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During the holiday rush, stations jockeyed for the right to brag they were *first* to play Christmas favorites out of all the stations on the dial.
Meanwhile in historic Williamsburg, Va., hyper-local WMBG(AM) leaped ahead of the pack to proclaim they were first (Nov. 25) to play Valentine’s Day love songs; complete with creative imaging and staged phone requests.
“Some stations began playing Yuletide tunes as early as Nov. 1; the day after Halloween,” noted host Alan Darsen, who created the idea for his weekly midday show. “That’s nearly two months before Christmas, and nobody bat an eye. So why not celebrate Valentine’s Day now?”
In June, Darsen was recognized by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters as one of the top small market personalities of 2024, and his establishment of “National Ooga-Chaka Day.”
Noting that stores will begin stocking Valentine’s Day cards and treats the moment Christmas is over, the extra-early on-air stunt pretty much assures that Darsen was first with Cupid’s love ditties.
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