Z100 Celebrates 30 Years
Sep 1, 2013 6:00 AM
WHTZ, better known to listeners in New York as Z100, celebrated its 30th anniversary in August. The station presented the “Z100 Time Capsule” to reminisce its 30 years with the community. Z100 continues to connect fans with their favorite music, artists, news, gossip, concerts and events including the annual holiday “Jingle Ball” concert, which has hosted live performances by many big names in music industry.
Main studio
“Ever since the station signed on, Z100 continues to have such a meaningful impact with its listeners in the Tri-State Area, along with the radio and music industry around the world,” said Sharon Dastur, program director for Z100.
In honor of 30 years of entertainment broadcasting Z100 is taking listeners on a journey down memory lane with the launch of the Z100 Time Capsule (z100.com/anniversary), an interactive guide taking listeners back to what Z100.com would be like each year since its launch in 1983. The platform shares behind-the-scenes videos, Z100’s evolution of logos and design and, each year’s top entertainment statistics, including the no. 1 song from each month of every year, the year’s top movies, TV shows, trends and fads.
“For almost 25 years I have been front row watching the evolution of Z100,” said Elvis Duran, Host of Z100’s Elvis Duran and The Morning Show. “I am thrilled that fans everywhere are now able to see how Z100 became the symbol that it is today, and I am proud to be involved with such an iconic brand in entertainment.”
Main studio
Z100 launched on August 2, 1983, when Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” was broadcast over the radio waves and the New York City icon was born. Over the next 30 years Z100 has grown into the largest pop/contemporary hit radio (CHR)/top 40 station in the world. Z100’s first morning show host and Program Director Scott Shannon helped launch the brand that has successfully transformed over the years under the direction of past program directors including Steve Kingston and Tom Poleman, as well as current Program Director Sharon Dastur – all who shaped Z00 into the national powerhouse it is today. Today’s well-known on-air talents Elvis Duran, Danielle Monaro, Skeery Jones, Greg T and Bethany Watson as well as JJ, Mo’ Bounce and Trey have also helped establish Z100 as New York’s Hit Music Station.
And several radio engineers have been a part of the effort to make the station what it is today. Frank Foti, founder of Omnia and CEO of the Telos Alliance was the chief engineer when the station began. Foti says Joe Knapp and Gerry Westerberg also had a hand in signing it on.
Scott Shannon, Steve Kingston and Frank Foti (l-r)
After Frank Foti, the list of chief engineers includes Jim Somich, David Reaves, Rob Mueser and Josh Hadden.
Photos courtesy of Hall Knapp, Clear Channel New York, and Frank Foti, Telos Alliance.
Z100 newsroom
Commercial production studio
Phone op and producer station
The processing rack
Main entrance to the studios
Imaging studio
September 2013
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