Interview with Chris Collins: Radio Competition in the 1980s
SacTV.com "Video of the Day" review by
Alex Cosper on April 5, 2012
Chris Collins talks about radio competition in the 1980s, particularly
about FM 102, where he was Music Director and then Program Director on top of hosting the Morning Zoo vs hit music competitor
KWOD. Collins talks about his strict focus on beating the competition as head of the Zoo. He emphasizes how you have to do more
than your competition. Collins' first goals after arriving at FM 102 in March 1980 was to beat KZAP and K108. By 1983 KWOD had emerged
as FM 102's main competitor. I started at KWOD in 1984 under Music Director Mr. Ed Lambert, who Collins praised as a legitimate
competitor. By 1988 I had become the Music Director, three years before becoming Program Director.
It was at that time in the late 80s when the competition between FM 102 and KWOD seemed the most dramatic.
Collins recalls the slander lawsuit that manifested from Collins devoting a few hours of his morning show to criticizing
KWOD owner Ed Stolz and jock Pat Garrett, who went on the air the previous night making several jokes
that included the word "fag." Collins responded to several listener complaints about Garrett's use of the
term. Although Stolz lost the suit, he appealed to not only the California State Supreme Court, but to the United States
Supreme Court as well. Collins ultimately prevailed in the historic case that marked a major victory for freedom
of speech advocates.
Read more about Chris Collins
here. Read more about Sacramento
Radio History at Playlist Research.
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