50% Off The Criterion Collection Shop Now
The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s
"Top 40" was the preeminent American radio format of the 1950s and 1960s. Although several radio station group owners offered their own versions of the format, the AM stations owned by Todd Storz and his father were acknowledged as the principal developers of Top 40 radio, and the prime movers in making it a nationwide ratings and revenue success.

The Storz Stations in St. Louis, Omaha, New Orleans, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Miami are profiled in this book, as are various Storz air personalities and executives. A detailed chapter examines the unique "Storz Station sound," revealing the complexity of what detractors portrayed as a simplistic format. Another covers Storz advertising in radio trade magazines, which cemented the company's image as the format's most successful station group and Top 40 as the dominant programming of the day. There are extensive quotations from the memoirs of several of the founders of the format.

"1115274706"
The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s
"Top 40" was the preeminent American radio format of the 1950s and 1960s. Although several radio station group owners offered their own versions of the format, the AM stations owned by Todd Storz and his father were acknowledged as the principal developers of Top 40 radio, and the prime movers in making it a nationwide ratings and revenue success.

The Storz Stations in St. Louis, Omaha, New Orleans, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Miami are profiled in this book, as are various Storz air personalities and executives. A detailed chapter examines the unique "Storz Station sound," revealing the complexity of what detractors portrayed as a simplistic format. Another covers Storz advertising in radio trade magazines, which cemented the company's image as the format's most successful station group and Top 40 as the dominant programming of the day. There are extensive quotations from the memoirs of several of the founders of the format.

29.95 In Stock
The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s

The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s

The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s
Add to Wishlist
The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s

The Birth of Top 40 Radio: The Storz Stations' Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s

Overview

"Top 40" was the preeminent American radio format of the 1950s and 1960s. Although several radio station group owners offered their own versions of the format, the AM stations owned by Todd Storz and his father were acknowledged as the principal developers of Top 40 radio, and the prime movers in making it a nationwide ratings and revenue success.

The Storz Stations in St. Louis, Omaha, New Orleans, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Miami are profiled in this book, as are various Storz air personalities and executives. A detailed chapter examines the unique "Storz Station sound," revealing the complexity of what detractors portrayed as a simplistic format. Another covers Storz advertising in radio trade magazines, which cemented the company's image as the format's most successful station group and Top 40 as the dominant programming of the day. There are extensive quotations from the memoirs of several of the founders of the format.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780786476305
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date: 12/24/2013
Pages: 216
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

The late Richard W. Fatherley, was a production director and air personality at KXOK in St. Louis, and later was program director of WHB in Kansas City. David T. MacFarland is the author of three other books on radio programming practices. He lives in Manhattan, Kansas.

Table of Contents

Dedication v

Acknowledgments viii

Foreword Deane Johnson 1

Foreword Bud Connell 3

Preface David T. MacFarland 5

1 From Stowaways to Society, from Beer to Broadcasting 7

2 The Incubator: KOWH, Omaha 19

3 Forty Favorites in the Big Easy: WTIX, New Orleans 37

4 Building the Flagship: WHB, Kansas City 55

5 Signals from the Frozen North, the F.C.C. and the Sunny South: WDGY and WQAM 70

6 Programming Conventions I: Learning the Basics 89

7 Programming Conventions II: Tarnishing the Top 40, and Touting "Talk" 106

8 The Air War in Oklahoma City: KOMA VS. WKY 114

9 The Last Hurrah: KXOK, St. Louis 124

10 Elements of the Storz Station "Sound" 136

11 Four Sages at Four Stages 154

12 The Decline, Sale and Legacy of Storz Broadcasting 178

Appendix: A Storz Broadcasting Timeline by Bud Connell 193

Chapter Notes 198

A Bibliographic Note 200

Index 201

From the B&N Reads Blog
Page 1 of

Related Subjects

Music, Film & Performing Arts
Radio
Radio - General & Miscellaneous
Music, Film & Performing Arts
Radio
Radio - General & Miscellaneous

Customer Reviews