Alumni Day Update - February 25th

This note comes from Hugh McCarney:

Hi--
Last night WXCI had it's first staff meeting of the semester and the new PD, Jen Ackerly agreed to schedule the day. So, if you're coming in person, please email her with a couple of alternative time slots, and if you're sending something, you're also welcome to request a time, but preference will be given to the live folks. The plan is to have the time continuous.

Jen's email is (alongwinter2 at aol dot com).

Tapes or CDs can be mailed to her at the station. (181 White Street, Danbury CT 06810).

Mail stuff in as soon as you can. Live people who want their shift recorded will have to do it
themselves. I'll try to collect the pre-recorded stuff after the day is over and ship it all to Rich, who may do with it as he sees fit.

It's February 25--the last Saturday of the month.

Somebody also suggested contacting the Alumni Office to see if they'd fund coffee and cookies during the event, but I don't think anyone actually volunteered to get in touch with them. If I was on campus I'd do it, but I'm on sabbatical, so maybe next year . . .

Please send something, if only a 15 second greeting.

Hugh

Fixed podcast - New podcast!

Just to make sure everything was working, I checked TomZ's reunion show.

One thing struck me. It wasn't supposed to be a mere 45 min.

Sure enough, when I got to the 45 minute mark (or so) it ended prematurely. I don't know what happened to the upload, but apparently the last third of the file was lost (forever lost)... so I posted a point five upgrade.

You can now listen to the rest of the Tom Z reunion show, as well as (in just about an hour from now) Bill Baker's reunion show that followed the first friendly faction of folks flashing far back to forgotten fun-filled former days at wonderful WXCI wadio...

That's next on the
WXCI's Podcast

rjf

First of the 25th Anniversary shows

The first of a long list of 25th anniversary shows - all broadcast in October 1998 will be uploaded to the podcast on Sunday January 29th.

They are chock full of memories and voices from WXCI's past.

These anniversary shows fall into two basic categories.... The first kind is a bunch of talking and rememberances - the other kind is a smattering of songs they used to play on the air. Due to rights restrictions I had to cut most of the songs - leaving something that sounds like an aircheck tape.

That's the skinny... that's the poop... that's what's coming up next on the WXCI memories pod cast. Look for a bunch of 'em all during the next week. And remember, if you're going to be in the WXCI area on the 25th of February - call them now, or contact Hugh... get some alumni on the air - and if you record your show - I'll pop it on the podcast... In fact... that goes for any show that doesn't involve music. Contact me here, send me the mp3 file or even a cassette tape (I can even handle a reel) and I'll put it on the WXCI memories podcast.

rjf

Work work work..

So here I sit...

1) Working on all this old WXCI audio.

2) Trying to edit audio for a local storyteller CD.

3) Writing the next Texas Radio Theatre script.

4) Trying NOT to eat a whole box of chocolate mint girlscout cookies (chocolate mint girlscouts are the coolest)

5) Attempting to work at my day job.

See what priority number 5 is??? Geez... that priority list is a little top heavy. Anyhow - here's the upcoming podcasting schedule (yes, there's a schedule):

27 Jan 2006 WXCI Memories 07 - Tom Z aircheck from 1974

29 Jan 2006 WXCI Memories 08 - 25th Reunion - Tom Z. and the gang Broadcast on 10/23/1998

31 Jan 2006 WXCI Memories 09 - 25th Reunion - Bill Baker

02 Feb 2006 WXCI Memories 10 - 25th Reunion - Jim Nelson / Darran Lucas/Young Spud

04 Feb 2006 WXCI Memories 11 - 25th Reunion - Stan "The Man" Mingo / Bruce Goldsen

We'll see what happens after the fourth... In case you're wondering - (and it's about as subtle as a stick of dynomite thrown in a feather pillow warehouse...) I'm deliberately trying to get you all jazzed for storming the station in one month... I've got plenty of Reunion content, so be prepared to listen.

Mwa ha ha ha ha!

rjf

Tom Z

All this talk about Tom Z... and I just remembered something.

He wrote to this blog... and his message never got uploaded. Well, it wasn't personal - I think he wrote right before the holidays... and life got crazy...

Anyhow, here are some bits from Tom's note. Then tune in soon to hear a vintage aircheck from Tom, and the 25th reunion show on Oct 23 1998...

So finally, rich ya got me hooked. take a deep breath, grab a sandwich.

greg wencek has been telling me of the blog's birth and growth, and i've "peeked" at it, but i have deliberately been staying away only cuz i KNOW i would spend way toooo much time on it. so let me say a few things, then i've really gotta run, honest!

first of all, i'm glad you're doin an XCI memories-type blog. great idea, as long as you've got the time! :)

so what am i doing today?
just go to google and type in this text:

zarecki+radio

...then, after you're done poking through those links, try any of these additional links:

1. article from USA today last december

2. the video clip from MSNBC last year about all-christmas radio, Click the "launch" button to play the clip, it runs about 90 seconds, you 'll see me in there somewhere.

3. an article about the religious angle to Christmas radio reporters have been asking about:

4. an article from the CA north county times, similar subject matter:

5. This article contains a Sept. 11 connection to the many all-christmas stations in the USA in the past 3 years.

so i still do almost all radio-related stuff, even after all these years.
I'm the PR guy and company spokesguy for 3 companies owned by RCS. I write and edit the text on most pages and the scripts for the flash demos on our company's sites.

...and i recently did a sunday morning air shift at oldies WDRC-FM in Hartford for 3 years.

see y'all later and merry christmas.

