KGLQ (Eagle 96.9) – Phoenix – 9/22/97 – Charlie Van Dyke & Michael Hagerty
In September 1997, shortly after a sale from Bonneville to Nationwide Communications, Classic Hits-formatted “96.9 K-Hits” rebranded itself as “Eagle 96.9”, and brought on legendary radio/TV voice talent Charlie Van Dyke to host mornings. For 4 months, he was joined by local (KTVK) news personality Michael Hagerty.
This aircheck, of the first show, is a radiogeek’s dream come true. The primary topic of discussion was a brutally honest discussion of the Phoenix radio industry itself. Guest hosts included Bruce Christian (radio columnist for the Tribune newspaper), and Bud Wilkinson (radio columnist for the Arizona Republic newspaper – a position that Van Dyke had also held.) If that wasn’t enough, other Phoenix radio morning show hosts (including the legendary and late Bill Heywood from KCCF, Tim and Willy from KWCY) called in and apparently simulcasted the discussion on their respective stations. Also featured is a brief snippet of Van Dyke on the air at KHJ in Los Angeles.
Not long after this aircheck was recorded, Nationwide Communications announced that it would be selling this station to Jacor (now Clear Channel).
Podcast: Embed
Wow! There’s a blast from the past! 14 years ago and change.
A minor correction to the exhibit description. I was actually a permanent part of the show, not a guest host. Well, as permanent as four months can possibly be.
The original plan was that this show was going to be Van Dyke & Hagerty.,,a baby-boom and younger equivalent of the full-service radio from earlier generations…a mix of news, talk, humor and music. Charlie and I had talked about Bob & Ray and Lohman & Barkley…but with the ability to deal with current events and serious issues.
It wound up being a far larger show with more people and moving parts, and thus a huge economic target when, weeks after our launch, Nationwide announced it was selling to Jacor.
Interestingly enough, we didn’t fail. In our first book together, we took the 96.9 morning show from #26 to #10 in 18-34 year old adults and from #28 to #12 in 18-49.
I was out by late January of ’08. Charlie and Mary Riley soldiered on until July and that was that. The station was gracious enough to allow me to come back for the final program and then it became what it is now….Mix 96.9.
Brain cramp above…should say I was out by January of ’98…not ’08.
And I noticed one more error in the exhibit description. The station had just been sold by Bonneville to Nationwide.
Nationwide didn’t hold it for long, because the company voted to divest itself of its radio division. That was the sale to Jacor, which ended Eagle.
RIP Bill Heywood who is featured here at 42:30.