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Staying On Top

     Soon after our Election Night Show success two major events happened - The November ratings sweep was tabulated What are “sweeps”? Sweeps are time periods when television stations/networks typically schedule special programming designed to attract a larger than usual audience.  The result - WWAC beat all three of  the Philly UHF station in our ADI (Area of Demographic Influence).  Our owners immediately heard the “ca-ching” of our cash register drawer opening.  Our sales department raised our rock-bottom commercial rates to the level of our competition.   This news was followed by another major kudo - The Atlantic City Press Best of South Jersey winners were announced.  Headline: “WWAC Voted #1  TV Station”.  And the frosting on our cake - Atlantic City Tonight was airing nationally of three cable networks - SPN, Cablevision and USA Network. Lynn and I were famous (almost our show was aired opposite Johnny Carson - but my grandmother was watching every night.  She said it was, “like having you home again>”

)While our owners and my production staff celebrated with a cocktail Friday night cocktail party I worried!  The hardest part of being a number ! is not always the work to get to the top - it’s staying there.  What the hell would I do for an encore?

I produced four half hour call-in shows to air after the news.  This was the “More” of News and More - with 5 live shows and adding a weekend new show - spending $100 bucks on talent fees which included hiring a number # WCBS NYC Radio personality.  The lineup:  

Trading Post - A trade or sell a live classified ad show hosted by a local PR person (free)  who did the same show on local radio

Atlantic City Happenings - a call in show discussing local issues and promoting events hosted free by another local radio personality.  (I was busting the radio monopoly on entertainment)

We Believe - hosted by a “charismatic priest” who never asked the caller to put their hands on the TV.

Sports RoundUp hosted by our sports guy.

After the first week of shows a local Bell Tel manager inquired about what we doing and said we were tying up the system - if this was an on-going weekly situation he would adjust the local networking.  I said yes.

Within a few week our call-in shows were making money.  And as Bob predicted - WWAC became a money making machine.  (Next - The beginning of the end)

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