Tom Zarecki
Director of Public Relations
RCS, Inc. and Media Monitors

25th Reunion shows

To your right, you will see the current podcast stats.

Someone is listening a whole bunch.

Thanks to Hugh, we'll be podcasting a few of our 25th anniversary shows.

First in the chute... Tom Z's show with all the first generation WXCI folks.

Hopefully this show will be on line by this weekend.

My goal is to get you all pumped up for the planned FEBRUARY event.

The plan is to have a small reunion for all alumni (not just life members... everyone) every February. Who knows... it'd be nice to keep doing this every year, and have our own little home-coming (when it's icy cold in Danbury... hmmmm)

So... send them your CD... call the station, go there... get on the air (if you tape your show it could end up on the podcast)...

New Reality Break on line too...

I just do this stuff in fits and jerks...

Click on the newest reality break - HERE:
http://wxcimemories.libsyn.com/

On this podcast...

• Fast Food (44,293 dollars worth of Boffo Burgers)
• Morgan Valley (where my accent gets screwed up and everyone dances proudly naked off the train)
• Lesser known younger siblings of late 19th century authors (Imma L. Dickens)
• Hero for the 90s: Surgeon General (fighting evil, communism and colon cancer)
• George Bush sees a psycho-analyst (or Nia Peebles is a clone of Hitler made by the CIA. She poses nude for TV Guide and dances jigs in Parisian Clubs) WHICHEVER...
  

Enjoy!

New Podcast - Coffee and Donuts 1

WXCI Memories 05 - Donuts and Coffee 1 is on line and ready for YOU!

I have more... but this took a lot more time than I thought.

I have a TomZ show air check, which I will forward soon. It is much shorter than this show. I'll try to get one a week to you to do with what you will.

This is Donuts and Coffee #1 September 12, 1976

CLICK HERE

A discussion with the Executive and Operations board of WXCI:
Phil Cyrulik General Manager
Dave Nanavati Operations Manager
Kevin O'Shea Business Manager - absent
Evans Travis Chief Engineer - absent
Mike Grady Program Director
Judy Scott News Director
David Landry Sports Director
Jeff Phillips Training Director
Glen Bisogno Music Director
Joanne LaDelfa Personnel Director - absent
Hugh McCarny Faculty Advisor - absent

TAPE LOG:
Job descriptions - 1:15
Dood - 3:00
Dave - 4:15
Mike - 5:00
Judy - 6:00
Dave - 7:30
Jeff - 9:50
Glen then open discussion - 16:00
Commercial radio 18:30
Diverse programming 20:00
Staff size 27:00
Construction of the Stereo studio 34:00
Staffing problems and 24 hour broadcasting 37:00
Music acquisition and library size 43:00
Funding and Budgets 46:30
Licensing requirements 52:30
College courses 56:00
The future of WXCI at Wesconn

The first minute is VERY over modulated and it settles down two minutes after the start. At approximately 32:45 the volume dropped out and the amplification to restore the audio resulted in a lot if hiss for 45 seconds. The show runs just longer than 60 minutes but the tape lasted 59 minutes so the recording ends abruptly.

Thanks again,

Gregory Wencek

Line up - Sign up - February 25?

If I'm not mistaken, the original plan was to have an alumni thing on Feb 25th... if you're going to be in Danbury on that day and you want to get on the air - well, the best I can tell you is either email this blog or Hugh, and we'll see if we can get something... anything... If I weren't thousands of miles away I'd be there with bells on (which would really tick off anyone on the air... mwa ha ha aha ha)

New Podcasts soon

Sure I've got 'boocooz'... (some Texas/Louisanna expression that means a lot - probably from the French beaucoup) things on my plate (radio theatre / writing / audio production and then there's my day job) But I'm going to be putting up some podcasts from our last BIG reunion in 1998.. If that won't get your blood pumping to be on WXCI again - you're blood probably ain't pumping much anymore... yup... if you've got hypertension issues, you'd best not listen to the upcoming pod casts... nope... BEWARE...

That's a dare...

So there.

(I think I said all that with a Texas accent... too much coffee this morning I think)

rjf

One Month and one half

The plan is to have a small celebration at the station for 30 plus years.

One idea is to call it WXCI Day...

All alumni are invited to take part. As far as I know the plan was to have special programming on the last Saturday of February.

I don't know about you, but if I were in the Danbury area, I'd certainly be thinking about how I would be taking over a radio station on that day... let's see if we can make this happen.

Email me if you have interest and/or questions...

HNY- Your most unforgettable character

Happy New Year everyone! Been kinda quiet lately so I thought I'd throw some questions into the pot. You know, shake off all those egg nog doldrums.

Has anyone had any further information/updates regarding the upcoming anniversary?

Is Rabbett the only person to make comments here (besides Rich) lately?

Will we ever hear from Stan Mingo again? (I got a Christmas card!)

Is Evans still pondering his latest works?

Will the world ever be ready for Bill Baker?

OK, enough nonsense. How about we start a new thread...Who was the singular most , um, unusual person at the station during your tenure there? I don't mean unsung hero necessarily, but am looking for your recollections of a person who really made life "interesting" while you were busy trying to do your thing. Could be a practical joker, someone who had behavioral and/or hygiene issues...whatever. Who is the one person you'll never forget from your XCI days?

Not to worry if you've got a list and can't whittle it down to one. A short list along with an even shorter description ought to do. Let's wake up!