Did AT40 ever drop any affiliates?

[bandit73]

Did AT40 ever drop any affiliates because the affiliate refused to give the show the respect it deserved?

I know affiliates dropped it themselves, but I'm wondering if the AT40 people ever made an affiliate drop the program so it could be moved to a better station.

I'm suspecting that this never happened. I do remember the Cincinnati affiliate screwing with AT40 a lot, but this station had no direct competitors with a top 40 format at the time, so the AT40 people probably had no choice but to keep the program on this affiliate.

[at40petebattistini]

Yes it did, in a big way, when ABC bought Watermark back in the early 80s. Many longstanding AT40 stations were on the outside looking in when ABC started placing AT40 on its affiliates. The "bloodbath" took place beginning with the program dated April 3, 1982. One of the most visible examples was in Chicago. The program dated March 27 was heard on WBBM-FM and the following week was on ABC owned and operated WLS. I remember a conversation with a program director from an Indiana station complaining that AT40 had been heard on his station from 1970-1982 and, because of the ABC acquisition, AT40 went to his competitor. And there was nothing he could do about it!

[at40petebattistini]

Looking back on Bandit73's question, I believe he was seeking a response where affiliates screwed up and AT40 suits yanked the program. Of course the answer I gave didn't really answer his question but, I believe, offers insight to an interesting AT40 era. ;D

[Deleted]

There was another visible affiliate drop too. KIIS in Los Angeles, ABC's ridiculous guidelines about running ad time for them for free all week is what caused the birth of the show that would ultimately replace AT40 on ABC....Rick Dees "Weekly Top 40"