CKLW's 20/20 News Team

A brief history of 20/20 News on CKLW from 'Radio Revolution - The Rise & Fall of the Big 8'.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• CKLW
• 20/20
• news
• the
• big
• 8
• detroit
• windsor

[fubisd]

Take it from someone in the business, we are a product of the culture. People that listen to top 40 radio today have zero attention span. If you can't play what they want to hear then forget about it.

The mindless masses don't want entertainment on their music station. They want the same, terrible music being put out by today's terrible artists.

[newhotman1001]

Why as a teenager in the 60's would I like to listen to their news versus another station? Because I didn't want to miss the music starting again. Plus they were so entertaining and gave money away for news tips. The greatest radio station in the US and has never been duplicated and never will.

[bigcanuckful]

agreed! the masses are plugged into their Ipods. Oblivious of their surrounding. Radio does not have a chance.

[ChickaBoombox]

I didn't get into radio news until 1975. Listened to CKLW in my late teens and early twenties. Got into music radio in Detroit (WXYZ) in 1971. Went to WJBK TV in 1973. Byron MacGregor was just a few months older than me. In retrospect, had CKLW hired ballsy newschicks with great pipes and writing skills, I would have loved to work there!

[MegaJustGeorge]

Based on what I have just seen, I would have loved - just loved - to have worked at the Big 8 during that time; if not in the news department, then as a deejay coming in after the news.

Very good video, and thanks for posting, friend!

[leelogan13]

Grew up with the BIG 8! Where oh where is amazing radio like that today?

[BobWXXI]

What they did, was cranik up a few notches the high energy, high intensity style of news started in 1958 by Irv Weinstein's "Pulse Beat News" at WKBW in Buffalo

So many CKLW stars moved on. The late Byron McGregor was, and Dan Donovan still is, key to CBS blowtorch WWJ in Detroit. Randall Carlisle's on the tube in Salt Lake City and Keith Radford's lead anchor at WKBW-TV in Buffalo. Dick Smyth moved to 1050 CHUM and later CFTR/680 News in Toronto. The influence of CKLW is everywhere...

[1954bigdog]

The sound of a generation. The "American Graffiti" of the late '60's and early '70's. I can't wait for the movie. CKLW was truly the sound track of my generation!!!

[fubisd]

Jewharp it's an unfortunate truth that today it's zero about entertainment and 100% about what can we do to earn money. And your generation is the prime target demo man.

Today's prime example is the columbus homeless guy with the "golden voice". I was beyond pissed to see him on WNCI having those poachers offering him jobs. 2 years removed from radio due to downsizing, still trying to find a job in radio again, and this guy gets offers from organizations that rejected me for PART TIME position

[aagjmb]

Les Nessman would be proud.

[aagjmb]

@fubisd Take it from someone in the business, you're 100% correct!

[mrdreamwhip]

growing up in the 70's... this station made life more fun! miss these cats.