The world of radio in the nation’s largest media market changed forever on Aug. 2, 1983, as WHTZ Z100 hit the airwaves and started “serving the universe,” led by an unknown, overconfident out-of-towner named Scott Shannon.
Many lived through it. But if you didn’t, and you love music, “Worst to First: The True Story of Z100 New York” is the movie for you, CBS2’s Chris Wragge reports.
The biggest revolution in radio history was underway. Last place WHTZ hit the airwaves with the brand new “Z Morning Zoo” led by Shannon, a radio jock hired from Tampa.
“I was a cocky, confident guy on one hand and on the other hand I was scared to death,” Shannon said.
The slogan, “Serving the universe from the top of the Empire State Building,” became synonymous with Z100.
But it was more like “Coming to you from a little building in Secaucus, New Jersey.” Of course, no one needed to know that.
“You didn’t know Staten Island from Long Island at that point,” Wragge said to Shannon. “So what was it about you that this market was able to identify with?”
“I knew that the suburbs were people that I understood,” Shannon said. “That was the battle plan.”
The plan, the music and the cash giveaways worked. Seventy-five days after debuting in last place, Z100 was in first place.
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