The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / 7 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’

**Posted by RadioActive** March 18, 2025 1:16 pm

David Cassidy as Dr. Johnny Fever? Howard Hesseman as Herb Tarlek? Gary Sandy as Les Nessman? What might have been but fortunately wasn't...

7 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’

And by the way, they fail to mention that Cincinnati was also home to a real radio station at 550 AM. Its call letters? WKRC.

**Posted by Radiowiz** March 18, 2025 5:03 pm

#7, the new WKRP in the 90's.
I LOVE the "U2 parody" TV ad:

They also had a jazzy version:

**Posted by mace** **Online!** March 19, 2025 8:47 am

A few other details about WKRP. According to Wikipedia, the transmitting tower shown in the opening credits belongs to Cincinnati's NBC affilliate WLWT. Also in the opening credits is the building where the WKRP studios are supposedly located. It is actually the Cincinnati Enquirer Building. Believe it or not, the WKRP call letters are currently being used by a LP [100 watts from a 26' tower] station in Raleigh, NC operating on 101.9. They are a community station and when you press their "Listen Live" button you can read all the reasons why the station cannot afford the costs associated with this feature.

**Posted by paterson1** March 19, 2025 9:20 am

Like many good shows, WKRP was never actually a hit. Possibly because CBS kept bouncing the show around on the schedule. It went on hiatis after 8 episodes in the first season because of weak ratings. Critics and radio people liked the series and WKRP did have a loyal audience. Here is how the program ranked in popularity over the 4 seasons.

1978- 35th in top 40
1979- 22nd
1980- not in ranking
1981- 56th and final year