John Rieger, 91, started radio station WLIR

[abacab66]

Sad loss of a radio pioneer.[:(]

http://www.newsday.com/news/obituaries/ ... -headlines

[DayGloJo]

abacab66,

Thanks for posting that obit. I'm going to pass it on to my husband. He grew up in Hempstead and was a avid WLIR listener.

DayGloJo

[2Nu]

One must acknowledge his passing and a gracious THANK YOU to Mr. Reiger for making that frequency setting and call letters forever synonymous with Progressive and New Wave Music. [8D]

Glad to know he was a sailing enthusiast as well (me too, on a lesser scale).[:p]

[MARV]

Wow, thanks for posting that abacab. LIR was such an integral part of our lives, and for so long. I'm happy to know that he led such a pleasant life. I hope to wind up at Orient Point on the North Fork at some point in my lilfe too. Beautiful there.

[marie3]

I read this in Newsday yesterday and thought "if it wasn't for this guy, everything would have been different". I didn't know anything about him before hearing of his passing. Now we have someone to thank....[:(]

[ebbhead]

Very sad for him and I agree that we have him (at least in the NY metro area) to tahnk for bringing WLIR to us. I'm amazed, though, that all they could get to comment from the current incarnation of WLIR was an account executive (ad sales person). Just adds to the crappy job the current owners have done with the legacy he started.

[rewind]

For the record, John Rieger had his license to LIR revoked by the FCC long before the "New Wave" format took over.

[schwenko]

[quote][i]Originally posted by rewind[/i]
<br>For the record, John Rieger had his license to LIR revoked by the FCC long before the "New Wave" format took over.
[/quote]

Interesting.
If so, who really deserves the credit for making 'LIR the new wave stalwart? IIRC they really didn't become new wave-centric 'til '81ish or so.

[rewind]

While unique as a "Progressive" Rocker throughout the 70's, LIR's turning point as a "New Wave" station occurred around 1980. At that time, it's transmitter toppled in a storm and the station was dark for nearly three months. While off the air it was decided that the station was facing too much competition from other Progressive Rockers like WPLJ, WNEW and WBAB and it was time to markedly adjust the format -- thus the New Music format was born. (Although listeners acknowledged LIR as their "New Wave" station, LIR never referred to themselves as such, afraid the moniker would become pigeon-holing and passe.)

The changeover was, at first, gradual -- a look at early Screamers of the Week (best new song of the week as voted by the listeners) shows emerging artists like the Clash sharing honors with stalwarts like Neil Young. However, the importance and durability of the New Music scene was soon evident and the "boring old farts" were soon purged for good.

The primary credit for the chageover has to go to Denis McNamara, Program Director for WLIR. It was Denis' vision and unique ears that lead to artists like Depeche Mode, the Smiths, the Cure, etc., etc. to break, at least on the east coast. (Previously, in NYC, WPIX was for a brief time New Wave. They did a fantastic job, however the format there was too shortlived to have any real industry impact.)

But credit for LIR's growth should also go to Elton Spitzer, the owner at the time of WLIR. He was awarded the temporary license for the station by the FCC after John Rieger was out of the picture, around 1978 or so. (Certain improper broadcasting business practices forced the FCC to revoke Rieger's license.) Elton had the werewithal to allow his station to be taken into a direction no other successful station had gone until that point. And he allowed the New Music format to thrive despite periods of low ratings (albeit, high billings.)

Owing to an antiquated FCC rule, the holder of a temporary license could not be awarded a permanent license. But being a government agency, the FCC took years to make its decision. It finally did in 1987, awarding Ron Morey, and what would become TMO, the Morey Organization, the license to 92.7.

At the time, Elton still owned the call letters WLIR so Morey had to rename his station. It became WDRE. Elton had hoped to transfer WLIR to another frequency but that never came to fruition (although the calls were "parked" at a small upstate NY AM station in order to retain ownership.) Later, of course, TMO bought the WLIR calls from Elton and reverted the 92.7 frequency to them in the hopes of recapturing the original LIR legacy.

[2Nu]

Thanx for the factual synopsis Rewind.

I always had a hard time keeping the facts straight given the fractured, and convoluted history of the station.

BTW: DJ Bird has some very intriguing details about what went on around the time of the WLIR/DRE changeover. (I'm still looking for that post)

Nevertheless, this memorable radio saga would never have come to pass had it not been for Mr. John Rieger.

[marie3]

2Nu, you can get what you are looking for in the Hockeybird.com. Just archive WLIR and I believe you will find what you are looking for. [:D]

[2Nu]

[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br>2Nu, you can get what you are looking for in the Hockeybird.com. Just archive WLIR and I believe you will find what you are looking for. [:D]
[/quote]Thanx Marie, that's the first place I tried but I think he edited or deleted out those particular references or it was on the WLIR tribute board since deleted from Radioinfo.com[V]
I'll keep looking (FYI: it was the one about how Willoughby got canned)

[marie3]

I know which one you are talking about. It was about Willougby the traitor. Email him, maybe he can archive it for you.

[2Nu]

[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br>I know which one you are talking about. It was about Willougby the traitor. Email him, maybe he can archive it for you.
[/quote]Um..Yeah.. since you put it in those terms Marie, Dats da one! [:D]