After the first century of WHAS Radio’s amazing legacy continues unfolding, the newest radio ratings are out. WHAS is still #1.
Just like any other successful pursuit, WHAS’ incredible run is built upon quality people. Here are more of the outstanding media members I’ve added to the #WHAS100years series. We begin with revered morning man Wayne Perkey, who dominated ratings for 30 years before retiring in 1999.
#WHAS100 🎙 Louisville’s legendary morning man Wayne Perkey joined me on @840WHAS to catch up on life, love, radio, community, & @CrusadeChildren happiness. He’s still the Perkiest guy in town! 🎉 Happy 84th birthday, Wayne!
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/ijc8QTshQ8#WHAS100years pic.twitter.com/cuSjLt30qf
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) January 15, 2022
#WHAS100 🎧 My investigative journalist pal @ShayMcAlisterTV explains the challenges of asking difficult questions, fending off critics, and holding her own on #TigerKing
LISTEN 📲 https://t.co/rokQTtqBK6 #WHAS100years #journalism #loumedia #emmywinner @840WHAS @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/fsB8vsfJTZ
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) December 1, 2021
WHAS Radio program director Skip Essick was tasked with transitioning the radio station into a full-time talk outlet. Until he arrived, WHAS featured music segments amidst all of its service elements like news, weather, traffic, and call-in shows. All hosts would now deliver talk content only.
Skip’s first major task: secure the rights for the Rush Limbaugh show which was on a competing station and eroding WHAS’ dominance. He told the story in the following interview.
#WHAS100 🎙 1980s-90s @840WHAS program director Skip Essick evolved the station from music to talk radio. It was a matter of “change or be left behind.”
Skip now lives in Mexico, wearing perpetual AirPods 😬
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/wFPRLcyHtT#WHAS100years #radio #talkshows pic.twitter.com/A1uh8BF4Ef
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) December 18, 2021
#WHAS100 🎙 70s @840WHAS host Jack Fox’s voice is on airport speakers; “While on the moving sidewalk, please stand to the right”…and in the Academy Award Best Picture “The Shape of Water.”
We caught up with him today.
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/uvn3hI8lP0 #WHAS100years #radio pic.twitter.com/4IKOrUcswh
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) December 11, 2021
#WHAS100 🎙️ We’re celebrating exemplary voices from @840WHAS‘ past. Great hot takes from @LachTalk, the brainy and fiery sports talk host who’s now a @SpectrumNews1KY anchor. I’M RON BURGUNDY? 🧐
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/6JZS6vtyb1 #WHAS100years #media #radio #TV #loumedia pic.twitter.com/idQMcG3Czc
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) December 4, 2021
#WHAS100 🎙 Smooth Talking Sid Jenkins delivered sports news and commentary for more than 3 decades on @840WHAS. Sid’s love of sports took root in the 60s when his dad took him to a double header in Freedom Hall. 🏀
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/ygXnaBdXgh #WHAS100years #SportsTalk pic.twitter.com/8To2VcXotC
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) January 8, 2022
#WHAS100 Joe Elliott is an amazing radio talent who can handle any show, any daypart, any format. The guy has an incredible love of talk radio and a gift for interviewing newsmakers.
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/TXonbYN2z7#WHAS100years #talkradio #radiotalent #interviewer pic.twitter.com/Qy4CaFTG5t
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) November 24, 2021
#WHAS100 🎙 Ted Ellis-Werbin ran the award winning @840WHAS news department for 16 years. He’s a great boss and news anchor. Now Ted and hubby Darron are enjoying beach life near the Gulf of Mexico! 🐬🐳🦞
LISTEN 🎧 https://t.co/iJtZgru68i #WHAS100years #radio #Pensacola pic.twitter.com/f3iiFrJAc3
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) November 19, 2021
#WHAS100 #Kentucky #radio legend @JackPattietalks from @WVLK joined me to reflect on the impact of @840WHAS ahead of its 💯 birthday. 🥳
LISTEN 🎧🎙 https://t.co/tRG57c98wk #WHAS100years #lexmedia #loumedia #radiopersonalities #talkshowhost #SantaClaus 🎅🏻 pic.twitter.com/r5I1ONhZJ8
— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) January 4, 2022
We’ll close with a special WHAS version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
#WHAS100 🎬 Here’s our @840WHAS performance of A Christmas Carol. 🎩 (1994)
cast: Perkey, Metz, Wiche, Meiners, Fox, McElvein, Jane Norris, Cruise
part 1️⃣ https://t.co/7lrrgpAYnp
part 2️⃣ https://t.co/ByrK4dxbYJ 🎄#WHAS100years #radiodrama #ChristmasCarol #MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/YMAG1Hkcy9— Terry Meiners (@terrymeiners) December 22, 2021