WDRCOBG.COM: History70s (1/5/19)

History

January 1, 1970 - WDRC AM/FM began broadcasting 24 hours a day with overnight host Dik Haddad. Click here for a page of photos from 1970 taken by Scotty Morgan.

Click here for 1971 coverage map

February 14, 1971 - WDRC AM/FM debuted a new nationally syndicated program, American Top 40, hosted by Los Angeles deejay Casey Kasem. It aired every Sunday night from 7-10PM. In September it moved to 8-11PM. Later the show expanded to four hours, reflecting the increasing length of hit records and the time required to play the top 40. Starting in June 1981, AT40 was aired Sunday mornings as well.

Listen to a recording of Casey Kasem on WDRC from August 19, 1973.

Richard D. Buckley, Jr.

September, 1972 - Richard D. Buckley died; Richard D. Buckley, Jr., and his sister, Martha Ann Buckley Fahnoe, took over the corporation.

September 28, 1972 - In an effort to differentiate 102.9 from 1360 in the minds of listeners, WDRC FM began airing five hours a day of Solid Gold on the new Jim Scott show.

October 13, 1972: Mobile Studio D debuts

October 13, 1972 - The brand new Mobile Studio D was unveiled at Lynch Toyota's "Put Your Hands On A Toyota and Never Let Go" promotion. Jim Harrington did the honors (below left). (Below right:) Bob Craig at a 1973 remote.

click for pictures of the 1973 motorpool

July, 1973 - WDRC FM began employing a new positioning statement: "Connecticut's non-stop stereo rock." It stopped on-air references to 102.9, calling the station "Big D 103." WDRC AM spent the rest of the decade calling itself "Hartford's Music Authority."

July 1974 - WDRC vice president and general manager Richard S. Korsen was named executive vice president of Buckley Broadcasting Corp. WDRC Sales manager Dick Robinson was named vice president and station manager.

January 13, 1975 - "The WDRC Morning News," with Walt Dibble, Bill Hennessey, and Ted Dalaku was launched. It was a daily half hour program which lasted less than six months. It was a victim of longtime competitor, WPOP, which dropped pop music and went to an all-news format in June.

August, 1976 - To celebrate its 16th Anniversary of playing Top 40 music, WDRC AM launched a month-long promotion giving away dozens of double pocket albums. Production director Dave Overson produced a special montage featuring many past personalities that aired throughout the month.

early 1977 - WDRC moved out of 750 Main Street, Hartford, and relocated studios and offices to the remodelled transmitter building at 869 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield.

Barry Grant presents WDRC FM 103 Connecticut's Newest Album Rocker

April 7, 1978 - The weekly issue of The Big D Sound Survey proclaimed a new slogan for WDRC FM. The station switched to an exclusive album format, giving it the first 24-hour identity totally distinct from WDRC AM. By October, all on-air references were to D103.

April 15, 1979 - A Hartford Courant TV Week column detailed how WDRC FM had tried album-oriented rock, modified AOR, and was now primarily an oldies format with singles- oriented album rock. WDRC AM was described as playing standard Top 40 music.