It was on this day in 1989 that The New Star 94 EFFEM launched.
Born out of the ashes of the once-mighty 94Q at midnight on November 15, Star 94 EFFEM was an attempt to re-create what had made the former WQXI-FM so great in the first place.
However, the new Star 94 EFFEM was a non-starter out of the box, continuing to hemorrhage ratings every time a new Arbitron ratings book was released, due in great measure to the following:
- Jettisoning legendary morning man Gary McKee and replacing him with two bozos that, on their first day on the air, proceeded to insult longtime listeners of 94.
- Bringing back Jazz Flavors. A specialty show once a week works when you’re a top player in the market, but when you’re mired in 12th place it’s foolish. It took two years to right this wrong and 86 the be-bop for good.
- Instituting a weak music mix, stacked to the gills with Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Celine Dion, and Michael Bolton. No teeth, no balls…and no ratings.
Things began looking up once Star 94 EFFEM acquired “The Steve McCoy Morning Show” in mid-1990 and the daily jazz was scooted back from 8pm to 10pm weeknights. When Power 99 chased the “alterrrrnative” fad and bit the dust and the jazz disappeared entirely, the station was well on its way back from the anemic ratings it had been suffering with for more than two years.
When they dropped the EFFEM in 1992, the station was truly back on top.
Born out of the ashes of the once-mighty 94Q at midnight on November 15, Star 94 EFFEM was an attempt to re-create what had made the former WQXI-FM so great in the first place.
However, the new Star 94 EFFEM was a non-starter out of the box, continuing to hemorrhage ratings every time a new Arbitron ratings book was released, due in great measure to the following:
- Jettisoning legendary morning man Gary McKee and replacing him with two bozos that, on their first day on the air, proceeded to insult longtime listeners of 94.
- Bringing back Jazz Flavors. A specialty show once a week works when you’re a top player in the market, but when you’re mired in 12th place it’s foolish. It took two years to right this wrong and 86 the be-bop for good.
- Instituting a weak music mix, stacked to the gills with Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Celine Dion, and Michael Bolton. No teeth, no balls…and no ratings.
Things began looking up once Star 94 EFFEM acquired “The Steve McCoy Morning Show” in mid-1990 and the daily jazz was scooted back from 8pm to 10pm weeknights. When Power 99 chased the “alterrrrnative” fad and bit the dust and the jazz disappeared entirely, the station was well on its way back from the anemic ratings it had been suffering with for more than two years.
When they dropped the EFFEM in 1992, the station was truly back on top.