's own site and it seems clear when it's scheduled. So I have every hope that this listing is correct and whoever or whatever puts the info into my DVR got it wrong. I've set it to record manually pending any future updates.


     Thread Starter
 

May 26, 2023 11:07 pm  #9


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

Thanks for the tips on both shows. Both are in my Rogers Ignite program guide for June 2nd.

 

May 28, 2023 5:40 am  #10


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

I have this DVD. Became a member of WNED for a year back in 2008 to get it. Definitely not a waste of 90 minutes of your life. I also have the DVD  "Don't Touch That Dial: Great Moments In Buffalo Broadcasting" It was offered to ch 17 members in 2010.

 

June 1, 2023 10:55 pm  #11


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

A final late reminder that this airs at 2 AM Friday morning on WNED if you want to DVR it.

     Thread Starter
 

June 2, 2023 9:00 am  #12


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

I've watched the first 15 minutes of this and intend to get to the rest when there's time. What I've seen was terrific, although I'm not quite sure what's with that red tinge in all the interviews. Interesting choice. I looked for this online on the WNED site, but as expected, it's not there. 

By the way, there's an American Masters show debuting Friday night at 9 PM on one of the pioneers of rock and roll. It's called "Little Richard: The King & Queen of Rock." Watch the preview (with a VPN) here.

Alternate airdates in case you miss it:
Monday, June 05 12:00 am ET
Wednesday, June 07 12:30 pm ET
Sunday, June 11 10:00 pm ET

     Thread Starter
 

June 2, 2023 9:33 am  #13


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

     Thread Starter
 

June 4, 2023 12:03 am  #14


Re: Viewer Alert: Not-To-Be Missed Top 40 Radio Special Airing On WNED

If you missed the American Masters special, it was quite good - and I'm not even a Little Richard fan. But the story of his early life and days as a musician getting started were undeniably fascinating. If you have a VPN, you can see it online - minus the pledge breaks! - here

And by the way, that special on the history of rock radio that started this thread was terrific. Sadly, it does not appear to be online anywhere and because it was made in 2010, it's a bit dated.

But with interviews with Casey Kasem, Murray The K, Dan Ingram, Jerry Blavat, Jocko Henderson, Cousin Brucie and even FM pioneer Tom Donahue, just to name a few, it almost doesn't matter. It covered everything from the beginnings of rock to Top 40 to FM progressive to disco and then the coming of satellite radio. It was a breezy and quick moving documentary and worth a watch. I hope they rerun it someday, so more people can see it. 

     Thread Starter