Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning
A morning zoo typically consists of two or more radio personalities, usually capable of spontaneous comic interaction as well as competent delivery of news and service elements. Most morning zoo programs involve scripted or live telephone calls, on-air games, and regular contests.
History
The first morning zoo program, focusing on the zany interactions of two hosts, was conceived and performed in 1981 by Scott Shannon and Cleveland Wheeler of WRBQ-FM in Tampa, Florida, known at the time as Q105 FM. Wheeler had been serving as the personality DJ hosting the morning drive program for the station's previous four years. Shannon was the new operations manager in January 1981.[2] The two decided to break with tradition and work up a wilder show together, founded on their own playful, irreverent and provocative interaction, with spontaneous bits of parody and comedy leavened with straight news. They called the show the Q Morning Zoo, and it quickly became a hit. At its height it had 85 people working to produce it.[3]
In July 1983, Shannon left Tampa to reinvent WHTZ "Z-100" in the New York City market, based out of Secaucus, New Jersey. On August 2, Shannon hosted the first Z Morning Zoo at WHTZ, soon settling into a team which included straight man Ross Brittain, newscaster Claire Stevens, public service director Professor Jonathan B. Bell, 22-year-old "Captain" Kevin on the phones, and production manager J. R. Nelson. Shannon's popular new format brought WHTZ from last place to first in just 74 days, and put longtime ratings champion morning DJ Don Imus in second place.[4] When WHTZ proved a huge success, the name and format of the "Morning Zoo" was copied by stations across the US.
We borrowed the 'Morning Zoo' moniker from our New York sister station Z-100, which borrowed it from WRBQ in Tampa, which borrowed it from a station in Australia.[5]
Tampa's WRBQ continued to run the morning zoo show after Shannon left; Wheeler teamed with Terrence McKeever and others to keep the show a success.
Shows
In Australia, the morning zoo format was heard on Triple M as The Cage, amongst other stations, including SAFM in Adelaide, whose version of the morning zoo was the highest rating breakfast show there between 1985 and 1990.
The
In
In Quebec City, CJMF-FM 93.3 had Le Zoo du 93 from 1985 to 1990. Not only does the show still hold a number of records in terms of ratings and market shares (a quarter-hour of 148,000 listeners), but it also skyrocketed the station to now unreachable numbers, with 573,200 listeners on a weekly basis (according to the BBM summer 1987 survey).
The format is used on stations of many different genres. Even Christian radio stations such as WAWZ in New Jersey have a morning zoo.[17]
Dayton, Ohio Classic Hits radio station WZLR reunited Dr. Dave[18] Gross and Wild Bill originally from the Z Morning Zoo on WGTZ in Dayton. The show is now called The Eagle Morning Zoo.[19]
See also
- Shock jock
- Elvis Duran and the Morning Show – most-listened-to US "morning zoo"[20]
References
- Salon. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
- ^ Belcher, Walt (July 21, 2011). "Recalling the Days of Q Morning Zoo". The Tampa Tribune.
- ISSN 0028-7369.
- ^ Gorman, John (September 9, 2009). "Jeff and Flash and the Buzzard Morning Zoo". BuzzardBook. WordPress.com. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
- ISBN 0942084195.
- ISBN 1591135370.
- ^ "'80s Morning Co-Host Steve Gannon Passes". All Access. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ 1983 WNIC Detroit Commercial [sic]: Harper & Gannon, archived from the original on December 22, 2021, retrieved October 17, 2019
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ISSN 0746-8210.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Steve Wright in the Afternoon: Steve Wright". BBC Radio 2.
- Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2007.
- ^ "Legendary voice Dr. Dave returning to Dayton radio | Dayton, Ohio". springfieldnewssun. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
- ^ Ink, Radio (February 10, 2017). "Return Of A Legend". Radio Ink. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
- ^ "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show". premierenetworks.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.